Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-09-21
THE FIRST NEWS.

THE FIRST NEWS.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 2O.-The first tap o
che bell aud the hosting of the flag on tn
Merchants Exchange announcing the approach
of the City of rokio, startled the city from the
spell of suspense that has prevailed for the las
three days, and transformed the idle thronga
that were luunging about the streets into ex
cited and hurrying crowds. Bells are ringing
steam whistles screaming, and the thunder of
cannon reverberating over the hills and harbor
Thousands of men. women and children on
foot, in carriages and on horseback are pouring
out in the direction of Presidio heights, Point
Taboo, Telegra ph hill, and other EN- nences in
the vicinity eager to catch the first glance of
the incoming ship bearing the guest for whose
reception great preparations have been made,
and whose arrival has been so anxiously antici-
pated Crowds are hurrying towards the
Wharves where the steamers and yachts that
will take part in the nautical pageant are
lying. The reception committees tug, Millen
Griffith, will leave at once from the Pacific
mail dock to intercept the City of Toxic out
side, and so arrange her arrival in the harbor
a. to conform with the preparations for the re-
eeption in accordance with preconcerted plans.
The reception is not likely to take place to-day,
the hour being so late, and the executive COM
mittee is now in session to determine whether
it shall come off tomorrow or be delayed until
Monday.
~ HURRY1Na TO AND FRO.
At the moment the alarm giving notice of
the approach of the City of Toxic was struck,
the executive committee having charge of the
demonstration were in session ut the Palace
hotel warmly discussing the question Of carry
ing out the programme tomorrow, in case of
the steamers arrival IN time, or deferring it
until Monday. The first stroke Of the bell
ended tho discussion. 1t was three quarters of
Al hour later than the limit that had been de-
termined previously, but it was at once de-
termined to carry out the demonstration i'm
mediately. The reception committee of five
hastened to the mail uOck and put out seward
without delay, to expedite the movements of
the City of Tokia and various other ommitte.s
and guests beto"k themselves to their posts
shipboard at the landing. In view of the
lateness OF the hour all precpncerted limits of
time will be contracted. The hotilla of steam
era and yachts will leave the city front ut
will be effected by half past six or seven. The
line of march will then be taken up and gen.
eral illumination will compensate for the alb
sence of sunlight.
THE FORMAL RECEPTION.
Immediately on reception Of intelligence
tn at the City Of Toxic was nearing the port,
the reception committee, consisting of Frank
NJ. Pixley, ex-senator Cole, Gen. Miller and p.
B. Cornwall. repaired to the tug Millen Grit
hth, lying with steam up at the Pacific Mail
dock, and at once started to meet the incoming
steamer The Griffith stood we'll out to sea,
and several miles outside the heads met the
Toxic coming in. The tug drew alongside, and
the executive committee, quarantine officers
and customs officials and a lumber of press rep
resentatives boarded. No ceremony was OBJ
served except general shaking of hands, and
after the committee had announced the object
of their visit and informed Gen. Grant of the
reception prepared for him, the
conversation became general al the CITY of
Toxic continued her course. Sooa after the
good steamer McPhersun came alongside, and
Major General Mcdowell, commanding the di-
vision of the Pacific, accompanied by his staff.
boarded the Toxic and rejoined his old COM
rade in arms. While this was transpiring the
general committee of arrangements, with sew
eral Thousand invited guests assembled on
board the large side-wheel Pacific mail steamer
China. and a number of smaller steamers while
tugs took squadrons of the San Francisco and
Pacific yacht clubs in tow and started down the
channel. In the meantime it seemed as
though
TIE WHOLE POPULATION OF THE CITY,
men, women and children, had sought Do
sltions from which a view of the naval pageant
could be obtained. Every emiuence conn and-
ing the channel was black with assembled
thousands. Telegraph hill was living mass
Of human bodies; the heights beyond Preside,
CLAY street hill. the sea wall at North Point.
sna every Up pier head Were covered with speota
west as the steamers and yachts,
gay with beauty, moved down the
channel. Low clouds hung along the western
horizon. Mount Tamalpais and the distant
mountains north of the bay were yelled in
mist, and Mission Hill and the seward heights
OF the peninsula were shrouded in fog, but the
channel was unobstructed AVID the bold antlers
OF the Golden Gate rose sharply against the
sky, while the bay itself: with its islands, the
shores of Alameda and Contra Costa, were
bathed in sunlight. F.om every flagstaff in
the city
FLAGS WERE FLYING,
and the shipping along the city front was
beautifully decked with ensigns, festooned
flags and streamers. The impatient crowds
that covered the hill tops stood straining their
eyes to catch glimpse of the Toxic A hun.
dred times the cry was raised 'There she
comes as some chance arrivals came
IN view between the heads. It was
half past 8 o'clock when puff of
white smoke from seward from off the earth
works back of and above Fort Point, and the
booming OF heavy gun announced that the
steamer was near at hand, another and another
followed in rapid succession. Fort Point next
Joined in the cannonade, firing with both case
mate and barbette guns and battery. At last
Lime Point added its thunders to the voice of
welcome. In a few moments the entrance tn
the harbor was
YELLED IN wREATHs OF SMOKE,
and az the batteries of Angel Island, Block
Point and Alcatrose opened fire in succession
the whole channel was soon shrouded in clouds
from their rapid discharges. For some time
the position of the approaching ships could
not be disoerned, but shortly before
6 O'Clock the outlines of the huge
hull OF the City OF Toxic doomed
through the obscurity of smoke and the rapid
~ approaching shades of evening" lit up by the
flashing of the guns, and in few moments abe
ghded into full view, surrounded by feet of
steamers aud tugs gay with flags and crowded
Win guests, while the yacht squadron brought
up the rear, festooned from deck to truck With
brilliant bunting.
CHEER AFTER CHEER
burst from assembled thousands a. the vessels
slowly rounded Telegraph Hill, and taken mn
by the crowd On the wharves rolled around tho
city front. Hats and handkerchief. ,xsra
waved in the air. The United States steamer
Monterey, lying in the stream. added the roar
OF her guns to the general welcome aud the
screaming of hundreds Of steam whistler an.
nounoed that the City of Toxic had reached her
anchorage. The crowds that had assem- bIed on
the bills and along the city trout
now with common impulse began to pour
along toward the ferry, landing at the foot Of
market street, where Gen. Grant was to land
The sidewalks were blocked with hurrvinc
pedestrians, aud the streets with carriages CON.
veying committees. The steamers and Yachts