The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-28
THE STREET PAGEANT.

Fully 100000 people lined Van Ness and
Golden Gate avenues yesterday morning
and viewed the Midwinter Fair procession.
The formation was upon Van Ness avenue
resting upon Golden Gate avenue, and the
wisdom of placing the formation and
handling Of great masses of men such as
marched yesterday in the hands of military
chiefs was shown by the promptness and
precision with which every detail of the
formation and march was carried out. Had
the civilians who were to take part in the
parade been on time G ,nerals Dickinson
and Muller would have given the CON-
mand Forward, march," promptly at 10
o'clock, for the military were all in readI-
ness at that hour. As it was the line
moved at 10 80 o'clock. a remarkably short
delay comparatively speaking. and once in
motion went right along without hitch or
tumble of any kind.
Whatever else Californians had to be
proud of yesterday their chief pride and
glory must have conferred in the National
Guard and Naval Battalion of California.
A finer body Of men, more soldierly mil
tia never unsheathed a sword or shoul-
dered gun in any State of the Union.
Not only were the officers well mounted
and the men well uniformed, but they one
and all moved like veterans. The disci-
pline was perfect and the maDeuvers,
which were constant as the procession
moved along, were executed with the snap
and precision that showed how well and
how thoroughly the men had been drilled.
Handsome and soldierly as were Uncle
Sans regular troops. who DO nothing e1-
cept drill, the National Guard and Naval
Reserve outshons them. The artillery
and cavalry. as we'll as the infantry, called
forth comments of praise all along the
line.
''There is nothing Of the bandbOx SOL
der about those fellows" said a New
Yorker In the hearing of CALL reporter,
and he was right. The truth is that with
out the National Guard and Naval Reserve
yesterday the procession would have been
failure, but with them it was not only
success but one of those successes that are
rememb ered.
Not since Admission day. 1890. has there
been such crowd of people on the streets.
and not since .the memorable parade on
that day have they been given such show
of military of alIlnaton alities.
Unfortunately the original programme
could not be entirely carried out. The
u,
were not in such numbers as to be espe-
c!ally noticeable, and the Midway Plat
sance Division. the seventh as originally
planned. was entirely abandoned.
Following the first troop of cavalry,
National Guard Of California, who came
down the avenue to clear the way at a
swinging trot. their sabers flashing and
yellow plumes nodding in the bright sun
shine. came the Visnna Prater Band, and
then Generals John FL. Dickinson and M.
w. Muller, with their respective stats, all
spendidly mounted, leading the process
sion. Behind them was the first division,
consisting of regular troops as follows:
Colonel W. R. Sbafter and stan.
First United States Infantry Band.
First United States Infantry.
Two Light Batteries, q. S. A.
Four Troop Cavalary, U. S. A.
And right here il must be said that the
care exercised by the officers. cavalry and
artillery of both the militia and regular
army in seeing that their horses overran
no one was worthy Of the true soldier, for
1t must be remem bered that the line of
proce ssion was practically without police
protection except a scattered officer here
and there.
The regulars were cheered along the line,
but the people did not fully warm up until
the second division came trooping into the
avenue. and then as the California boys
with firm, swinging step came along. CON-
paDy after company moving as one man,
the cheers aud plaudits we're frequent and
hearty. Even the small boy forgot to jeer,
| for there was no fault to be found. The
division comprised:
\ Colonel william Macdonald and stan, com.