The San Francisco call., 1896-05-11
At PARK AND BEACH,
The Commissioners and Superin.
tendent to Move Into the New
Lodge This Week.
Donations to the Muse um-The Ocean
Boulevard Finished-A Crowd at
Sutro's-Up in Balloon.

This week the Office of the Park Com
missioners will commence moving from
the quarters they have occupied for so
many years into the handsome new stone
lodge on the north of the main drive, a
short distance from Stanyan street.
The new building, of California stone of
blush tinge, covered with q red tile roof
is very attractive structure, with front
age of los feet. On the ground floor, which
is reached by broad flight of stairs there
is the room for the Commissioners, one for
the secretary, one for Superintendent Nc
Laren, and one for the draug htsmen, be-
sides a fireproof vault and some small
rooms.
The Commissioners room is finished in
mahogany ana the walls are covered with
leather instead OF paper, making a very
pretty effect. The other rooms are all fin
ished in white oak.
The upper part of the building will be
the residence of the superintendent and it
Is very commodiously arranged for this
purpose. The receptlon-room is finished in
cedar, the walls tinted, and the halls and
dining-room are tinised with polished oak.
The 1iving-room is finished in California
redwood and cherry.
The pedestal OF granite on which is to be
placed the bust of General u. s. Grant is
almost ready to receive the image of the
defender of this country. 1t has been put
opposite the entrance to the museum.
During the week the following contribu-
tions have been made to the Park Museum:
From John Malowansky of this City full
sized canoe called bidarka covered with
walrus skin, specimens of fishes from
Alaska, models of canoes and dog sleds
used by Alaska indians. and q number of
Indian images; from William w. Adams
OF Union Springs, N. Y, number of In
dian relics found near Cayuga Lake, n. Y;
from L. K. Hagenkamp q picture of Los
Osos Mission, established in 1772, painted
on sea she'll
| Gottlob & Friedlander have donated to
| the park two Mongolian pheasants.
During the week the debris in the grand
court will be removed, and by next Sun
day it will give the visitors anidea of what
it will look like when finished. a force OF
men will be set to work on the bicycle
| track, and this will be pushed to COM
| pletion.
The tunnel under the main drive that
| will be the passage from Fulton street to
the grand. court is almost complete: 1t is
| 130 feet long, the longest in the United
| States, and the arch is the most symmet-
rical ever built. This week the walks from
this tunnel will be staked out.
Yesterday forenoon was delightful and
the park up to IL o'clock was crowded
with people as it seldom has been before,
but in the afternoon when the atmosphere
was not SO pleasant, the number of people
dimin ished very perceptibly.
AT Sutro Baths there was one of the
largest audiences that ever gathered within
the big structure. The attraction was the
burning and wreck of the Republic, and
the rescue of her crew by the crew of the
HOLLYWOOD. This was in the big tank,
two good sized models representing the
vessels named. By the use of red fire a
fair imitation of the burning Republic was
produced.
The men remained by her and at the
pumps until her masts fell by the board
and they plunged into the water and were
rescued bv men from the other vessel, and
then the captain and his wife were taken
off in small boat. The various nianeu-
vers and the rescues were greeted with
cheers from thousands of throats.
At the Haight-street grounds Miss Adair,
the elder of the Ida sisters went up in
the new balloon, "The Chutes.' This air.
ship, the most beautiful In design that has
ever been sent up in this City, was chris
tened by Bubbles" the four-and-a-half-
year-old son of the aeronaut, who burst
open bottle OF wine and scattered the
contents on the cloth and proclaimed the
name.
The ascent was very pretty and the
sphere scared high In the air, but the cut
away knife did not work and the para
chute could not be detached, 30 the lady,
parachute and balloon came down on q
large willow tree at Webster street and
Golden Gate avenue. This was farther
from the starting point than any other
navigator OF the air ever Went from the
grounds.