The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-10-19

celebrate our SOlueu JuuAloO. Ao ohe
lbewildering masses of color
blaze forth at night, crowds appeared
on the main streets, springing from
nowhere as mysteriously as the decora-
tions.
An old man, small of stature and
trembling of gait, stood at the corner
of Market and Kearney streets and
gazed in bewilderment about him.
He looked toward the dazzling Ferry
tower lifting it's radiant head two
hundred and twenty feet above the
pavement, then at the brilliant stars
far above his head and finally turned
his bedimmed eyes away to the west
where the great dome of the city hall
cleaned and glistened against the
background of moonless sky. 1T
is like dream" said the old man,
"when 1 was last in San Francisco
years and years ago, it was little
town. When did this great city grow
Where have the people come from?
1t seems but yesterday stabbed my
horse where the Palace hotel now
stands Who has worked this magic -
He drew his hand over his eyes as if
he instinctively doubted the reality of
the vision before him. Then, with
faltering steps, he moved into the
swift stream of humanity and was
rapidly borne away. 1t was as if the
spirit of 40 had suddenly appeared
and discoursed upon the wonders of
times changes.
Later in the evening there was a
grand naval parade and illumination
of the bay and water front. Up and
down a mystical moonlit pathway,
caused by the searchlights of the great
warships anchored in - the !. harbor,
moved the gaily decorated steamers,
tugs and launches. 1t was promen-
ade rather than parade. The shipping
was all aglow with electric light and
Chinese lanterns. Far into the sky rose
the graceful tower of flame surmount-
ing the Ferry building. AT the other
end of the arch of vision was a great
barge on fire, blazing fiercely like
great blood red demon in the night,
and emitting dying groans of lurid
red fire and kissing rockets and burst
ing bombs. In the zenith myriad of
multi colored stars blazed a moment,
then fell and faded into nothing, only
to be succeeded by another and an
other, as rocket after rocket and bomb
after bomb scared aloft and burst.
The smoke from the steamers now
drifted across the face of the moon,
just peeping above the horizon and
was swiftly withdrawn and as quickly
returned. . Fair Luna seemed to be
alternately hiding and showing her
face in apparent coquettry In the
murky light caused by the smoke and
dying conhagration the steamers
looked weird and ghostly. But this
effect was confined to the sight for
there was certainly nothing ghostly
about the strains of u''Dinah, +"
"Therell be a Hot Time etc. as
played by the bands with which many
steamers were provided. Over the rip
ping waters came sounds of distant
laughter, family mingled with the
music of "Way Down South in Dixie. I"
and outlined against the horizon, now
brilliant blue because of the risen
moons supremacy, could be seen the
figures of the young people dancing on
the decks Of the nearby steamers. The
fireworks became less frequent and
then ceased entirely. The burning
ship was sinking within itself, mass
of glowing embers The Chinese Ian
terms that had made so brave show
ing on the merchant vessels went out
and with a suggestion of sadness the
ships turned toward home. The naval
parade was ended but the people
wendell their way back to the>ighted
streets and thronged the pavements
till day succeeded night and the brill
liant incandescents gave way before
the more brilliant god of day.
The morning of the next day, Sun
day, was given over to rowing and
sailing races In the afternoon &C.
Cured the dedication of the great
Spreckle's music stand in Golden Gate
park. Speeches of gift and of accept
ance were made and band of one
hundred pieces furnished the music.
The stand is built of blue gray, Cali
fornia sandstone and is said to excel
in architecture and intrinsic merit
anything of it's kind in the world. 1t
consists of main arch and peristyle
with a colornnade at each side. The
arch has a height of seventy-two feet.
The orchestra platform is thirty five
feet deep and forty-five feet wide
Back of the main arch are rooms for
library. rehearsal and lavatory pur-
poses. The great court in front of the
stand is levelled off and terraced and
is provided with seating capacity for
twenty thousand people. There are
drives for carriages and paths for
pedestrians and cyclists. Fully
seventy-five thousand persons can be
accommodated within the rannge of the
most delicate tones of the music.
Sunday evening was devoted to sacred
concert and reception. On Monday
morning occurred the great parade.
You can judge of its magnitude from
the fact that it was four hours and
one-half in passing given point.