The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-05
ALL ALONG THE LINE.
The Small Boy PercheQ High
and Decorations We're.
Beautiful.

Long before the procession had assumed
any sort of definite shape the streets gave
evidence of unusual activity. At different
points along the line of march people gath
cred, at first in groups OF two and three,
then by the hundreds, until finally thou
sands of eager, happy faces lined each side
of the streets over which the procession
was scheduled to march.
As early as $3.50 o'clock the people began
to gather along Market street and Van
Ness avenue. An hour before the process
sion was scheduled 10 form nearly all the
available space along Van Ness avenue, as
far out as Fulton street, was occupied The
space not ordinarily available was also
occupied for the ever-present small boy
was to be seen on telephone poles, adveT-
Using boards and on the tops OF such
houses as were possessed of skyllghts or
gutter-pipes. By some means known only
TO himself and the tbirds" a youth scaled
the perpendicular walls OF St. lgnatIus
Church and then, with whole roof OF uu-
disputed territory at his back, viewed the
procession with all the serenity OF chlldlsn
innocence. Another youth with equal
audacity attached himself to the gable end
of a three-story rooms-to-let house, anus
ing himself by shouting Tor Washington
| and Mayor Sutro, and incidentally drop
| ping an occasional "redhead" in the ranks
| of the multitude below. .--
| On Market street, where the telephone
and telegraph poles shoot skyward many
| feet the small boy was In his element. The
| taliest pole was not as high to him as Is
(; the seat of a bicycle to beginner. Through
perfect network OF telephone and tele-
graph wires, with here and there an occa-
| sional live wire, patriotic young America
made his way On the dizzy heights OF.
| the top-most cross he perched, his shriil
voice being the first to announce the start
ing of the procession. He shouted in sea-
son and out of season. The driver of the
| three donkeys received as much applause
as the honorable Mayor, while the butchers
! of Butchertown shared hOnors with the
| battle-scarred veterans of the Rebellion.
| But this made little difference with the
small boy or the crowd, as for that matter.
They were applauding the spirit of the
occasion, and they recognized that each
division of the procession was there for the
express purpose of celebrating the freedom
of America.
All sorts OF vehicles were pressed into
service by people anxious to catch
glimpse of the procession. Up and down
! Van Ness avenue. seeking some point of
vantage, dashed two-wheel carts, buck
boards, Surveys, four-in-hands, and nobby
pony phaetons. AT each cross-street were
gathered all sorts of wagons and old-fash-
| toned buggies. Some were attached to ami
mails while others stood severely alone.
They were all there for a purpose, which
was to rent splendid views OF the parade'
at the nominal charge of two bits head.
1t is hardly necessary to add that the seats
| thus offered were promptly taken, while
thousands OF perspiring patriotic and
shouting people occupying the banquettes
and curbstones patiently waited for more
such opportunities, which never came.
Of course the bicycle-riders were out in
force. Long before the procession turned
into Van Ness avenue, that thoroughfare
was crowded with two-wheeled riders.
The girl with the boomers and the girl
with the brown-black leggins raced from
one end of Van Ness avenue to the other
to the infinite amusement of the assem- =
bled thousands. The bicycle agent was
also present, lavender tights and "a
| bloomer waist, calling for the plaudits of
the children, while pretty circles and in
tricate figures caught the cycling eye. of
the ladies.
AS whole the crowd on Van Ness ave.
nue. and Market street was orderly and
| well behaved. OF course they shouted and
clapped their hands, but that was to be
expected on an occasion like yesterday.
Occasionally the crowd surged a little too
| much forward, but they good-naturedly
moved back when so requested by the
! police.
1t was nearly half-past II before the
head of the procession turned into Van
Ness avenue. 1t was nearly o'clock when
| the last float passed in review before the
| grand stand.
Colonel Shafter and his staff received an
| ovation, but it was nothing compared
to the shout sent up by the multitude
when the Continental army, 200 strong,
and the Third Company. representing the
army on its return from Valley Forge, came
into view. Old men shouted and threw up
their hats shrill-voiced children threw in
their share of glory, while daintily gloved
ladies clapped their hands and would fain
have joined vocally in the general uproar.
AT the corner of Hayes street and Van
Ness avenue the procession halted for a
moment, which was improved by the thir-
! teen Indians, representing the original
thirteen States, executing genuine war
dance. The small boy was then in his
| element, for, regardless of the brandishing
of the tomahawk, coupled with the whoop
of the brave, he surged about them, deter
mined not to lose one item of this inter-
esting performance.
| The Moll Pitcher float also met with a