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JITE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: SEPTEMBER 27. 190.
Actual Work of Preparing: Floats for the Great Electric Street Pageant
ABIDE from the Coronation ball, with
Its attendant splendors, the elestrl
cal parade Is the crowning glory of
of the Ak-Sar-Ben. The spectacu
lar effect of these twenty allegori
cal chariots la seen In Its greatest beauty la
Omaha and Is not surpassed by similar page
antry anywhere in this country, and scarcely
equalled in the old world. Such at least is
the verdict of observant people who have seen
the best of these pageants, both at homo and
abroad. To Omaha alone belongs the glory
of producing an electrical parade in the last
thirteen years, that is unequaled anywhere,
and which has never been duplicated either
' by the Mardi Gras, Veiled Prophets, Priest
' of Pallas or Festival of Mountain and Plain,
even partially, though repeated efforts have
been made to do so, but invariably with dis
couraging failure. (
The building of these floats during the
summer eason employs the active energies
of a score or more of men and boys, and
the entire work is performed in the Ak-Sar-Ben
den on North Twentieth street.
The theme of the parade, which varies
eery year, is usually decided upon by the
Board of Governors early in January or
February, and then it devolves upon that
versatile genius, Gus Renze, to carry out the
Idea in designing the floats. The preliminary
work Is generally intrusted by Mr. Rente to
his three principal assistants, Lawrence Nebe,
carpenter; Thomas Bedford, paplermache
maker, and Charles Eaton, electrician.
Around this quartet of artists are grouped a
Dumber of miscellaneous assistants, all of
whom have their special part to do, but al
ways under the eyo of the principals of these,
several departments.
The plans once decided upon, foundations
for the floats are laid on specially designed
wagons, which have flanged wheels that they
may run easily on the street car tracks. The
work of building the floats continues during
the entire initiation season, which begins in
June, and is continued until the finishing
touches are given the marvelous creations
but a day or two before they are exhibited to
the public in the great electrical parades. (
Tne materials entering into the makeup
of the floats, are lumber for the substantial
frame work, chicken wire netting, muslin,
plaster of part's, paper and paplermache.
Every detail of the work Is carried out in the
Den. All of the figures are made there, in
cluding the paplermache statuary, animals,
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Group of the Men Who Build the Ak-Sar-Ben Floats
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ml rod by thousands and thousands
of people, they are hauled back to
the big yard of the Den and left
there until after tho Coronation
ball, when they are hauled Into the
Don again, and during the winter
are dismantled and taken down.
This work of dismantling Is usually
the winter's work of the Janitor of
the building. Very little of the ma
terial is used In the floats for the
succeeding year, unless It be a few
of the figures that can be utilized
in the new float decorations. , But
even in that event they are re
painted and reornamented so that
they would not be recognized as
having ever been in use before.
Other cities have often made
ried on at the Den there has never been a
fire, and but one or two trifling accidents.
This Is all the more remarkable because of
the flimsy character of the materials used In
float building, and the unavoidable accumu
lation of debris, of paper, shavings and cloth.
The building Is equipped with abundant fire
hose, with fire plugs both inside and outside
the building, and the working crew is trained
in the handling of the hose should an emer
gency arise for its use.
The painting of the floats Is carried on
during their building, as several coats of
paint are necessary to produce the best ef
fects. The gold and silver foil and tinsel is
applied by experts in that line, and the gold
and silver paper 1b fixed to the floats with a
specially prepared paste. , An enormous quan
tity of this gaudy material Is used in the
float construction and is necessarily of all
colors and shades.
The electrical equipment for the light ef
fects is fixed In only after the floats have
sulated and are repeatedly tested, and no
float is permitted to go out until its absolute
safety is assured. The number of incandes
cent lamps used on the floats varies from 100
to several hundred, according to the design.
The globes are colored to correspond with
the place they are to occupy. They are
grouped in sections so that the breaking of
the wire of one Bectlon will not interfere with
the illumination of the other sections.
The floats once completed are drawn out
of the building onto Twentieth street by the
big teams that are to pull them along the
street car tracks, for It should be borne In
mind that the motive power of the floats is
horses, the trolley being used only to convey
the electricity to the floats for the Illumi
nating effects, and are there tested again
for electrical safety. This once assured the
parade then becomes a thing of life, thongH
the floats are not always Illuminated fully
until they reach the parade starting point at
Sixteenth and Cuming streets.
In the ea'ry stages of the fjoat building
only about two men are employed on the
work and the force of helpers Is Increased
as the necessity requires. It is an all sum
mer's work, the greater work being done after
all the parts are, assembled. The iwork is
carried on with several of the floats at once
in order that the materials may dry gradually
and thus expedite their completion,
put onto these beautiful creations, they are
With the Immense amount of work that is
designed to last but for one night, that of the
electrical parade. That being over, the gorge,
ous chariots, which may be only slightly dam
aged in their long tour of the streets, ad-
The Genius of Ak-Sar-Ben
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COMINQ WITH THE FATTED CALF TO WELCOME THE PRODIGAL.
enforced against smoking about the building
goblins, dragons and other decorative fea
tures. These figures are usually made early
in the season, molded and pressed, being
placed in the position they are to occupy per
manently on the float and are then let dry
thoroughly. It often occurs that the designs
are not completed until the middle of Augubt
or the beglnntng of September, as new sug
gestions are constantly presenting themselves
which, will produee better effects. After the
various figures have become thoroughly dried,
the building of the remainder of the float
about them begins, and then follows the
painting.
Water colors only are used in the palnt
injc of the floats, in order to reduce the dan
ger of fire to the minimum. Rigid rules are
' during the construction of the floats. In the
fourteen years that this work has been car-
been nearly completed, and once the wiring
is finished the plaster of paris additions neces
sary to finish oft the symmetry of the designs
are added.
The paper used In the construction is what
is known as "express" paper, because of its
facility for absorbing moisture. It is aston
ishing how strong and rigid these paper con
structions become after they have dried com
pletely. The foundations of the creations
must be strong and rigid, and absolutely safe
in order that no mishap may follow to those
who will have to ride upon them. Here and
there iron rods are provided as grips for
those riding on the floats.
In wiring the floats for the electrical ef
fects through the incandescent lamps, as well
as for supplying the current to the floats
from the trolley, every precaution is taken to
avoid danger. The wires are perfectly in-
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ASTRONOMER WAPPICH.
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propositions for the loan or pur
chase of the Ak-Sar-Ben floats for
spectacular parades. These propo
sitions have been invariably turned
down, for the reason that the floats
are too bulky for transforation.
In brief, the Ak-Sar-Ben parades
can only be seen in Qulvera's realm.
Its beauty is peculiar and exclusive
to Omaha. The float chariots are
made for Samson and his subjects
exclusively. To see them in their
glorious beauty one must come to
Omaha. '
. The parade this year, the four
teenth of the series, is going to be
the most beautiful of all, and that
is saying much in view of the
ecstatic admiration that has been
given its thirteen predecessors.
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' TRELATE HODDER.
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GUS RENZB AND THE GOAT.
MUFTI THOMAS.
'FAIRY"
MOLONET.
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