The morning call., 1893-08-25
Concert Valley, where the exercises were
TO take place.
FROM THE GRAND STAND.

| San Francisco never before gave such
hearty approval to any object as she did to
the ceremonies attendant upon the break
ing OF ground for the Midwinter Fair. The
directors and projectors expected a large
crowd to be present, but they scarcely be-
lleVed their vision when they surveyed the
seas OF people that surrounded the scene
IN concert Valley yesterday afternoon. In
Tile great amDhitheater a comm odous
grand stand had been erected. A stand
LOT the speakers was arranged in the CEN
tral portion. while tiers of chairs for in
Vlted guests hlled the background on both
Sues In 'front.' were ranged the mbined
military bands and the grand vocal chorus
! OF lOOO Ine stand was heribbOned and
wound with bunting, while flags and
! streamers, notices, emblems and pictures
| OF national benetactOrs were placed at
| suitable points. About the vast area i'm
mense flags fiuttered from recently erected
masts, and the natural scenery greatly en-
hanced the decorations
/ Many of the spectators reached the
scene Dy noon and secured advantageous
seats, but the coming crowds soon COM
PEELED change. First the people came in
| squads, then they came in companies.
| changed to regiments, advanced like bat
talions and soon mighty armies were on
the grounds. and still they came from all
directions. For a radius of over 200 yards
from the stand the people were packed as
closely as they could stand, while beyond
that they gathered In groups on the
hlllockS and dunes that are soon TO be lew
eled for the new White City.
Iardy people with grand-stand tickets
were beWIldered when they neared the
scene and saw the legions that had pre-
ceded them. Dsmay was set aside, and
by dint of cr0wding, squeezing, showing
and pushing the coveted central spot was
gained. At $40 o'clock there were fully
$4,000 people on the grounds, and then the
strains of band in the distance fOretold
the arrival of the procession and the pro-
mitigation Of the opening ceremonies.
1t seemed that the hosts desired to
crowd upon the grand stand, and the efforts
of the handful of police were unavailing
as the procession approached. Directly in
front of the choristers the crowd was so
dense that it Surged and swayed in man
ner that portended danger to the women
and children that dotted the mass. The
best of humor prevailed, but the people in
the rear wanted to be in front and the
lines would lot yield. Then the Gordon of
police was redoubled. the ladies and chill
dren were passed over the grand stand to
the rear and the band played the ever-pop-
ular High School Cadet March,
Still the ranks increased and it seemed
that half of San Francisco had turned out
to honor the day and the deed. There was
not the slightest manifestation of dis
pleasure at%hat seemed delay. and it was
$3.50 O'Clock when Director-General de
Young. Secretary Badlam, Directors An
drews, Irwin c. Stump, Irving NJ. Scott.
z. n. Lilienth thai, General r. p. Hammond
| and the invited guests filed in from the
| central entrance In the rear. A rousing
! pr0tracted cheer greeted their coming and
the shining shovel and precious box that
was to contain the first earth were depos-
tied on the speakers stand. The ambi-
tious projectors of the Midwinter Fair
| felt repaid for their efforts when thew
gaZed over the human sea that gave the
stamp of approval to the undertaking. All
doubts were dispelled and their ambition
was redoubled. Comparative quiet relgped
until the com bined orchestras played an
ode Of welcome to the distinguished arri-
walls.
Among the invited guests seated on the
grand stand we're Brigadier General
Thomas H. Ruger and staff Of four, Gen.
eral j. S. ClarksoD, Colonel R. H. War
field. General T. c. Msstellar, General R.
p. Hammond, Rev. John Hemphill, Rabbi
Jacob Voorsanger. Mayor George c. Par
dee of Oakland. Chinese Embassador
Yang Yu. Lorrn A. Thurston, DR.. Henry
Kanner, Professor Isidor Singer. A. Page
Brown, G. c. McDougalI, S. c.. Newsom,
E. R. Swain and the following Consuls:
Argentine Republic. j. L. Schleiden;
Austro. Hungarian Empire, Francis Kor-
bel; Belgium, L. Charles Tamm;
Bolivia. F. Herrera; Brazil. D. L.
Randolph; Chile, Nephtali Guerrero;
Colombia, Adolfo Canal; Costa Kica,
Rafael Gallegos; Denmark, j. Simpson;
E~uador. John T. Wright; France L. de
Lalande; Great Britain, Wellesley Moore;
Greece, d. G. Camarinos; Guatemala. j.
Daz Duran; Hawaiian Islands. c. S.
Wilder; Italy, g. Branch; Japan, Sutemi