The morning call., 1890-09-01
ADMISSION DAY.

The clouds of bunting which overhang the
leading thoroughfareS indicate that the COM
ing festival will be gay. 1t is said that the
great arch which is being completed on Mar
ket street will be the finest edlfice OF the
kind ever erected in the city; persons VINO
have not visited Paris predict that it will
be equal if not superior to the Arch OF III
umph in that city. A procession indefinite
in length and prodglous in numbers Will
testify Its joy at the recurrence of our
fortieth birthday, by marching over the
cobbles till feet are sore; splendid uni
forms will give color to the picture, and an
endless succession of bands will discourse
martial music to gladden. the popular ear
1t seems likely enough that more people Will
turn out to keep the holiday than San Fran
cisco ever saw in its streets at any one time
before.
The prospect raises two questions which
are rather practical than sentimental or
decorative. In the first place, how are the
expected crowds to be brought in from the
country? People are talking of an influx Of
$4,000, $4,000 and even 100000 people. 1t Is
no joke to transport $4,000 people in morn
ing, and to carry most of them back before
night, with due precaution against accident.
An ordinary passenger-car Will carry sixty
people, and twenty more may be crowded
into it on emergencies. An ordinary passen-
ger train of say twelve cars may thus be
made to transport say 900 people. To con-
yey to this city the visitors who are expected
to arrive on the 9th would require. according
to the lowest estimate of their numbers,
about sixty such trains, and according to the
highest. sebout 100 trains. These would be
distributed between the five railroads which
ran into the city and its suburbs. Such
draft on their available stock of cars and
locomotives would be apt to strain the re-
sources of the companies.
Again these thousands will have to be fed
if not lodged when they get here. The Cee-
bration Committee on Hotel AccommOda-
tons is prepared to furnish rooms for large
number. 1t appeals TO all house-holders who
have spare rooms to send word where they
are situated and what they will cost. In this
way a considerable number of the visitors
will be sure at any rate OF finding roof over
their heads when they are tired of sightseeing
There is no danger, in fact, that any of them
will have to sleep under heavens canopy.
But where are $4,000 or 1000 newcomers
to be fed? This proved serious question
when the Veterans of the Grand Army and
their friends came here. Not few of the
visitors would have gone hungry but for the
hospitable instincts Of amayitanS, who took
them in to share their bread and salt. 1t was
ptiful to see the groups of men and women
who stood patiently outside the doors of res
taurantS waiting their turn for admission. 1t
is 10 be hoped that this experience will not
be renewed on this occasion. With proper
organization the commsSariat of the festival
can be so arranged that every visitor shall
be able to get meal at fair price without
needless delay. There are army officers at
the Preside and Black Point who could
manage that part of the business without the
least strain on their intellect. The raw ma
terial for feeding crowd of any dimensions
is abundant; all that is necessary is to call
into reQuisition a sufficient supply of cooks
and k tchen utensils, and to find rooms where
rations can be distributed. This is matter
which will no doubt command the early at
tention of the Festival Committee.