The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-11-30

A Test to be Made With a
Vapor Lamp Tor Park ),
Illumination.
The Park Force of Laborers to be.
Reduced by Forty To.day-Attrac.
tons at Bach AMI Chutes.

Parties who desire to advertise the in
dustry 70 the fullest will at the next ses-
sion of the Legislature endeavor to have
that body pass an act authorizing the APP
preparation of a sum sufficient to estap-
lish the State Mining Bureau in Golden
Gate Park, and if possible to enlarge its
scope. 1t is also proposed to have located
within the same grounds an institution
to be maintained at the expense of the
State in which shall be exhibited pro-
ducts from all parts of California, in
order to show its resources, something
after the exhibit of the State Board of
Trade, and make it also a bureau of.in-
formation.
President Austin of the Park Commits
sion, when asked if the commissioners
had any knowledge of these propositions,
said:
~ am of the opinion that they would
be extremely useful exhibits and if they
could be seen by thousands OF people who
visit the park they would prove the great
est kind OF an advertisement for the State.
Everybody in the City and every stranger,
whether from the interior of the State. or
from abroad, comes out here, and they
would be great attractions which they
would not miss seeing.
"If the State will authorize such ex-
'hibts in the park we will give all the
room required Where could they be es-
tablished? Well, they will be put up near
the museum The three, in close pro1-
unity to one another, would form interests
ing educational exhibits"
To-day between forty and fifty of the
laborers in Golden Gate Park will be dis
missed. The reason for this" said SUI
the work that was laid out has been al
most finished, and what remains to be
done can be accomplished with much
smaller force than we have had. At this
season, for instance, there is no need for
men to water the grounds"
On the subject of lights with which to
| illuminate the park Superintendent Nc.
Laren stated he had received some re-
! plies to his questions sent to park officials
| in the East. From these it appears that
| in st. Louis the parks are not lighted all
night; in New York arc lights and vapor
lights are used; in Paramount Park, Phila-
| delphia, gas is the illuminator; in Cleve-
land, Ohio, vapor lights are used. and
| Chicago, which has been us ing electricity,
| is substituting the vapor lights.
One of the lamps, such as are used in
| Cleveland, has been received by the Com
| missioners, who will put it in operation
to com pare 1t with an arc light. 1t is very
similar to the lamps USED by the gas COM
pany OF this City, but in one corner there
is small tank which contains a special
liquid that runs into an arrangement at
the bottom of the lamp. where it is con-
verified into an inflammable gas, said to be
equal in illuminating power to electricity,
and but one-third the cost.
The grading of the grand court has been
com pleted except at the southern end,
where the bandstand will be located. The
contract for the stand will not be let this
winter.
Reuben H. Lloyd has donated to the
park museum two pieces of tappa from
the South Sea islands. Tappa was the
substitute OF the ancient natives for blan-
kets and is extremely rare, as none is made
now,
The most attractive feature presented to
the audience in the Sutro Baths yesterday
was the swim of J. G. Saxton under the
surface. lie swan from one end of the
long tank to within a few feet of the other
end breaking the worlds record of 248
feet.
Arrangements are nearly completed for
The international tug-of-war, which will
commence December Ii and close Decem-
Der 20. There will be twelve teams, repre-
senting America, Ireland, Scotland, Ger
many, Norway. Sweden. Denmark, Italy,
England, Canada, Slavon1a and Portugal.
The Chutes were crowded all the after,
noon, and toward evening G. w. Vosiner
made very fine ascent with his balloon
rising higher than any aeronaut who ever
left the grounds. After remaining up nine
minutes he cut loose and came down with
his parachute near Laguna Honda, the
time of his descent being three minutes
and half. Usually the moment para
chute is cut loose the balloon turns, col
lapses and reaches the ground before the
aeronaut, but yesterday the sphere re-
manned stationary for four minutes after
Vosmer cut away before it turned.
An exciting event at the grounds was a
potato race for boys with toy wheelbar.
rows. There were six entries and three
prizes, So. 50 and 81. The winners in
order were: George Simmons, Ed White
and Joe mmons