The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-26
A HOME RUN.
Native Sons Remove to Their New
Headquarters.
The Question of President Of the Day Comes
Up-The Excursion May Land at Mare
Island-Finance Report

Visitors at the former headquarters OF the
Native Sons were considerably astonlshed
to find that the Reception Committee, as
we'll as the officers of the General Commit
tee. had vacated the Grand Hotel for the
new headquarters. That was not the in
tention at first, and was only done when IL
was found necessary that the committees be
together
The move was made early yesterday
morning, headed by Colonel W. Ii. Cham
berlain and Secretary r. p. Doolan, each
bearing plaster of paris grizzly. Hardy
had they entered when Chairman Hegler Oh
the Finance Committee received a check
for $3.50 from the London, Paris and Amer
lean Bank, accompanied by letter assuring
them of its cordial good wishes.
Chairman Chamberlain Immediately en-
sconced himself in Room "a, which has six
exits and one entrance. The object of this
is TO have as few visitors as possible and
too many chances for them to have to avoid
| taking the hint.
The type-writers and reporters have the
adjoining roOm-No. 26-where tables ana
stationery have been provided.
The Finance Committee have for recep-
ton Room No. %, and for business No 80.
SHORT OF ROOMS.
F. W. Covey of the Hotel and Accommo-
dation Committee installed himself on the
ground floor He asks the public who have
rooms to rent to communicate with him as
the committee is short of rooms.
Over 1900 yards of bunting and $4,000
flags are to be put out in decorating the
streets.
Collector Clark will start out to-day among
the sailors boarding-houses to canvass for
funds. He has been provided with list of
names by Supervisor Bingham:
r. ?. Wieland. a member Of the Finance
Committee, reported yesterday being the
proud father of native son.
The Baldwin Hotel subscribed $500 yes
terday.
The rumor that the parade was not to be
a general one, which has gained some Gre
dence, has been emphatically denied at the
Native Sons headquarters. Already 175 in
vitations to 175 institutions have been issued
and any organizations, other than political
| Ones which have not received invitations
| must attribute it to a false address or acct
dent and remedy it by sending the proper
| address to the headquarters.
Some time ago Native Son asked about
| the history of the bear flag, when there were
| several of his fellow-members. present.
| None could tell him the true" history,
but all thought it figured somehow in the
| States history. The question laid heavily
| on John L. Greany'S mind, and to allay all
surmises and vain guesses, he addressed
| letter to the interior, and ELECTED the fol-
lowing in reply:
| THE BEAR FLAG.
Wis ALA, Cal, Aug. "a, 1890.
| John y. Creamy, Esq, San Francisco. Cat.-
| DEAR SIR: In answer 10 your letter, addressed
to Charles I. Lindsey, dated San Francisco, Aug.
| q, 1890, have 10 state:
| had some doubt as to the correctness of my
| knowledge of The facts and circumstances lead;
| ing up to the raising OF the original 3" bear flag"
| in California. In July last, when tie thermOm-
| eter stood 100 in the shade took 1t upon my
| self 10 drive thirty miles and return, making
siXty-mile drive, 10 satisfy myself on this ques-
4 ton. i there met and visited with George W.
| Williams (Babe Williams), whom have person
| ally known a worthy citizen OF this county
| and man OF trust for twenty-five years or more,
| from whom obtained the following statement:
| MIR. Williams says that early in the spring
| or summer Of 1916 he at work for Mr.
| Leidesdorff. in what was then known as Yerba
| Bueua, where san Francisco now Is, and that
there came into that harbor merchant vessel,
| on which vessel was a Lieutenant Of the United
| States Army, by name Gillespie, who Immediate
| ly hunted up what Americans lie could find In
that village, ana finding this man Williams, who
had been IN the Territory OF California and 10 the
| employ OF LeidesdOIff since the fall OF lS45-that
| this American Lieutenant remained over night
| with Williams and told him that This Territory
| was upon the eve OF a revolution.
| That II was necessarily important that Ill the
| Americans in this territory should get together
| In one place so as to save their own lives, other
| wise they would be cut down plecemeal; and
that II was his duty as an American TO 60 and
| warn The Americans and get them toge her, and
that by the next day he had him (Wtlllams) so eX-
| cited that lie could not work, and he very re-
luctantly aud much against the wish of his en-
| ployer, gave up his job and went TO Sonoma,
| while Lieutenant Gillespie went to Suffers Fort,
| seeking Colonel Fremont
| That upon his arrival at SOnOma be found III
| teen Americans thereabout, 10 whom he told
| Lieutenant Gilespe's story, and while they
were eoIncing mol K1owlNg what 70 40; tnere
| with twenty-five armed men, de manding and col
Letting all the saddle-hOrses he could hnd at the
several ranches; and that at each Alealde office
or public place he posted up an order purporting
to come from the Alexican commander In Cali
Iorna, which order was 20 the effect that all
Americans in this territory should leave the
territory within Thirty days, and enjolning the
Americans from taking any animals out OF the
territory having Spanish brands on them, and
also fOrbiddiDg the Americans taking any fire.
arms with them.
Tie sixteen Americans sent this man Williams
and two others to hunt up and council with
Colonel Fremont.
These three men left SonOma about midnight
and found Colonel Fremont the next evening
on the American River some miles above SUIT
tel's Fort, ana Lieutenant Gillespie with him.
They reported TO Colonel Fremont their sllua-
ana the fact that the exicans were driving all
OF the saddle-hOrses out OF the country.
authority 10 assist You / am an officer OF the
United States, aud cannot involve my Govern
ment without orders. Ii is true have written
Instructions brought me by Lieutenant Giles
pie. hey are sealed and am not to open them
for one month yet. AS an Individual l suggest
TO YOU not 10 allow the MexicaDs 10 leave you
afoor, aud therefore 10 60 and turn the horses
that the Mexican Lieutenant has, loose, and let
them go home, and if Kit Carson and any men
who are travelling with me choose to volunteer
TO prevent those horses leaving the country,
shall not binder them doing So"
| Thereupon Kit Carson called for volunteers
and this man Williams and twenty-three others
volunteered TO 90 and turn the Mexican horses
loose; and they started at midnight and at sun
rise next morning they found the Mexican Lieu
tenant with his twenty-five soldiers with over
400 horses at Murphy's ranch OH the Costumes
River
Xii Carson with his force rode up in friendly
| manner, told the Mexican Lieutenant that he
had come after those horses, and If he was dis
| posed 10 surrender them, all right; but II he did
| not they would fight about it. and that the man
| that whipped would take the horses. The Mexl-
! can Lieutenant held council with his men, and
| after c0unclllng he asked Carson II they would
! be permitted 10 Keep their sadde-horses. Carson
| answered.: Eyes, and you can take each one
an extra horse. We want you to get out of the
| country mighty quick, and We want you to have
| horses 10 go on" They thereup0n each caught
an extra horse and continued their journey TO
| mainder of the horses, fully 400, loose and re-
| turned to FremOnps camp, and again counced
| with Fremont and Gillespie. and geed that the
| only safety for the Americans was for the three
Americans to return TO SonUma and take posses.
sion of the town. including The Mexican military
| post at that place, take down the Mexican flag
and run up nag OF their own. not The American,
taking as prisoners the Mexican officers there
Six of Fremonrs camp-followers going with
these three Americans they returned TO Sonoma
and that night took possession al the town, and
taking General Vallejo. his brother, Mr.. Leece
and one other Mexican officer prisoners.
These prisoners they sent next day TO Colonel
| Fremont, took down The Mexican flag and pro-
ceeded To manufacture a flag 10 put up in its
place. They purchased at an italian store
tDree YARDS OF unbleached domestic and
young MIR. Todd WHO was with them. with red
keel, for they had no pencils, made star in the
upper leit-hand corner and it looking so blank
some suggested That they paint grizzly bear
thereon, which Mr.. Todd proceeded TO do with
the same led keel. The bear was represented
with his mouth open, as though he was about 10
make war upon the star. The flag still SCENE
10 be unfinished. 1t was thought that border
would add to II, aud this George w. Williams
| furnished with one OF his red fannel shirts,
which was torn In Strips and narrow border
sewed on.the top bottom aud outer eud, and
that flag was then and there raised where tile
Mexican flag had been taken down from.
That Is the end OF the Bear Flag" story as
told by Mr.. Williams. BY that time they had
| twenty-eight Americans gathered at Son0ma.
| Mr.. Williams statements OF the actions
~ N.A a.,