The herald., 1897-02-13
A TALE OF TWO CITIES

| For several years Los Angeles has
been celebrating an annual Fiesta, which
draws many visitors from all over the
state and from eastern states. Two
years ago special excursion was or
| ganized in San Francisco to visit Los
Angeles during the celebration, and last
year again several trainloads of people
came down.
Immediately after the conclusion of the
Fiesta of 1885, which was highly artis-
tic and successful affair, meeting was
held in San Francisco for the purpose of
| organizing a similar celebration in that
city. If it was good thing for Los An
geles, 1t ought to be good thing for the
metropolis of the state. The time was
set in the month of September, and the
work of preparation began forthwith.
The newspapers of San Francisco took
it up with their usual sensational We
hemence; public meetings We're called
without stint, and the whole city seemed
to effervesce with excitement and antic-
ipation.
All went we'll until the time came for
passing the hat, and then great silence
fell upon the multitude. The public meet
ings suddenly ceased discussion Is to who
should be director general and grand
.panjandrum" quieted down, and even the
vigorous fault finding and backcapping.
which invariably go with public under
takings in San Francisco dropped mys-
teriously out of hearing.
At last after decent interval of retire.
ment, the committee came up smiling
with the announcement that the "'scur-
sion was postponed" until the winter or
spring. The board of supervisors, who
had passed an ordinance granting the
committee certain privileges for the
week of the carnival had to recon slider
it's action, and presently do 1t all over
again for new date. This new date,
unfortunately was the same as that al
ready selected for the Los Angeles Fies-
ia, and third shift had, therefore, to be
made, and time was finally and firmly
established one week after La Fiesta de
Los Angeles.
A prominent San Francisco merchant,
now in this city, is authority for the
statement that nobody in San Francisco
believes that there is going to be any
carnival at all. AS matter of fact, al
though the affair is now only ten weeks
off, almost no money has been raised or
even pledged, and no preparations of any
consequence have been made. The time
has arrived again for the passing Of the
hattie put up or shut up" time-and
again the mysterious silence falls upon
the multitude.
Meanwhile the Los Angeles Fiesta as
sociation has been saying little and do
ing a good deal of work. 1t is not the
best year that this city has ever seen
nor the worst one-nevertheless, the
greater part of the requisite sum has al
ready been subscribed, and the rest will
undoubtedly be forthcoming as the time
draws near. That part of the work
which has to be done beforehand is now
we'll under way-such as, for example,
the construction of the floats for the
night parade. Society is beginning to
whisper over the question of who is to
be queen of the gay festival, and. almost
before we know it, the institution which
has come to be a part of the character
istic life of this city will be upon us. Let
US hope that so many citizens of San
Francisco will be present to enjoy the
celebration that the abandonment of
their own carnival will cause them no
regrets