The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-23
Years Ago When Americans
Went Wild Over the
SongStreSS.
HER RECEPTION IN NEW YORK,
Webster, Carried Away by Her Sing
ing, Joins in the Chorus of
"Hail, Columbia

Other songbirds have come and gone;
they have delighted audiences and reaped
rich returns in the way of applause and
money. But none of them have ever
rivaled Jenny Lind in the hearts of the
people as they could not rival her in song.
She was the queen of hearts as well as the
queen of song. More than generation
has passed since she captured all America
by her singing and her pure, wolnanly
life, vet none VINO heard or saw her have
ever forgotten the emotions of that hour.
She was triumphantly above all others the
human nightingale warbling notes that
rivaled those of her feathered namesake
(says the Starr.
She had experienced a wonderful Euro
pean career, such as no other had won, be-
fore she was heard on the American shores.
She had sung before immense audiences in
every capital of Europe, and before all
of the crowned heads. She had been the
welcome and honored guest of the highest
and best in all the countries of the CONT
nent and was the idol of the people. Her
fame had leaped the ocean and extended
to America.
An English actor or two had made pro-
fessional tours through this country, and
had been moderately successful, but no
singer OF great note had ever crossed the
Atlantic to try her powers on these shores.
She was the pioneer in that line, and al
though she had been followed by other
birds of song, Jenny Lind still stands with
out rival in this country.
1t was a daring venture for Mr.. Barnum
to attempt to introduce this new and I'M
tried feature in entertaining American
audiences and no one of less daring spirit,
or with less faith in his own powers, would
have undertaken it. He made to her what
was then fabulous offer for series OF
100 concerts. 1t must be remembered that
the population of the country was less than
one-half what it is now, and its wealth was
not one-tenth as great. Washington was
hardly more than Struggling village, and
Chicago was almost wholly unknown.
There were scarcely a dozen cities where it
was thought possible that paying audiences
could be obtained. Y ct she carried away
with her as her share of the proceeds OF the
ninety five concerts a very large fortune,
after giving away more than $4,000 to
various charities.
1t was in August, 1850, that the wonder
full singer sailed from Liverpool for New
y ork. Sunday, September l, the steamer
reached New York, where every prepare
ton had been made to receive her. Thou
sands Of persons crowded the shipping and
piers as Jle AJldnlIC SlSdultu up 10 ueE
landing place while other thousands were
crowded on the wharf A bower of green
trees, decorated with flags, and two tri-
umphant arches were arranged upon the
wharf. As she appeared on the deck of the
steamer, leaning upon the arm of Mr.. Bar
NUN, a great shout of welcome went up
from the thousands who had been stand
ing there for hours waiting to get a glimpse
of her
Never before had there been such en-
thusiasm in New York. The day was for
gotten. and within few minutes of her
arrival at the hotel not less than $1,000 per-
sons had gathered around the entrance.
At midnight she was serenaded by one of
the mussal societies of the city, number
ing on the occasion more than 200 singers.
AT least 20, 900 persons were present. The
musicians had been escorted to the hotel
by 800 uniformed tiremen, bearing torches.
The calls for the songstress were so vehe-
ment that Mr.. Barnum was compelled to
lead her out on the balcony, when the
cheering lasted several minutes.
The enthusiasm continued undated for
several weeks. She was the idol OF society
and her rooms at the hotel were thronged
with visitors, including all those prominent
in church and state, and the carriages of
the leaders of Gotham society were seen in
front OF the hotel during all fashionable
hours. When her carriage appeared at the
door it was Immediately surrounded by an
enthusiastic crowd.
The first concert was to take place at
Castle Garden on the evening of Septem Der
II. Great preparations had been made for
this first appearance. The great parterre
and gallery OF Castle Garden were divided
off by imaginary lines into four compart-
ments, each of which was designed by
lamps Of peculiar color. The tickets were
printed in colors corresponding to those of
i
of the seat of the holder. One hundred
ushers wearing appropriate colors were in
attendance.
When the singer was led down to the
footights the entire audience arose and re-
ceived her with shouts of applause and the
waving of hats and handkerchiefs and the
casting of bouquets on the stage. 1t was
by far the largest audience that had ever
greeted her. and the enthusiasm agitated
her at first so that it was with difficulty
that she uttered the first notes, but in a
moment she recovered herself, and then
her triumph was complete.
The enthusiasm had been wrought up to
the highest pitch, but the wonderful mu-
steal powers of the singer were far beyond
anything ever before heard, and many
times the singing was lost in a spontane-
Gus outburst of applause. a voice so rich,
SO full, so clear and SO sweetly musical had
not been dreamed of. At the conclusion
of the concert she was several times called
before the curtain, the applause lasting for
several minutes on each OCCASION, At last
the audience called for Mr.. Barnum, who
appeared and announced that the entire
proceeds of the concert would be devoted
to charitable objects. On this announce
ment the audience went wild with its
cheering.
From New York she went to Boston,
Philadelphia, Providence, Baltimore, Wash
ington, and all the principal cities of the
country, meeting with the same wonderful
success. Wherever she appeared she was
teted and honored. In this city President
Fillmore called upon her at her hotel and
entertained her one evening at the White
House. While there all the prominentme
OF the country then in the city, including
Mr.. Webster, Mr.. Clay, Mr.. Crittenden,
General Cass and Colonel Benton called
upon her. Two or three very amusing
things occurred during the two concerts
she gave in this city. Both of the concerts
were attended by the President and his
family and by every member of the Cab
met.
At the first concert, while the overture
was being played by the orchestra, the
venerable Henry Clay, feeble with age and
increasing intirmities, entered the door
A murmur of applause greeted his appear
ance, but it was hushed and the number
completed by the orchestra. On its COM
IA