Daily Republican., 1879-09-22
AT HONE ONCE MORE.


Welcome Him TO the Golden
Shore. .....
At 3.l5 Saturday afternoon the sig
nal bell of the Merchants Exchange,
San Francisco, began to ring and the
flag was run up, and as quickly, as il
the news had been telegraphed, every
body in the city knew that the steam
ship City of Toxic, with Gen. Grant on
board, had been sighted. Immediately
bells began to ring all over the city and
steam-whistles to blow, and cannon to
thunder.
Thousands Of men, women and chill.
dren relieved of the suspense Of the last
three days, began to gather on foot, on
horseback and all sorts of vehicles,
the crowd poured rapidly to the high
points, available, eager to catch the
first glimpse of the ship that bore the
guest for whose reception extraordinary
preparations had been made, and whose
arrival had been SO anxiously awaited.
Other crowds hurried to the wharves,
where lay the steamboats, and yachts
that were to figure in the marine pa,
geant.
At the moment that the alarm was
given the Executive Committee in
charge of the demonstration were in
session in the Palace Hotel, discussing
the question whether the grand recep-
ton should be given on Sunday, in case
of the steamers arrival, or to be post
poned till Monday. The first stroke OF
the bell, settled the question. 1t was
As minutes later than the limit had
been fixed, but it was at once resolved
that the reception should be given al
once.
II was half-past five o'clock when a
puff of white smoke from seaward, from
off the earthworks, back off and above
Fort Point, and the booming of a heavy
gun, announced that the steamer was
near at hand. Another and another
followed in rapid succession. Fort Point
next joined in the cannonads, firing
with both casemate and barbet guns.
and the battery in Lime Point added
it's thunders to the voice Of welcome
In few moments the entrance to the
harbor was veilsd in wreaths Of smoke,
and, as the batteries of Angel Island,
Black Point and Alcatraez opened fire
in succession, the whole channel was
soon shrouded in clouds from their
rapid discharges.
Dark had fallen, and it was twenty
minutes past seven when the lights OF
the ferry boat were seen approaching
the slip. She moved slowly into posi-
tion, the platform was lowered, the
band struck up "Home Again." and,
amid roars of applause from the waiting
crowd outside, who realized that the
critical moment had arrived. General
Grant stepped once more upon the shore
Of his native land. AS he came up the
gsngway he was met by Mayor Bryant,
Supervisors, the Governor and staff ,
and the executive committee, and, after
brief informal congratulations, the
Mayor delivered happy address Of
welcome to which General Grant as
happily responded.
The procession was one of the great
est ever seen in San Francisco. The
streets were lined with people, and the
windows and balconies were crowded.
The procession countermarched on Mar
ket street before General Grant, from
which point the General went to the
Palace Hotel. The scene within the
immense court of the hotel when Gen.
eral Grant arrived was of SURPRISING
beauty. Electric lights and 500 gas jets
lit up the vast interior with brilliant
glow, and the dense throngs that packed
the court and filed the spacious balco-
MES and corridors surged to and fro in
anxious expectancy of the coming guest
whom the packed streets had detained.
At ten o'clock the wide doors were
thrown open andss barouche containing
General Grant was driven within the
building. He Immediately alighted,
and, crowding his way through the
packed mass of human beings, was
hurried to his room. As he got out
Madame Fabbri and a chorus Of 500
voices sang an ode of welcome from one
of the balconies.
After chorus was rendered, General
Grant, in response to repeated calls,
appeared on the balcony ofthe fourth
floor, bowed to the shouting crowd and
Immediately retired. Still the enthu-
siastic populace thronged the court
and refused to leave. Finally Mayor
Bryant appeared and announced that
as soon as the General had finished
his dinner he would show himself. In
q few minutes General Grant appeared
and was greeted with deafening and
long. continued shouts. Mayor Bryant
called the crowd to order, and the
General mounting a chair which was
passed over the heads Of the surround
ing throng, was again greeted with a
succession of cheers. When the noise
subsidized he addressed them as fol-
lows:
"Fellow Citizens of San Francisco:
After twenty-five years absence l am
glad to meet you and assure you of my
cordial thanks for the kind greeting
you have given me. shall stay in your
city long enough to greet you more
fully"
The General withdrew amid prolong-
ed and tremendous cheering, and the
crowd at length reluctantly scattered.
As soon as the review was finished,
and the various divisions had disband-
ed, the soldiers and sailors, veterans of
the late war, repaired to the sand lots
with field battery and fired q sa-
lutte. 1t seemed a kind ofpoetio justice
that here, where Dennis Kearney had
threatened few weeks ago to hang
General Grant in efigy, the insult
though meaningless and uttered without
the slightest thought OF carrying it into
effect, should be wiped out.
6pectal Mention
Just received q fine lot OF bird cages