Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-09-30
GREAT FIVE-MILE PAGEANT
MOVING ROUND A LOOP.TRACK
Depicting Indian Colonial Transporation-A Century
of Railroading- Present.
THE PAGEANT


Around this track will move the Sec
Dnd great part of the Fair Of the Iron
Horse"-the Pageant-which Ia de-
signed to illustrate the remarkable
progress made in the development Of
speed and efficiency Of inland trans
portation during the past one hundred
years In this country. 1t will show
In colorful and elaborate succession
of floats and vehicles the many in
genious devices invented to carry pas
sengers and goods quickly and safely
from place to place.
At the head of the parade will be
placed float called "America," re-
splendent in red, white, and blue,
which will carry the Baltimore and
Ohio Glee Club, a male chorus of 40
voices. This chorus will sing a num-
Der of selections appropriate to the
occasion.
There will follow literal MOVING
displav of historic and modern modes
Of travel. The tentative plans for the
parade are as follows:
Pre-Railroad Transportation
A group of American Indians, with
heavily-laden pack-horses and the
primitive "travois." pass first in re-
view. The "travois" consists Of two
long poles crossed over the neck Of
horse, the rear ends laced together
with vines forming a cradle which
drags along the ground and on which
are packed the movables Of the red
men and their families. The Indians
Of this group are being sent from
Glacier National Park by courtesy of
thn Ernof Mnnklan... Daslxryau Thaxr
are full-blooded members of the Blood
and Piegan tribes of the Blackfoot
Nation. This part Of the Pageant is
symbolic Of early highway travel,
crude and slow.
Prairie Schooner DAYS
Then come in order the prairie
schooner, with a group of early
pioneers and their families, a pretty
girl sitting in the back; a post chaise,
which furnished the fast" passenger
service in the early days; and post
rider of the Paul Revere type, who
helped relay mail and messages over
the country. Costumes of the time
will be closely initiated.
Conestoga Wagon
A great improvement in those days
in the moving of freight will be repre-
sented by ConestogA wagon, the fast
freight of the time, spacious stoutly-
built vehicle covered with picturesque
canvas canopy, drawn by six horses.
Deep streams were no barrier to this
type of carrier-the wagon was built
to float and the horses swan.
Following this vehicle is a stage
coach carrying Henry Clay to the SEN
ate in Washington. 1t is a gorgeous,
stately highly decorated coach of the
George Washington type.
The Birth Of the Railroad
These vehicles, however, though
great improvements over earlier
modes Of travel, still did not come up
to the demands Of a rapidly expand
ing civilization. A faster means of
transportation was needed. The prob
lem In Baltimore was made more
acute by the fact that the Erie canal
was taking q great deal Of trade away
from the city and Baltimore's com
merce was bSing diverted for lack OF
convenient outlet. To face this
crisis, . p,eeyang Of prominent citizens
was held ~ the home Of George Brown
in Baltihhra February 1927. Reports
had come yrd@ across the ocean OF raj
travel in EnRl&hd and at this assembly
the BaltimbR and Ohio Railroad was
conceived. II was decided to build 6
railroad Wet from Baltimore.
The Coming OF Steam
Then comes a quaint treadmill-cai
float and q preposterous sail-car float