The record-union., 1899-08-26
CALIFORNIANS
ON SHORE.
The Volunteers Disembark From
Transport Sherman,
And a Royal Welcome They Were Given
When They Landed.

sidiO-Patriotic Address of Gov
| ernor Gage-Brilliant Il1umi-
nation at Night.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 2-The well
| coming process to which the California
volunteers are being subjected is still
a long way from completion. Unwear-
led with their noteworthy efforts to-
day, to convince the soldiers that their
friends are really and truly glad tC
! have them home again, tens of thou
sands thronged the streets again this
| evening.
| The special attraction was the grand
illumination of the city, exceeding IL
| beauty and brilliancy any similar dis
| play ever seen here. Market street
was ablaZe with electric splendor, rows
of incandescent lights strung across
the thoroughfare throughout it's entire
| length and the colored lights which
outline the principal buildings combin-
| ing to make the street look like ar
avenue in fairyland
This was part of the result accom-
plished by the Executive Committee in
| charge of the civic reception. The
plan of a general Illumination was ON
| plete tonight for the first time. 1t was
a revelation of dazzling beauty. From
| the ferry to the City Hall the city's
main thoroughfare was the realization
of an artists dream. Crossed with
closely connected lines of incandescent
lights, their straight lines being broken
| at int Nv ah1I 6 erIi+
| tering globes, the effect produced was
| marvellous.
| Looking from Eighth street toward
| the bay, the pendant lamps at first
! distinct in individual radiance, gradu-
| ally seemed drawn closer together, unti
when seen in perspective down the long
broad vista their distinctive shapes anC
| order Of arrangement were lost and
| all We're merged in a dazzling canopy
of sparkling stars spanning the street
! It was like aa ~eof of an enchanted
! hall, under which moved many thou
sands of men, women and children, all
| lost in amazement at the gorgeous
| spectacle.
The tall, square tower of the new
| ferry building, within which the re-
| turning soldiers had been banqueted
early in the day, stood out against the
| dark sky over the water behind in
sharp silhouette of light. Looking in
the other direction, the perfect outlines
of the City Hall dome, the one redeem
ing feature of that costly edifice. com
manded the unbounded admiration of
| all. 1t was the crowning glory of the
! grand electric manifestation of welcome
- e..1
| State
| But the work of these later day dec
orations in light did not stop here, for
| the facade of the building was also
| brought out clearly, and the Lick group
! of statuary Immediately in front of the
! structure, commemorative of the dis
| coyery of California, was also brought
| into full relief by thousands of swing
! ing lamps. Many private buildings
! and business houses were also fully in
| touch with the splendid spirit of well
come which has spared no expense to
make the boys feel that indeed they
have at last reached home.
So dense was the throng on the
street, which is 120 feet wide, that
the cable cars found it almost impos-
\ Slol0 W DldhC dIly HSdQWdY.
Taken all in all, nothing of equal
beauty or attended with so much OF
popular interest has ever before been
known on the Pacific Coast.
The California volunteers and Bat
teries A and d of the California Heavy
Artillery were breakfasted this morn
! ing in the union ferry depot. Previous
to marching from the transport Sher-
man, which had been docked in the
early morning, the soldiers were lined
UP for inspection. The order to march
was given shortly before o'clock. and
as the men filed from the Government
dock the same noisy demonstration
which has greeted their every move
since their arrival was resumed.
Mothers, fathers. brothers, sisters and
friends lined both sides of East street
twenty deep. The crowds could not be
suppressed, and it was not long before
the people were mingling with the sol
diers Many touching scenes followed
the breaking of the ranks, which,
though but temporary, relieved many
an anxious heart
The dining hall presented a beautiful
sight. Twenty long tables covered with
snowy white linen, with eacn place
set, met the eye At every place a
small buttonhole bouquet had been
placed beside an American flag. The
napkins were ornamented with small
flags, and all along the line of tables,
at frequent intervals vases filled with
freshly cut flowers, added to the pic
turesque appearance of the corridor
AS the tramp of the soldiers was
heard ascending the stairs to the din
ing-room the scores of young ladies and
mothers who had volunteered to serve
the boys made a rush for the gate
through which they would pass The
usual scene of kissing. hugging and
tears of happiness followed. but order
was soon restored and the soldiers
were escorted to tables which had been
designated for the different companies.
The breakfast was an elaborate one.
and was heartily enjoyed by the bows.
who were hungry for a real American
meal.
Governor Gage and Mayor Phelan
made addresses of welcome.
Never in its history has San Francis
co been SO wildly excited as to-day. The
news that the California soldiers would
commence the march to the Presidio