The San Francisco call., 1903-09-03
CHICAGO'S CENTENNIAL.

- HICAGO is going to do herself proud by eel
1 brating the centennial OF her existence as
- home OF white The first settlement
dates back to August Of hundred years ago, but
Chicago has postponed the festival until September
26, when she will begin it and continue it for six
days Just why the postponement was made has
not been stated OF course Chicago is not getting
to be so slow that she cannot keep up with the al
manac, so it is not probable the delay has been oc-
casoned by any lack of ability to get ready at the
proper time Possibly the August weather may have
had something to do with the change of date. Au-
gust is sultry, thirsty time in Chicago even under
the most quiet conditions and it may be her leading
citizens felt that if celebration were sprung upon
them at that time the thirst would be too great for
the supply of lake water to quench, and an impor-
tation Of beer from St Louis might be rendered nee
essary. Such fear would, of course have caused a
postponement of the festival without further debate
Chicago do many things. but she cannot revel
with true JOY on beer bearing ST. Louis label
Toward the close then of this month, at time
when the weather is not utterly horrid Chicago will
shoot rockets at the stars, burn red lights the
tops of her skyscrapers, her streets blazing with
e ctric lights adorn her stockyards, saugherhouses
and university with gay bunting and be ready to blow
her horn of jubilation the growth she made
during the hundred years that have passed since
the first white settled there because he could not
get away having neither energy to go farther west
nor money to return east
Quite an extensive programme has been arranged
for the six days of Dragging and booming A report
says: another Fort Dearborn will be set I'D in one
of the parks within and without the counterpart OF
the original -Four hundred real Indians will come
from Michigan in their canoes and when the ceIe-
bration begins they will paddle UP the river and
camp the fort, upon which at stated times they
will make sham attacks. Then there will be an al
legorical and industrial parade With myriad lights
and countless torches procession of floats will rep
resent successively, its Indian origin. its early set
tlement, the massacre of its pioneers by the red
men, its great fire and its Worlds Fair; while its
commercial progress will be told in series of tab
leaux and Illuminated pictures"
The chief spectacular show of the occasion is to
be celebration of the great fire. In describing it
the report goes on to say: "Over the great terri
tory devastated by the confagration the roofs of all
the larger buildings will be arrt1ged for red fire Sim
ultaneously this combustibe powder will be touched
off and glare that will be visible for many miles
around will be maintained for two hours bomb
display will also be given from the roof of the
O'Leary home on De Koven street to signaze the
spot where the COW kicked over the lantern"
Altogether the occasion is going to be haIcyon
and vociferous time. The visitor will not have TO
expend any of his money or his energy in painting
the town red, for all that will be done for him bv
his Chicago entertainers. All that he will have to do
will be to enjoy himself and every now and then
refer to the coming exposition at ST. Louis as a
prospective side show,