August 3, 2025
MAYOR CRITTENDEN
TO FIRE FIRST BOMB.
WILL INAUGURATE THE FIRE
FESTIVAL MONDAY NIGHT.
Pain's Wonderful Al Fresco Exhibi-
tion to Be Seen at Fifteenth
Street and Kasnas Avenue
for Two Weeks.
Mayor Crittenden will fire the first bomb at 8:15 tomorrow night, inaugurating Kansas City's fire festival at the circus grounds, Fifteenth and Kansas avenue, starting Pain's wonderful al fresco production of "The Carnival of Naples."
For days the workmen have been fitting the grounds for the spectacle, and laborers have been toiling with the scrapers and shovels, with scythes and mowers, with pickax and post driller, getting ready for the fairlyland transformation.
The special train of twenty cars arrived yesterday, containing the equipment and company with which the production will be interpreted tomorrow night. In less time than it takes to tell, the sections were being hauled to the circus grounds, where teams and many men were ready to begin the herculean task of unloading the enormous stage settings, paraphernalia and amphitheater.
The scene last night was wild and weirdly picturesque. Amid the arc-lights, which presented the picture of a brilliant cluster, there shone what seemed to be a constellation under a tropical sky.
All night long the workmen labored under the skilled direction of Chief Pyrotechnist James Cunliffe, to erect the enormous scenery settings. Wagons were loaded to the guards with enormous bulky packages of canvas, poles, frames, stacks of seats, dozens and dozens of cases of every imaginable size and description, and six-horse teams whisked them all around and about the grounds.
Monday night will be Kansas City night. Mayor Crittenden will be there, occupying a box and at a signal, he will press a small button and lo, Pain's magnificent spectacle of "The Carnival of Naples and Eruption of Vesuvius" will have commenced. Mayor Crittenden's photograph will be shown in fireworks, which will be appreciated by all true Kansas Cityans.
Reserved seats for all performance on sale at the Owl Drug Company, 920 Main street.
Labels: amusement, Fifteenth street, Kansas avenue, Mayor Crittenden
