The San Francisco call., 1899-08-27
OF THE
MADDENED MOB


The crowd that jostled and joshed and
damned each other on Market street last
night was without exception the most tre-
mendous throng that ever assembled in
San Francisco on any one occasion. We
nave had our great jubilee celebration and
Fourth OF July celebrations by the score,
but If the crowd that came out to witness
all Of these events were put together it
would not equal in density the one that
congested Market street last night to pay
fitting tribute to California's returned
heroes.
Up to $50 o'clock 1t looked as II there
would be no parade. The sidewalks were
packed clear 10 the walls of the buildings,
and the centers Of the wire cables strung
faulty along the edges Of the sidewalk
were stretched quite distance into the
street.
Market street was a moving panorama
OF frantic people literally wild with
ecStatIc delight and pent up enthusiasm
They marched along in the center Of the
horns, footing whistles yelping through
paper megaphOnes and Jangnng cowbeIs.
The usual demonstration on New Years
eve was shaded and Shamed. They made
more noise IN one minute on Market street
last night from one end OF il 10 the other
than the New Years eve crowd would
make IN the entire evening.
Clear down TO the ferry the human
throng moved, crOwding and jostling and
fighting every inch OF their way
The police stationed along the line were
poWerless- They handled the people
rather roughly, but few used their clubs
and perhaps II the police had not re-
sorted 10 rough methods the parade
might still be lined up out on Van Ness
avenue.
Just before the moving column reached
the corners Of Third. kearly and Market
streets that section was 50 crammed with
people tnat 1t was almost impossible 10
move q step
The bursting Of bombs and the uenacing
woo, WOO, WOO" Of the jostling mob and
the changing OF the bells on the patrol
wagons which fought through the crowd
and made way for the procession brought
fear TO the nervous. and even strong men
paled visibly as they struggled along with
the moving crowd.
In an open patrol wagon stood Chief
Lees, waving his hands excitedly and
shouting at the top OF his voice to his men
along the line. The Chiefs flying brigade.
which consisted OF eight patrol wagons,
a large squad Of policemen and mounted
officers, bore down upon the crowd slowly
and it melted like ice in q hot sun before
the formidable minions OF the law. Down
Market street flew the crowd and few
nearer the end Of the thoroughfare the
greater grew the jamming mass. They
could not escape through the lines on
either side of the street. for the patrol
wagons drove close to the curb When
the crowd reached the ferry it poured into
East street. north and south, like dense
flying brigade came a detachment Of cav
airy. and 1t. TOO, assisted in keeping the
thoroughfare clear for the head Of the
Down at the ferry Captain Whitman.
who rode in front Of the patrol wagons in
buggy, swung the column right. and the
patrol wagons followed him in excellent
order. 4hey felI IN four abreast. and the
procession following after swerved TO the
right to allow the countermarchers to
pass.
An ,Io,- +ba Ifra C-t;os ? 90 --os
cheered 10 the echo for his strategic move. /
They shouted from the tops of buildings
through megaphones that the Chief was
all right, and the Chief acknowledged [
the compliment by doffing his cap.
Just as the parade was turning at East /
and Market streets fire on the water /
was forced to battle It's way through the /
mob. Luckily nobody was injured. but .
many were badly frightened. On the way /
up 10 Montgomery street the excitement /
on the left side of Market street was in /
tense. thousands OF people had pushed /
through the sidewalk cables and crushed /
into the center Of the street TO view the /
passing column moving toward the ferry [
They did not figure on Chief Lees return |
ing with his brigade of heavy patrol /
wagons and husky policemen, and when /
1t moved on them there was some lively |
scattering to get to places Of safety.
II was a case of the crowd handling the |
crowd. for rather than be crushed and !
trampled under the wheels of the patrol !
wagons they crowded back toward the !
and left the way clear for the !
parade. All along Montgomery street and |
down Kearny street 10 Market the pro-
cession was not hampered by the crowd. /
on these thOroughfares the police held Z
the people well in subjection and the /
lines on both sides Of the street were even I
and orderly, and there were no obstruc- |
tiOns in the center of the street.
There was more trouble in store for /
the Chief and his flying brigade when the |
procession again reached Market street. |
The crowd had blocked the street again I
and the procession moving toward the /
ferry doubled the thrcng.
The brigade got in action again and the /
way was slowly cleared. All the way /
put Market street as far as Van Ness ave- /
nue. the police had to fight their way. At /
Sixth and Market streets the flying brig /
ade encountered the thickest mob. It /
took fully a half hour TO clear the way as /
far as Eighth street. In these two blocks |
many people were trampled on by the /
horses attached to the patrol wagons and !
the cavalry. In front of a cafe at the cor /
ner of Sixth and Market streets the re- /
treating crowd dashed against a step I
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