The morning call., 1893-09-18
SEEING THE SITE.
Crowds at the MidWinter
Fair Grounds.
THE GREAT AREA LEvELED.
A Huge Sunday Assemblage and Its
Comments and Observations Upon
the Great Project.

To make moderate calculation, $4,000
persons visited Golden Gate Park yester-
day, and a large majority OF the crowd
passed on through the improved portion
and fastened to Concert Valley, anxious
to inspect the past weeks work of the
graders and view the site of the MiGwin-
ter Exposition. The dunes and knolls
have disappeared in the great space. yet
few of the most prominent hills have been
left in order to heighten the future beauty
of the landscape. AS the crowd emerged
from the north drive and filed down past
the Starr King monument it stood on the
edge of the future fair grounds and spent
a few minutes in admiration and remark.
The sight is not inspiring from stand
point of beauty, yet it is convincing when
it is surveyed through business glasses.
The great area is practically leveled,
though few holes and hillocks remain to
be eQualiZed on the surface. The spread
ing of loan and planting of seeds and
shrubbery will follow soon enough 20 get
the benefit of warm rains in the fall and
immunity from the stiff breeZes that char
acteriZe the summer months. The graders
have permitted the great palms to remain
where Commissioner McLaren rooted
them, ana the fastgrowiDg varieties have
been removed for transplanting purposes.
In all, the site is ready for the initial work
upon the main building, bids for which
will soon be opened.
The spur track is rapidly approaching
from the south, and another week will wit
ness its advent on the graded space, ready
to land supplies and material for the
buildings.
Late in the afternoon near the band
stand one of the characteristic crowds was
embled-well-dresse men, women and
children, bearing evidences of work-a-day
people out for an airing and than kful for
the music and beauty of the park. Said
one observer:
Look at this crowd and then wonder at
the inconsistency of the hope that the
Midwinter Fair will remain closed Oh
Sunday. Isn't it the most pTeposterouS
notion you ever heard? This crowd will
be regular Sunday feature of the fair.
1t is principally composed of people who
cannot come any other time, and many OF
them have given their mite toward the
general fund"
Park visitors now consider the day lily
spent unless the outing includes Concert
Valley and its signs of promise. The
coming three months are full of interest,
and the erection OF the buildings viii
prove perfect magnet of attraction and
interest. The Park News contains dia-
grams of the locations and general ar
rangements, and its pages are carefully
scanned by visitors in order that they
may ldLulllhIILc tDeuS6lN6S WILL lie uHdi
work of the far directorate.
The Park Commissioners, in compliance
with the wishes of wheeimen and horse
men. are laying out bicycle track from
the base of Strawberry Hill westward 10
the great highway. 1t VIII be of ample
width and generally constructed for the
exclusive use of wheelmen. It's length
will be greatly in excess OF the airline
distance, as it is intended to cross and
curve the track dCZen times or more.
Like the main driveway, it will have a
speeding stretch 1t is surveyed and work
will begin upon it within few days.
Great complaint has arisen against the
wheemen since Strawberry HIll's charms
have become generally known. Its sinu-
Gus roads and winding nights tempt bicy-
clists to turn it into toboggaD slide, and
the gliding, silent wheels have been the
cause of numerous trifing accidents and
DO end of narrow escapes, to say nothing
of the air of temerity that their presence
lIrpaTIs. HOrsemen especially will be
gratifled TO know that the wheelmen are
to have track of their own to the ocean
and will be compelled to keep clear of the
drivewayS.