The San Francisco call., 1899-08-25
Gayly Adorned Ships Move in Parade and
Escort the Sherman to Her Anchorage.
Day Of Uneyampled Enthusiasm in the History Of the
City Closes Brilliantly at Night With Unique <
PyrOeChniC Display on the Bay

fog, Alcatraz Island lifting boldly, the
curtain rising from the Golden Gate and
Fort Point standing sentinel in purple
haze. Across on the Marin shore. white
against a deep purple. Lime Point stuck
out below a fieecy bank of cloud. Far
to the east the battleship Iowa was clear
ly and majestically defined
All the figures and the properties for the
living picture were at hand-all but the
principal. the transport Sherman, even
then steaming in to meet the floating city
OF relatives and friends.
Inc tugs, with their tows, were busy
getting into place off the barge office, and
When the umeball dropped at noon the
parade was formed in two columns.
Inc Feariess headed the right. She was
Gae cane naggsnip gsn a., OF the fleet. and, as be-
ner place In line, with the yacht Lur-
line towing behind. Her consort was
me Monarch. with the pilot boat Oracle
ABREAST OF the flagship, and the two lines
dressed on their leaders. With the Fear
less was George Knights naphtha launch
AAtniete, detailed to act as aid. With the
Monarch was Frank Motifs Augusta
which acted in similar capacity for the
left column.
One long blast, then a short one, from
the whistle OF the Fearless and the naval
parade was in motion toward the Heads
fEyy1erythlng else unanchored on the bay
dolIoWed suit, and two lines originally
designed to string out thousand yards
became four. mile long, with craft of
every description, flying all sorts of dec
orauon, strung out to both sides as far
as one could see. To the right of the
nrst division slowly steamed the army
pf1 1ppfa1HsportS CITY OF Puebla and Columbia.
Rldlns still farther to the north were the
Terry steamers Ukiah, Newark. Pride OF
the River, Caroline, Captain Weber T.
{. Walker, Piedmont and Grace Barton
all laden with excursionists. To the Ieft.
was the Monticello with the members of
the cltlzens executive committee and
their guests aboard number of launches
unattached tugs and whitehalls darting
between her and the shore.
Every eye on every vessel was strained
toward the Gate for the first sight of the
transport. The moments had flown az
swiftly as the tugs were steaming, and il
was nearing l o'clock as the head of the
paraoe drew past the Presidio. where the
rows OF white tents were soWn like the
teeth or Cadmus. to yield armed men
Every ear was strained for a signal gun.
WtnereanoIts t. unknown, presumably Alca-
traz, maybe Fort Point announcing the
entrance into the harbor of the long
looked-for transport.
Boats here and there provided with cam
non exasperated the watchers by touch
Ing OFF their ordnance to furnish false
alarms of the desired fact, but no Sight
OF the sherman had been had until the
nagsnlp had slowed down under the lee
of the Marin shore. The parade waS
ahead of the meeting time, or rather the
Sherman was behind.
The parade had come to a halt. and TAX
ing advantage OF this the excursion boats
OF all descriptions hurried up to the front,
keeping for the most part. with commend
able decency, without the lines seIected
for the parade maneuvers. The portion Of
the bay from the Presidio to Lime Point
was fairly alive with gayly decked yes
sells. Bands began playing, whistles toot-
ed and shrieked and coughed, small can
ron popped like firecrackers; but although
everybody waited anxiousy for the ap-
pearance Of the Sherman or the boom Of
the gun that announced her approach it
seemed as If it would never come. The
excitement was at fever heat. but there
was nothing to do but wait and make as
much NOISE as was necessary for the ex-
haust of the pent-up feeling.
All of a sudden, "Boonr' There was no
mistaking. that gun. 1t sounded with the
puff Of blue smoke putting out from Fort
showed whence It came.
There she is! There she is" was shout
aough ea a Wag the pe ang fhfP o
bay. having skirted in under cover of the
point and opened out suddenly on the
view, well up the channel The commit
tee on noise knew its business so well
that its efforts almost drowned out the
booming. Of the national salute from the
guns in the fort.
The signal to go ahead was fairly
screeched from the Peerless, and the flag
ship led the way out to the harbor en-
trance. In and in passed the white Wis
lungs would warrant in answer to the
shouts of welcome. and waving flags, as
their vessel passed between the lines Of
the parade.
Then began the most beautiful figure in
the entire display; The Fearless led it
left The flagship .clrcled to the left
around the stern of the transport. the
craft in that column of the parade follow
ing, hundred yards apart. From the left
the boats in the column headed by the
Monarch circled to the right, both lines
passing and exchanging positions, for all
the world like a -right-and-left in a
quadrille.
The sight is one that will never be for
gotten by anybody that witnessed it and
would not have been missed for great
deal by those fortunate enough to be
participants. From every vessel in sight
numberless flags were being waved. whis-
ties footed, bombs exploded, clouds lift
ing above and sunshine suddenly breaking
for the blue and brown coated boys
aboard the big white transport. They had
all crowded on the decks and all were
shouting themselves hoarse, peering be-
tween shouts into the confusion of flags
and noise and music and boats ahead for
the one or two or three beloved soon to be
clasped to a manly breast.
The yachts and the tugs towing them
were still passing around the stern. per-
forming the maneuvers without accident,
although at times it seemed as If 1t would
be impossible to resume order out OF such
an apparent confusion. The vessels in line