The herald., 1897-03-21
SAN PEDRO'S
| BARBECUE
Fifteen Thousand People
Sumptuously Fed
ENJOYED THEMSELVES
Despite the Discomfort OF a Rag
ing Sandstorm
MANY TONS OF GOOD MEAT
Devoured by the Thousands Who Brought
Their Appelites With Them
Eloquent Speakers Dilate on the Possibilities
OF the Port
MANY TONS OF GOOD MEAT
Devoured by the Thousands Who Brought
Their Appelites With Them
Eloquent Speakers Dilate on the Possibilities
OF the Port
A Strong Resolution Urging Col. Otis
Appointment as Assistant Secretary
of War-Music and Races.
An Orderly Crowd


| 1t was another proud day" for San
Pedro. Fully fifteen thousand people
fiocked the streets and roads of the
free harbor town yesterday and assisted
the citizens in celebrating an event
which will long live in the history of
Southern California. Perhaps never be-
| fore on this coast has so large ratifica-
tion meeting been held. 1t was just
such a meeting as the invitations desig-
mated, the ratification of the harbor
commission in selecting San Pedro as
deep water harbor site. Countless hun
dreds of men, women and children sur
rounded platform from which the men
who made the fight told the story of the
victory. Far out over the throng their
words were borne, and the waves of the
boundless Pacific took them up and
dashed the echo back against the rock
bound shore. But that was not all. The
people, or at least 90 per cent of them.
did not go merely to hear the speeches
There was another attraction. and 1t is
matter of conjecture which was the
greater. A lunch counter of pine boards
fully block long and half as wide had
been erected, and from numerous fires
built within it arose the savory odor Of
barbecued meat and steaming coffee.
And it was all free free as the air.
HOW THE THRONG WENT.
Los Angeles sent thousands of peo-
pie to the deep water harbor site, and
the Terminal and Southern Pacific rail
roads were taxed to their utmost ca
pacity in handling the crowd The Ar
cade depot was beseiged early in the
morning with a throng of such magni-
tude that the depot officials were filled
with despair. Ticket sellers sold the
bits of pasteboard with both hands, and
so great was the crowd that many peo-
pie did not wait for their change. Long
before the first train pulled out of the
depot the supply of San Pedro tickets
had been exhausted, and ANY old kind"
were dispensed to the clamoring multi
tude. San Pedro was the destination of
every one and it didn't matter to the
crowd how their tickets read as long as
they showed that the requisite 36 cents
had been paid into the Golfers of the
corporation.
Every available coach and engine was
brought into use, but even then there
was lack of conveyances. The last
morning train for the beach left at 10
o'clock and 1t required every coach that
could be mustered to hold the people.
Hundreds went to the depot little after
that hour expecting to find another train
in waiting, but they were disappointed.
isn't enough rolling stock. Next
train at 12:40." sententiously remarked
the ticket sellers. The people waited
until the cars had been brought back
from San Pedro, and when at 1:10 the
train pulled out of the depot there was
not room enough aboard for another
person.
The Terminal was treated to about the
same experience, and between 1880 and
1:10 they were unable to send out
train.
For once at least in the history of
the road the size of the crowd had far
exceeded the expectation of the most
sanguine.
A BLINDING SAND STORM.
In all great events there is bound to be
some unpleasant feature. Yesterday 1t
was the weather. When the good people
Of San Pedro awoke in the morning they
encountered the worst weather in four
months. A terrific wind was blowing
off shore and the sand was filling the air.
This continued all day and through
whirling cloud of dust and sand, men,
women and children rushed frantically
from the trains as they pulled into the
depot, and took possession of the town.
A great banner stretching across Shore
street, directly south of the station, an
nounced a "Welcome" to everybody. On
a corner of the same bunting were the
words: 'The town Is yours" but nobody
wanted the town just then, so they flock
ed past the painted invitation, hurried
to Fifth street then turned west for
ten minutes walk up hill right in the
teeth of bowling sand storm. Just as
ha IF CT p
from Beach to Fifth streets a mighty
whirlwind Of sand and dust swooped
down upon the town and the human
current which filled the streets and side
walks were lost for the time in the
shower of sand.
The tempers of those who went by rail
were already sorely taxed by the delay
in transportation. Then when they
found themselves In the future city Of
the deep harbor and the wind and sand
holding high carnival they made up
their minds to make the best of the day
and determined to eat barbecued beef,
pork, mutton and shell fish, even though
they ate that proverbial peck of dirt on
the spot.
The town was wide open and every
thing went and saloon men, the street
fakirs and the lemonade boys were jubi-
liant. Almost everybody had a thirst
and an inclination to spend money.
Gambling, too, was wide open. A man
with brazen voice. recently from Chi
cago where he IS known as a short
card and big-bit man. clapped his
hands, and two boys with doubling ex-
pressions on their faces looked up and
down the street moment, and then
hurried into the saloon. The man with
the brazen face smiled as they entered
and then walked nervously back and
/ forth trying to talk louder and faster
than little woman with gold trim
med visor cap who was selling badges
in the middle of the street
Never seen the city look purifier"
ventured a sailor to man who was not
in hurry. Now, l ken remember