Evening star., 1926-04-04
10000 VISITORS
TO MAKE EASTER
PARADE NATIONAL
Sunrise Services Will Open
Religious Observance of
Spring Festival.
ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE
STARTED, OFFICIALS SAY
Bus and Cab Companies Taxed to
Capacity and Stores Do
Record Business.

When the JOYOUS Easter throngS
step forth in fashions gay this aft
ernoon and bid formal welcome to
Springs festivities at the end of the
long religious season all America will
in truth be represented In the brilliant
spectacle, for Washington is host to-
day to the greatest crowd of Easter
visitors in all its history.
More than 10000 persons have
come here from all over the Nation,
and If the~ weather mans predictions
for fair skies and moderately COM
Portable temperatures are not discred-
tied the boulevards of Washington will
well match honors with the famous
Boardwalk of Atlantic City for the
splendor and size of the Easter parade.
To the Christian world only Christ
mas surpasses Easter as a day of
joyous celebration, for it was on this
day that the crucified Savior arose
from the dead, and in churches every
where the event will be observed with
festa1 services. In Washington an
exceptionally beautiful religious pro-
gram has been arranged.
Many Plan Sunrise Rites.
Many churches will hold Sunrise
services beginning at 7:30 o'clock in
the morning, and in virtually every
Protestant Episcopal Church special
holy communion will be offered at
early services, Nearly all churches
will hold two services this morning,
followed by Sunday school this after
noon and evening services tonight.
The sweet incense of Easter lilies,
banked on altars and in pulpits, will
add traditional charm to the climax
OF the religious season, and the spe-
cial musical programs. proclaiming in
joyous tones the miracle of the res
direction, that have become time
honOred part of every Easter service,
will have their customary place this
morning.
But there is another phase to the
Easter celebration. The day not only
marks the end of Lent, during which
social activities are abruptly curtailed
in well ordered society, but it falls at
time when the call of Spring is
growing stronger. Hence. although
the season dawned weeks ago, Easter
is always more or less the formal be-
ginning of Spring activities.
Hotels Are Crowded.
Every year Washington has been
becoming more and more of a mecca
toward which the people have turned
at EaStertide, and this year the Ma
tional Capital is entertaining the
greatest throng it has ever welcomed
at this season. BY motor, railroad
and boat tourists and sightseers have
poured through the gates of the city,
until last night every hotel in the
city had full registers and scores of
late arrivals were being sent to pri.
vate homes for lodging.
These crowds began arriving the
middle of the week, flooding the corri-
dors of the Capitol, standing in long
lines to get into the Senate galleries,
pouring through the House chamber.
invading the public portions of the
White House and taxing the sight-see-
ing busses and taXicab companies, who
were forced to reinstate even their
most antiquated equipment on junkets
throughout the city and over to the
nearby historic Shrines of Virginia.
The railroads entering Washington
brought $4,000 visitors in special
trains during the last four days, the
Baltimore and Ohio estimating that it
alone carried $4,000. One special
brought 500 from Toronto yesterday
and the same road has run excur-
sions from as far West as st. Louis
and Chicago. 1t is estimated that the
crowds carried on the Baltimore and
Ohio will leave 100000 in Washing
ton.
Says Spring Influx Is On.
The Pennsylvania Railroad figures
it has brought 5000 persons here, but
the passenger agent of the road said
he did not regard these neOnle as
Easter visitors, but rather the begin
ming of grand Spring pilgrimage to
the National Capital, during which
thousands of persons will come here
for six weeks or more The Chesa-
peake and Ohio, Southern, Seaboard
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