Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1877-09-01
The CITIZEN.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER l. 1871.
L o CAL MATTERS.
The Feast of San Augustin.

country that have anything or the kind
Tucson came In possession OF It's great
feast from the fact that this portion OF Ar
iona formerly belonged TO Mexico, and
the Catholic Church prevailed in Mexico
and under its sway the feasts and church
celebrations, as found In the old world
have prevailed from time immemorial.
Each town had its patron saint and each
saint annually gave blow out" or feast
10 its favOrlte town. Tucson early took UP
with San Augustln for its patron. And
while there are a good many saints on the
calendar who rank higher than San Aug
ustin, still our patron has very com fort
able position on the list and will do to bet
on. And so whenever his anniversary
comes, Tucson puts on her holiday attire
and for the space OF about ten days de-
votes herself to feastlng and the light fan
tastlc and carnival or pleasure general
IL.
The feast this time opened on the even
ing or August q, under better auspices
than ever before. Mr.. J. II. Hovey who
has had sole control and management OF
the grounds devoted to the feast on the
military plaza east OF town, has shown
much ability as an organizer and mana
ger. Then the people seem TO have taken
hold Of matters more heartily than here
tofore and the bazaars and their displays
are tar In advance OF anything seen here
before. On the opening evening there was
a large assemblage promptly on hand. A
hDe display OF rockets ushered in the feast
and the ball commenced rolling in earn
est from the very start. Every evening
since seems 10 have added zest 10 the pro-
ceedings. The throngs nightly increase;
the money holds out pretty well; the string
band is getting closer down to its work
and the man with the base-drum has an
Ominous look In his eye, wears a healthy
smile and is not at all flushed; the young
people are getting way up to their necks
In love; the big games and the little games
are running lively; the watermelons and
bellOtas promise to hold out and altogeth-
er there is a prospect of one OF those kind
of times that the parrot said he had been
having.
The encampment where the feast Is held
Is I'm the form OF a square consisting OF
canvass structures, built around the four
sides and enclosing IN the center large
open space for dancing and promenading
The tents and booths are occupied by in
dividuals for restaurants, saloons, bazaars
for display and sale OF fancy goods, &c,
&C. As you approach the grounds OF an
evening, the numerous lights and tents
and moving throngs present a startling
and attractive scene. Entering the grounds
the first object in view is the "Volantin."
This is an open umbrella-Shaped structure
with boxes suspended from the projecting
arms OF the "umbrella;" these boxes, IA
dozen or SO IN number, re somewhat like
twO-seated carriage box; the handle Of
the immense umbrella" is set perpen-
dicularly in "a socket in the ground; a lev
er Is passed through this spoke or handle;
the passengers get into the carriages, the
band begins 10 play and "the elephant
now goes rouud - that is, the lever is
brought 30 bear on The handle, the han
die revolves in IFS socket, The arms revolve
and the carriages whirl around In a cir
Gle. Previous 20 any Of this taking place,
however, the passengers must pay their
fare. u is quite nice and il is astonishing
how fast the thing goes after gettingunder
fUll head way. OF course this is a familiar
feature 10 city mIr-frequen,ers, but we are
not writing for them. In passing, we
might advise young men who intend to
treat their girl or girls 10 &" Volautin "
or them up with bellotas or Arizona pea
nuts before starting, if they wish 10 DO the
proper thing; 10 makes the youthful female
mind and jaw more contented, and no
young man will ever regret following our
advice; Il is not expensive, two or three
quarts apiece viii do.
Levin < Braun, George Foster, Dill &
Holt and others have handsomely arrang-
ed and capaclous saloons on the grounds.
and Tor those DESTROYS OF riSkng their
money, there are any amount or entlcing
games, roulette, chuSeiS, faro, monte, haz-
ard, chuck-luck and the ubiquitous rafle.
At one chuck-Iuck table the other even
ing the proprietor was shaking his dice
with a careless air and his patrons were
betting their money with anyth ng but
a careless air. The proprietor had on
tall cone-Shaped paper can about three
feet high, probably 10 add TO he attrac-
tions Of the game. While he was pursu-
ing the even tenor OF his way, some wick
ed fellow came mp behind and touched a
lighted match to the extreme top of the
paper cap. There was a fine pyrotecnic
display not down in the programme, and
the proprietor was surprised at and una
Die to account for the increasing interest
in his game until II began TO get warm
overhead, whereupOn n tableau. one OF
the most pleasing features on the grounds
is Messrs. Haraszihy * Bakers soda stand
with their new soda fountain in operation,
and the mum Der Of pretty girls who come
up there OF an evening and take lemon
or chocolate or sarsaparilla in "theiT'n"
is something surprising We overheard
one young man say 10 pretty specimen
OF femininity by his side,-as they depart
ed for the last time, last evening, from the
soda fountain,-'I l say, Maria Jane, I just
thought Of a sentiment as we were drink
Ing that last glass: As you love soda, soda
I love you" 80. Charley" said Maria in
reply, Isn't that sweet" and then we
lost their voices in the crowd. Which
shows what soda water in sufficient guam
titles will do.
The dancing pavilion is in the center
1t the open square, and the music is fur
nIshed by a string band which came over
With Cortez and has played at feasts ever
since. The band is peculiar and consists /
2f three vlo:ins and Two drums, and there
s but one tune in rs repertoire. At the