Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-07-23
MUCH LIKE PARIS.
an ENDEAyORER'S OPINION OF SAN
FRANCISCO.
An Eight-C urse Dinner for
Twenty-Five Cents.

transcontinental pilgrimage have been
received the papers now estimate the
number at 45, 000-possibly it is nearer
,000-people. OF these the women
outnumber the men, judge. about
five To one. OF course the hotels in
the heart OF the city were packed and
congested, while the bulk of visitors
were lodged in boarding houses and
private houses clear 10 the outskirts of
the city. Rooms in such cases did not
cost more than twenty-five cents day.
As meals were correspondingly cheap
this can be considered very inexpen-
slve excursion. While the weather re-
ports discussed the fearful heat east peo-
pie here were wearing overcOats morn
ings and evenings. This city is essent-
tally European, much like Paris People
lodge in rooms in one hotel and visit
the grill rooms and French restaurants
for meals At French restaurant last
evening Grand Rapids party enjoyed
an eight-course dinner with pint OF
claret, finishing with black coffee and
cognac. Price of oil this two bits
twenty-five cents. The sunshine and
life on the streets, the good-loOking
women and the general air of festivity
constantly suggest Paris.
Flowers are every where. Geranium.
growing over porches, fuschias, hello
trope and oleander trees in front yards.
Ugly palms with big trunks and about
as much shade as hoop.skirt would
make are also ornaments.
The street-car service is Justly cele-
brated as the most wonderful IN the
world. 1t is principally the cable
system, and runs cars up and down the
fearful grades with ease. The fine pal
aces of the millionaires are made of
wood, not stone. Even the residences
built by Leland Stanford, Flood, Mark
Hopkins and Lolita, the actress are of
wood, but very handsome.
The sight at the baggage room at the
foot of Market street is one to be remem-
bered-several acres of trunks piled
twelve feet high, and frantic women
rushing among the piles looking for lost
baggage. The checks lost or stolen
with pocketbooks by gentlemen pres
tidigiteurs did not lessen the confusion
John ChInaman as cham bermaid is
great success. He makes no noise
and attends strictly to business. just
aminute ago he was working carpet
sweeper marked "Bissell, Grand
Rapids" But one sees that in Paris OF
Moscow just the same.
Chinatown is after all, the most fas
cinating attraction here. rhe children
one never tires Of watching. They cele-
brated a weddirg last evening with a
mighty din and rumpus. Among Other
things done was the freeing of bunch
of big tirecrackers-a bunch over two
hundred feet long, which was unreeled
from above over the street "a fast a.
burnt below. 1t made a stupendou>
row for seventy minutes and nobod,
could get near it.
The opium joints under ground are
not slow, but they smell pretty high.
Altogether Chinatown is fully up to date
Joss houses, restaurants and ALL and
deserves its chaste reputation.
The exodus from this land of the set.
ting sun on our continent back to the
far East begins this week. The trail of
picnic refuse and garbage which goes in
the wake of the excursion is an awe-in-
spring spectacle, making a sort of
brilliant Mazarin. unbroken from the
great lakes to the golden shore of the
Pacihc.
The effect of this occidental pilgrim
age should be felt unto the third genera
ton, in as much as large per cent of
the pilgrims is made up of school teach.
ers who will instlll into the youthful
mind the wisdom they have gathered