The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11
FINGERS Made
BEFORE FORKS
This Was the Impression
Given at the Fourth of :
July Banquet.
The Whole Blame Shifted on
the Shoulders of One
Fred Raabe.
Chairman Fletcher Presented With a
Handsome Testimonial for
Faithful Services.

1t was all Fred Raape's fault, or at
least the majority of the Fourth OF July
committee blam med it on him.
The committee, as everybody knows,
has given this City, without taxing the
business men, Fourth of July celebra-
ton the like OF which has seldom been
seen and the superior never.
Now, after completing its labors, the
committee thought it necessary to ceIe-
brate in fitting manner, and TO this end
appointed a committee, in which Fred
Raabe was the cuief factor, to prepare
fitting celebration.
The committee, after due delIberation,
decided that the only way in which such
an event as the final adj urn ment of the
Fourth of July committee could properly
be celebrated was the holding of a BAN
quet. As none of the members were a.
tiicted with an all-consuming desire to 90
the work thereupon attendant, the gist OF
it was left 10 Raabe, and he accordingly
went to work with vim and vigor which
promised such banquet as never has been
seen and seld ON heard OF.
AS the time drew near the committee
rooms, in which the feast was to be he'd,
took on an aspect that suggested the
headquarters OF the tabled Santa Claus,
so overburdened were they with good
things to eat and drink.
The last moment came, as last mo-
ments will, and found the committee and
lew guests seated at the proverbial
'groaning board" They were not seated
two minutes, however when a groan
arose, not from the board" but from the
assembled party.
Even the oysters on the plates raised
hair oil hat
bountifully spread table neither knife,
fork, spoon, salt nor pepper could be
found.
And all present were of the opinion that
it was Fled Rabies fault. He 1t was who
had prepared the sumptuous feast.
He il was who guaranteed that every
thing would be o. K, and be il was who
at the last moment lett the banQueters to
feast in a style which might have been
good form" at the time Adam and Eve
wa ked in the garden of Eden, but at the
present day is tabooed this side of the
Barbary Coast
The guests were disposed to take the
matter as huge joke, however, anu with
improvi sed chopstcks. made OF fragments
of wooden plates, any of them fe asted
in the most approved Chinatown le.
Others, more particular, used pocket
knives, matches and toothpicks.
But the banquet was great success,
nevertheless, like all the doings of the
committee.
al Borlini made typical toastma aster,
and to start things going in good style
called on Joseph ODonnell, who on be-
half of the executive committee, presented
Chairman George f. Fletcher with a
handsomely Illuminated testimonial, the
iull text of which is follows:
Fourth of July Committee, 1897, one hun.
dred aud twenty-firs1 anniversary of American
Independence, San Francisco, Cal.
WHEREAS, The success OF tn arran gements
of the Fourth OF July Committee was
due largely to the untiring efforts of our CO.
worker and president, George K. Fletcher, and
whereas, We teel that it IS flung and pub
lie duty to acknowledge his valuable S, r
vices honesty OF purpose and our sense of ap-
probation for his u al and ability in discharg-
ing the duty OF his Office to our utmost salts
ton; therefore be ii
ResoIred That we tender him this testimo-
nial OF our appreciation of his able executive
assistance.
kesplred, That a copy OF these resolutions be
engrossed and presented to him as an ever
lasting memento OF the occasion.
The testimonial which bore the sigma
lures of the mem bers of the executive
ommittee, wa, handsome executed.
and, as Chairman Fletcher said in reply,
ut would hereafter worthily hold the
place OF honor in his house and be held
thousands of dollars
During he course Of the evening toasts
were responded 10 as follows:
"Our Country" Senator Braunhart;
"How We Did 1t for Less Than $3OOO,' '
William ]. Herrin; THE Ladies, f" DR..
Ragan; 1.-The Police" James D.v.In;
The Press of San Francisco" Colonel f.
Patriotic Robinson; How | Worked as
x-Offic!o Members of ALI Committees"
Fred Raabe.
"How | secured the presence of nine
thousand nine hundred and ninety nine.
people at the regatta" Grattan ID. Phil
lips.
1.-The Fourth OF July committee; first in
war, first in neace and first in the hands of
the big police" Leon Samuels
Our public institutions and the good
we have done them, Samuel Waller.
Notwit outstanding the omission OF those
alI-lmportant articles OF table furniture.
every body voted not only the banquet but
the Fourth OF July committee grand
success
The Iroquois Orchestra, under the di.
rection OF Rob Allen. di>coursed sweet
m usic throughout the occasion, and MIR.
Allen favored his audience with a solo.
which was hearth v appreciated
Prior 10 the banquet the committee
held q short business session, in which
resolutions thanking General Shafter tor
the handsome showing of his troops dur.
ing he parade and refusing to take paw
ment for the military bands, DR.. Rottanzi
for donating cup and Joan T. Sullivan
shoes for pr zes at the regatta were unani.
mously passed.
A Calling gun fires JOUO shots a minut.