The San Francisco call., 1908-09-10
AYERS JOIN IN
A MERRY PICNIC
California Pioneers Gather in
Celebration of the States
Birthday
Path0s and Laughter, the Old
and the New, Combine to
Make Day Complete

California's ffty-eighth birthday
was celebrated thoroughly yesterday
when fifteen of her fathers togetner
with a goodly array OF their wives ana
descendants crossed the bay to the
picnic grounds of FL Campo and proved
that the spirit OF 49 could still nash
in eighty year old eyes, animate eighty
year old muscle and ring In voices that
broke only when telling of the brave
days of old.
over a thousand members, friends
and guests of the Society OF California
Pioneers gathered in the grove where
speeches, dancing and reminiscent talk
were chief attractions, while the white
heads of the veterans bobbed up and
down in time to the stirring music or
the band, or canes thumped hardly to
emphasize some remark
The first number on the program
was the march, California Pioneers.
written for the old guard by j. Baum-
gartner and rendered in fine military
style by Walton's Naval Militia band
The society's president, Henry l.
Byrne. was unable to be present on
account of Illness, but his place was
taken by Henry F. Williams. who al
luded in his remarks to the senior
pioneers, giving them all credit and
glory for many things accomplished.
]. j. Lermen spoke of the Argonaut no.
tel, the fine building just completed
by the Pioners at cost of $400 900 and
now leased for % years. He also re-
ferred to the fact that after the disas-
ter of 1906 the Pioneers had sprung
to the front with undaunted faith and
hope in the future of their city, and,
at a meeting held Immediately after
the fire, had voted to rebuild Pioneer
hall at once, the result of which action
is now visible in one of the most
hr1i1 N
coast.
The society has a million dollar fund,
and is one of the richest in the city.
v. W. Hobart, chairman of the relief
committee, gave a brief outline of the
relief work, accomplished, and said
that over 100000 had been paid OUT
The venerables, when asked to give
their names and ages, responded with
an alacrity and wit which proved them
as capable of enjoying a joke as when
they foregathered around the old
campfires. "Ninety-one" responded
Joseph Goodrich, sturdily when his age
was demanded; "and I'm a goin' to see
90. don't you forget it," Honest ST."
said Aylett r. Cotton. Seventy mine"
declared Henry III. Ellis. former chief
of police, land the mildest hammered
man who ever cut a throat" And so it
went Pathos and laughter: the new
and the old: the spirit of gold days and
the spirit of California still undimmed.
Pioneers present were:
Ex-President John II. Ex-President John VI.
Jewett Burnett
Ex-Presdent Aylett Z. J. f. Halloran
Cotton Ex- President W. ". H0-
Charles King Williams bart
Hart Bouton William G. Graham
Richard Wallace r. b. Beleher
Jacob Browning John ". Frazer
Captain Henry White John Hezekiah Crumpton
A. l.. Shuey w. Boyd Latham
+. II. Carvinet Henry Palmer
Titus Hale Charles A. Litchfeld
Reception and floor committee
III. l.. Van Wrinkle Henry i. Byrne
]. j. Lermen Robert r. Russ
George III. Luchsinger Francis J. Sullivan
Charles J.. Deering
Transportation and grounds committee
John l.. Spear William +. eastman
Henry Palmer
Refreshment committee
Titus Hale Nv W Hobart
John NJ Burnett Ariaff Cnffnr