The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-05-04
$4,000 IN VAN OF
FLEET VISITORS
Salt Lake Cadets, Who Are to
Escort Evans, Reach
This City
Special Trains and Boats Begin
to Pour in ThrOngs for
Fiesta

The first of the expected thousands
Of feet visitors reached san Francisco
yesterday. They hocked in by every
train. Every railroad and every steam
ship line from the north, the south, the
west and the interior of the state
brought its quota OF enthusiastic. eager
people. Early in the morning the
rush began. Through the afternoon IL
got bigger and bigger, reaching its
greatest size when a trainload of IA
cars Of salt Lake people ran out on
the Oakland mole, and the 500 pas
sengers hurried on the ferries to cross
the bay.
Fully $4,000 persons from outside
points were among those who thronged
TO the city. They found San Francisco
in gala attire. The holiday spirit
moved through the air. The bands
played in the parks, crowds walked on
the streets and there was a thrill, a
spirit. a stirring something in the
freshening breeze coming down from
the sea The decorations futtered the
more jauntily for their wetting three
days ago. Preparations for the COM
ing Of the battleships were almost
complete
From Portland, Ore, came a prize
drill corps OF Odd Fellows, So in num-
Der, who formed in line in front Of the
ferry building, and to the music OF a
band, marched with easy tread up Mar
ket street, their gay dress uniforms
and plumed hats making an inspiring
spectacle to those who applauded from
the sidewalks.
WILL ESCORT EVANS
At o'clock came the famous cadet
corps from the Salt Lake high school.
800 strong, in fun uniform. with their
own band and under command of Cap
tain William c. Webb, a Utah national
guardsman and veteran of the Spanish
war. With enthusiasm and martial
spirit shining in their faces the lads
formed ranks as they left the ferry.
They were sturdy lot Of youngsters.
They came at the special request of
the commander in chief of the Atlantic
feet. Admiral Evans himself Their
enviable duty il viii be to hold the
place Of honor in next Thursday s
great parade as the admirals body
guard and personal escort.
Some Were large and some were
small, but the boys deported them
selves with the bearing of veterans.
Each carried his full accouterments-
rifle. cartridge belt, blankets, haver-
sack and canteen. 1t was long walk
for lads just off train from the ferry
up Market 10 Van Ness, thence to
Suffer street and the Preside, where
they went into encampment but there
wasn't a straggler in the line.
Out at the Preside the boys started
al the work OF preparing camp as
soon as they arrived, and in less than
an hour the commissary department
was serving a dinner of hot roast beef
and other delicacies that had been pre-
pairing while the special train in which
they came was still far up the Sacra-
mento valley. 1t was not long after
that before the camp was quiet as
the grave, save for the tramp OF the
guard on his beat. For the boys had
seen much yesterday, and in addition
had put in a fairly hard afternoon s
work
OF the committee that collected the
$4,000 fund in Salt Lake came Ad-
5utant General Z. A. Wedgwood, head
Of the national guard of Utah. Joel
Priest. editorial writer on the Salt Lake
Herald, and DR.. G. B. Pfoutz, examining
surgeon Of the Southern Pacific, who
made the arrangements at this end.
Mayor ]. S. Bransford OF Salt Lake and
former Mayor Ezra Thompson are also
along. together with the wives of some
OF the members Of the party and few
OF their friends.
THOUSANDS ARE COMING
A conservative estimate by a veteran
railroadman placed the number Of those
who arrived yesterday from outside
points at $4,000 And it was but the
beginning Of the rush. Today will see
that number duplicated. and by tomor-
row. say the traffic agents of the va
rious rail and steamboat lines the in
fux will begin in good, dead earnest
Wednesday morning 1t will reach fits
climax. When excursion train after ex-
cursion train will pour its living
streams OF people into the city. BY
that day il is estimated that there will
be 10000 visitors here.
Wednesday will be q quiet day VI
the valley and in the interior. Vallejo
Napa. San Jose. Stockton and Sacra-
mento will be as deserted cities. In
most of these places the businessmen
have planned to close their stores that
day TO give everybody g chance to wit
ness the incoming Of the feet. Tickle;
sales indicate that there will be few
who do not take advantage of the day
Of freedom.
Il will be the greatest movement OF
people about the bay since the DAYS
just following the earthquake
AS for the hotels and restaurants
even yesterdays crowds taxed the ca
pacities of many. Downtown restau-
rateurs declared that they had never
done such a rushing business In many
Of the hotels. where there were any
rooms left reservations were allowed
for only one night, for during the first
week Of the fleets stay every room in
the big hotels was engaged long ago