The San Francisco call., 1908-05-07
RECEPTION PROVES
PAGEANT OF GOLD
Attending Thousands Fill the
FairmOnt to Greet
Officials
Many Fail to Reach Receiving
Line, but Enjoy Sight of
Happy Throng


the Fairmont hotel last night. Any
thing else would have been out of
keeping and, furthermore, impossible;
Tor the vast throngs that attended and
which packed the hotel from door to
door melted the chill of official dignity
About ten Thousand persons were
present. They sat on the stairs lined
the walls, crowded the restaurant,
leaned up against the news counter and
nlleo 10 overlooking the corridors and
lobby. In the face Of such condition
formality was forgotten. The long line
moving 10 the reception hall tried TO
maintain the dignity of handsome
gowns and golden braid; but it was
useless. Some funny little incident
would occur and along the line there
would low gale of laughter. Wives
demanded husbands. chaperones their
charges.
The climax came when a pretty girl
held high a bunch of magnificent or
chids and nodded TO a midshipman
laughing on the staircase.
They are yours" she said, If you
viii get me out" The MILDLY sprang
forward and the crowd. which would
not have given an inch for a marine
guard, forced itself back 20 allow the
young officer to claim .his reward
OVERWHELMING MAGNIFICENCE
The magnihcence of the scene was
overwhelming. There were uniforms
OF every description. even unto that of
q captain OF police in fu.- dress. There
were admirals in gold. dashing flag
lieutenants in braid. army officers from
the Presidio in more gold and the
governors STAFF in still more gold. The
brtlnancy OF the affair was added to
by the presence of several of the
foreign consuls. who appeared with
vivid sashes across their shirt fronts.
The whole would have been a replica
OF a reception at the White House had
il not been for the laughter and good
nature In any other city the vast
crowd and the inconvenience would
have msrred the event. but the San
Franciscans took it in a San Francisco
way
Thousands made no effort to be re-
ceived They saw the crowd blocking
the reception room and turned the
other way. Dancing did not begin until
after II o'clock at night and by that
time Secretary Of the Navy Victor H
Metcalf. Admiral Thomas. Mayor Taylor
and the women composing the reception
committee were thoroughly fatigued.
GIFT TO METCALF
Early in the evening H A. Greene
presented Secretary Metcalf with a
beautiful abalone shell set in a case Of
polished Monterey cypress as a gift
from tie people OF Monterey. The in
troductory remarks were made by
Governor Gillett. who introduced
Greene. A similar gift was intended for
Rear Admiral Evans. but owing TO his
absence il viii be presented TO him at
the St Francis hotel today.
Governor Gillett and his staff held an
informal reception In another part of
the hotel. 1t was attended by large
number of persons Among the most
handsome of the uniforms worn last
night was that of the staff of the
governor OF Nebraska, which is in San
Francisco to make presentation Of
plate TO the battleship Nebraska
The great crowd made dancing al
most impossible but at intervals the
younger set managed to clear away
the floor sufficiently for short waltz
or two step. After the various parties
had been presented they left the room
by the east door, so that despite the
crowd there was but little confusion.
MANY HANDSOME GOWNS
Among the handsomest Of the gowns
was Mrs. James n. Gillett's lace robe
over black silk
Mrs. Edward Robeson Taylor was in
blue chiffon satin, trimmed with point
lace.
Mrs. Francis Sullivan wore an ex-
ouisite robe OF white Valenciennes lace
over white satin.
Miss Mary Phelan was in pearl bro
cade and white lace.
Mrs Uriel Sebree wore black silk
chiffon, embroidered at the square cut
neck with French blue and white.
Mrs. Benjamin Ide Wheeler was in
pale blue cloth.
Mrs. Chauncey Thomas wore white
net. With a deep collar Of lace.
Mrs. Charles NJ Thomas, the wife of
~,
chine with real lace.
Mrs. Henry Payot wore black Illusion
embroidered in dull pink and blue, with
gold lace.
Mrs. Charles Perkins wore blue chif-
fon velvet, with Irish lace.
Mrs. Yarneli, the daughter Of Mrs.
Charles Thomas, wore pearl embroid-
Mrs. ". W. Switzerland wore black
lace
Miss Switzerland wore black span
gled net.
Miss Harriet Switzerland was in
while illusion, embroidered.
Mrs. Homer King wore an elaborate
gown of embroidered white net
Mrs. Eleanor Martin wore hand en-
broidered black crepe. with real lace.
Mrs. Mayo Newhali wore light blue
liberty satin
Mrs. Jesse Lilienthal wore light blue
tuile. embroidered In silver.
Miss Dorothy Fritz wore white silk
empire. with Irish lace.
Miss Edith Alleyne wore white en-
broidered crepe.
Mrs Eugene Fritz wore gray silk,
with duchesse lace.
Miss Louise Tillmann wore pink
chiffon.
Mrs. Andrew Carrigan wore black IL
fusion over white, with black lace.
Mrs. l. Polk wore white lace robe.
Miss Sylvia Talbot wore an exquisite
lingerie frock over pink.
Mrs. C. D. Dean wore black lace
robe.
Mrs. Alice May Sexton was in orange
silk, with gold lace.
Mrs. Milton Pray wore a black span
gled gown.
Nrs. A L. Sayre wore white lace.
Miss Nell Rauch wore pink chiffon.
Miss Mary Crowley wore blue chiffon
silk.
Mrs. Linda Bryan wore hand painted
French chiffon over silk
Miss Marie Rose Deane was in white
chiffon silk, hand embroidered.
Mrs. Arthur Lee wore a princess
gown Of duchess lace.
Miss Emelda White wore a pattern