Evening star., 1901-05-23
GAY SAN FRANCISCO
Superb Reception Accorded President
Mckinley and Party.
CALIFORNIA; OPEN HOSPITALITY
People Take Pride in Lavish Atten-
tions to Guests.
SCENES IN THE METROPOLIS

SCENES IN THE METROPOLIS
Special From a Staf Correspondent.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 1s.-This city
gave a superb reception to the President
and the party with him up to the time of
Mrs. McKinley's illness. The devotion and
love of the people for both the President
and his sick wife have been sincere and
touching. They focked in multitudes for
two days to every event, at which the
President was scheduled to attend. In
smaller way the same thing has occurred
all the way up the Pacific coast, the little
towns and cities going to the fullest extent
in their preparations. California has
way of doing these things different from
any other state in the Union. There is a
lavishness about 1t all, breadth and a
warmth that invites and holds admiration.
The people have the Intelligence, the
wealth and the inclination to bestow at
tention and spend money and time on their
visitors.
In addition to their unbounded hospitality
they have a measureless conception of the
grandeur Of their state, and keen business
instinct of letting the balance of the world
know how great Is California, If you tell
a Californian that you have seen some
thing somewhere else in the world that
equals his fruit orchards or his mountains
or seashore or verdure he will look at you
in sad sort of way as If to say that he
is sorry that you mental outfit has been so
susceptible to deception elsewhere. He Is
too thoughtful and too generous to say
that you are dreaming or that you lack the
qualification which was the prime virtue In
the life and history of George Washington.
In their estimation California is the only
spot worth living on in the country. and
San Francisco is the only city In the
United States.
If Creek Should Meet Greek.
In New York they don't know that there
is any other part of the country or any
other people The result of meeting on
halfway ground between Californian and
a New Yorker with the subject as to
which was the only part Of the world up
for discussion, would be worth going a
long way to see. In wealth of dollars ana
fruit and flowers the Californian would
have things all his own way. In financial
shrewdness, in exalted opinions of his city
and possibly in other ways the New Yorker
would have an even chance for his money.
When he finished the contest the news
papers out here would probably note that
he "also ram but that would be all. Even
in prize fighters California has apparently
a monopoly Of the business Talk to San
Francisco man about Broadway and he
will point out Market street to you. He
will tell you that Market street is Ike the
back bone Of a fish. and that all other
streets, all other roads and everything else
leads TO It.
Has a TenderlOfn, Too.
San Francisco has a rival for Mott street
In It's Chinatown, rival for New York
Tenderloin IN its own locality Of that name,
and even Tammany hall IDEAS of the open
door IN municipal affairs can't keep pace
Of inpS in
this city. San Francisco has grown in
population and wealth, and the people
here assert with freshness and frank
ness, which Is all their own, that in num-
bers Of people and business New YORK
city Will be in the second class IN few
years.
sions of a California man who is asked the
population Of his city or town. The CEN
sus was very poorly taken out this way"
the local man will tell you and we are
not credited with having half the number
of people who are really in our limits
The city of Los Angeles Is big. fine city,
with a population Of over 10000. Her
city limits extend over a space Of many !
miles. Pasadena is ten or twelve miles |
away, but they really count that beautiful |
little city as part of the town, and say |
that If Pasadena's population had been
given them they would have had 115,oGo.
So it goes everywhere. The people breathe |
the spirit of superiority. They don't talk |
1t In a bombastic way either. 1t Is done IN
a mos: matter-offact style, as If some |
thing were being said Of which no doubt !
existed.
Frisco is Lively Town.
San Francisco is a live city. There Is |
more Of hustle and hustle here than in |
many cities with a much larger population. |
Most Of the street car service here is Of
the cable variety, with which Washington |
was familiar for so long. There is the
same sudden Jerking and jostling when the |
car takes the cable, that reminds one of |
the old transportation system in Washing |
ton. San Francisco IS succession OF nils, |
where the man next door to you may be !
ten or fifteen feet below many feet |
above. The cable cars are about the only |
ones that climb these precipitous hills, |
and g. great part Of the time a man has to !
hold to something to keep from pitching |
forward or backward, according as the car |
is going up hill or down.
But for Mrs. Mckinleys illness the week |
would have been one of endless gayety and |
pleasure. Besides the formal program, the |
members Of the presidential party were In |
vited everywhere and to everything. Prac- |
tically every club in the city opened its |
doors to the travellers and made prepara- |
tions for the most lavish hospitality. The |
condition of Mrs. Mckinley was SO critical |
for two or three days that the members |
of the party did not go anywhere. remain |
ing at the hotel awaiting news from the |
house on the high hills where she lay SO |
near to death. After she began to show |
Improvement the VlSllOTS accepted SOIUe Oh |
the Invitations and visited portions Of the !
city.
Chinatown an Interesting Spot.
Chinatown was naturally one of the most |
spots. The scenes presented |
there day and night differ as widely as |
light and darkness. Members Of the party |
who went through the Chinese section at |
night were accompanied by detectives de- |
tailed from police headquarters. In day !
time the twelve or fifteen blocks compris-
Ing Chinatown are perfectly safe for lone |
woman to visit, and many Of them do so !
to purchase curios and other articles. Chi |
natown has it's own stores, meat shops, fish |
stalls etc, and Cinnamon rarely buy from
others than their countrymen. In the day
time the streets are filled with curiously |
dressed children playing ball and other
games, giving the impression of innocent
contentment and happiness; at night time
gambling, drinking and other vices III |
full swing, and arouse only feeling OF
disgust in the most curious.
Ily<-1 1or.1I