The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-14
One Hundred and Nineteenth
Anniversary-A Confusion
of Dates.
IT DID NOT FLY EVERYWHERE
Because Excessive Patriotism Con.
fused the Mayor and His
SubordinateS.

The thermometer Of patriotism in San
Francisco yesterday was at fever heat.
This was the effect of several causes.
To-day Sunday is the one hundred and
nineteenth anniversary of the adoption by
Congress of the National colors. The
Sons and Daughters of the American Rev
olution had requested the Mayor of San
Francisco to direct general display yes
terday OF the American flag upon all pub
lie buildings, squares, parks, etc., in COM
memoration of the event. In the carry
ing out of the order there was some con-
fusion, due, probably, to the dates of the
raising of the bear flag and the celebra-
ton of the battle of Bunker Hill, all of
which come SO close together. There was
not any difference of opinion. All persons
interested were loyal, but there was con-
fusion of dates and ideas.
When the Mayor received a courteous
communication from S. Isabelle Hubbard,
president of the Valentine Holt Society
of the Children of the American Revolu-
ton, requesting a general public display
upon all public buildings and in all pub
lie parks and squares yesterday of the
stars and stripes, he said:
A request has been issued to all the proper
officers to have the National emblem raised
on public buildings on Saturday, June ID,
1896, In commentator OF its adoption by
Congress, June IA, 119 years ago.
Our institutions are worthy of purest love,
and societies like yours are eloquent evangels,
carrying the sacred token of National love.
To Edwin Bonnell and Mrs. Florence G.
Moore, the representatives of the Sons and
Daughters of the American Revolution,
he said:
Fully approaching the spirit of pure
patriotism that prompts your honorable
association to celebrate the event, your re-
quest has been complied with, and all the
officers having charge of buildings,
squares, ETC., have been invited to raise
the flag next Saturday as a testimonial
that San francisco loves our National
colors and the principles that it so grandly
represents"
So everything seemed to be propitious
for grand general display of "Old Glory, -
but unIuckiIy the minds of the people be-
came confused ana they were unable
clearly to distinguish between the respect
i've dates of the Bear Flag celebration, the
Battle of Bunker Hill and the one hun
dred and nineteenth anniversary of the
adoption by Congress of the National
colors.
The Mayor, so he says, transmitted his
instructions to the Superintendent of
Streets and the Superintendent of Schools,
but the flags, nevertheless, did not fly so
numerously as to obstruct the free circula-
ton of air.
The flagstaff of the Lincoln Grammar
School was bare, also that of Union
square. The stars and stripes fioated
triumphantly to the breeze from the tower
of the City Hall and from the fagpole OF
the Lowell (boys') High School, but not a
stripe nor star was to be seen at the Girls
High School, although the principal
elisha Brooks) is a Grand Army man and
noted for mis- loyalty. The reason why
1nf rfe
pIaved is that the REQUISITE instructions
did not reach the head gardener and the
principals of the respective schools in
time.