The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-07
GOLDEN GATE PARK.
Drill Ground for the Companies of
the Thirteenth.

the Thirteenth.
Staff Correspondence The st. Paul Globe.
CAMP MERRITT, San Francisco,
Cal, June 2.-These are busting days
| in Golden Gate park. This beautiful
pleasure place, which is one of the
largest parks in the world and on which
nature and man have lavished their
richest favors, echoes with the notes of
the bugle, and the sharp commands Of
officers, and through it's attractive road
ways and footpaths bodies Of soldiers
at drill are continually marching.
Go where one will he will meet at
some unexpected turn company going
through the manual of arms
The Minnesota men were the first to
appreciate the superiority of Golden
are hard and smooth as any armory
floor and there are a number of circles
where a company may execute its
maneuvers to good effect
Capt. Metz, of Company D, was the
| first to drill in Golden Gate park and
his example was quickly followed by
every other captain in the regiment.
The place proved such an excellent
ground for company drills that Maj.
Frederick thought battalion drills
might be held there and for several
days he took the Second battalion into
the park for exercise; but it was neces-
sary to drill the battalion on lawns and
the park commissioners objected, be-
cause, he said, the tramping of so many
men would ruin the grass, 50 an order
| was issued prohibiting battalion drills
| there Since then battalion drills have
! been held on First Avenue, a wide.
macadamized street, but not suitable
| for such purposes.
The park is only block from the
| onr,f r,d ybny, 10
men are not drilling in it it is a favorite
resort for them. For there are miles
| of winding paths and roads through
| over arching trees and branches that
| give the place a semi-tropical appear
arce. There are paths that wind around
steep hills from the summit of which
magnificent views are obtained of the
city, the harbor, the Golden Gate and
| the Pacific ocean. In one section Of the
park is an aviary in which are confined
all species of birds known to California.
Near at hand is the horticultural hail.
where every variety Of flower and plant
may be seen. But a short distance
from this building is the museum, sur
! rounded by beautiful flower gardens in
which are statues and fountains The
museum is Of Egyption style of
architecture and is rich in treas
ures of artistic and historical in
terest. One Of the most valuable col
lections is room full of mineral ores
and another is rare collection of pa
| perS and documents connected with the
days of 40.
Further on are enclosures in which
elk, moose, buffalos. kangaroos and os-
triches are kept. They are so tame
they readily submit to being petted by
| visitors.
But the coming glory of the park is
| Strawberry hill, a high emlnence over
looking the ocean.
It is a pine-covered hill. Fifty feet
above the base is large lake, and
near the summit Is another lake, while
a third lake is at the top. It is all ar
tificial. In fact, the entire park is the
| handiwork Of man assisted by nature.
All that tract was formerly sand pile,
but cultivation has covered 1t with YER
dure The lakes are supplied with
water by means Of pumps, and from
| the summit to the lower lake falls q
beautiful cascade. On the summit OF
Strawberry hill stands handsome OBJ
| servatory which is landmark for
miles around.
| Another favorite resting place for Of
| ficers and men is the Cliff house, which
is within half an hours ride Of the
| camp. There they may rest and watch
| the great waves Of the Pacific break
upon the rocks at their feet. On cleag
day they may look across the stretch
of water to the Faralione islands, TWEEN
7 ty-fve miles distant. They loom uI
dimly in the haze that usually hangs
over the water, and to men who never
| have been on the ocean there is a
world of mystery in them.
Within a few rods of the Cliff house
are the famous seal rocks, where the
seals rest from their hounderings in
the ocean. AS they lie upon the rug
ged rocks and squirm and wriggle
about they look like immense leeches
They below contentediy among them
selves and seem never to quarrel. Wher
a seal becomes tired of summing him
self he gives his mates a goodbye
growl and squirms down the rock and
dives into the water. The surf breaks
violently around the rocks, but the
seals do not mind that. 1t sometimes
seems as though they must be dashed
to death by the great waves that come
roaring at them, but the seals merely
duck their heads and emerge at The
other side of the wave and treat tht
incident with calm contempt.
The largest seals on the rock are
named Ben Butler and Dewey Ber
J. Butter succeeded to the honors and ii
ties Of the original Ben Butler, who
died several years ago and whose stuff
fed skin is now exhibited in the Sutrt
museum. He is a big brown fellow, an(
his movements are always watched
with interest on account of his grea
age and his skill as a swimmer. He will
not hesitate to buffet the largest wave
and he is as agile in climbing the rock
as the youngest.
The Sutro baths are close to TIL
Cliff house, and they have been pat
roniZed at least once by every office
and man in the regiment.
On a bluff overlooking the Cliff hous
is the residence of Adolph Sutro, tn
famous philanthropist whose ingenuit,
and public spirit converted the 'Frisc'
desert into a garden. 1t is one of tn
| handsomest places in the world 4 9Th
house is veritable palace, anf1t i