The San Francisco call., 1896-07-26

streetcar and locomotive headlights, so
arranged as to shed their light into the
street.
As the wheelmen. moved down the street
they were greeted with cheer after cheer
by those in the windows of every house
and by those who lined the street.
From the starting point to the turn at
Eighth street the streets were thronged,
even to the inconvenience of the cyclers,
for the people crowded out to the car
tracks, leaving but narrow passage-way.
In addition to this was the inconvenience
of the Folsom-street electric cars, which
ran both ways and caused break after
break in the line of march.
In several instances the cars were obliged
to join in the procession, so to speak, be-
cause the floats on trucks could not be re-
moved from the tracks.
BY the time the head of the line reached
NintE street the end was not in sight, and
from all accounts it was located back on
Eighteenth or Nineteenth street. From
Ninth to Eighth street the crowd began to
manifest itself in earnest. Eighth street
from Folsom to Market was simply i'm
passable, except TO the cyclers, who were
given small strip in the middle of the
street. As each float and gayly decorated
wheel came into view it was greeted with
enthusiasm, and in not few instances the
cyclers were good naturedly bonn barded
with Roman candles.
1t was not until the cyclers reached
Market street that they realized what
wheeling through tb9 masses really is.
They had met with large and enthusias-
tic gatherings on Folsom street. big crowd S
on Ninth and Eighth streets, but on Mar
ket street it was literally a surging mass
of humanity.
After leaving Eighth and Market streets,
on its way downtown, the parade got into
difficulties that eventually resulted in its
going to pieces before Kearny street was
reached.
AS soon as the platoon of police had
passed, the densely packed masses OF
humanity that lined both sides of the
street closed in on the cyclists, and be-
fore Fourth street was reached only a mar
row lane not over three feet wide was left
to allow the wheelmen to pass. Riding in
this narrow space, particularly over the
cobbles, was out of the question, and the
majority dismounted and led their wheels.
The parade was noticeably weaker after
became weary.of. the continual effort of
pushing through the throngs and gave up
the struggle. Some cut off into side streets
and deserted the parade completely, while
others, seeing no prospect of getting
through to Kearny street with whole
wheels or decorations, cut out of the line
and Joined the countermareh as soon as an
opportunity presented itself.
Those who came late down Market street
seemed to be completely at sea and many
clubs were swallowed up in the crowds.
A few that escaped in any kind of forma-
tion wandered or crowded their way down
Kearny street without knowing where they
were going. Some rode as far as Califor-
mia street, while others turned back at
Post. and after trying vainIy to re-enter
Market street went their various ways
without even semblance of order.
The greatest crowd of all was at Kearny
and Market streets and it may safely be
said that the very enthusiasm of the peo-
pie prevented the parade from being a
grand spectacle at that point.
The streetcars that had been blocked for
some time added to the general confusion
about the time the last of the wheelmen
reached Kearny street, their dozens Of
iangling gongs turning the night into pam
demonium. Before the tail end of the
parade reached Kearny streetlt had ceased
to be a parade and became rout where
every man or woman looked out for him.
self or herself.
Where small bands of wheelmen were
trying to escape few extinguished Lam
terms on poles or wires showed above the
heads of the crowding. perspiring jam OF
humanity, while here and there wheel
woman stood in the doorway with her
wheel, having giving up the struggle
against the crowds and retired to a
place OF safety to await chance TO get
home.
Toward the latter end of the parade the
rowdies that were largely in evidence
along the line of march began to make it
very uncomfortable for the paraders.
One man with a. beautiful superstructure
of lanterns and flags tried to cross Market
to get down Third street when some one
made grab at lantern dangling from
wire and the wheelman turned to ex-