The San Francisco call., 1909-08-03
SUCCESS OF F[TE
DEPENDS ON FUNDS
Citizens of California Are Urged
to Contribute by Portola
Committee
Fasteners Are Greatly Inter-
ested in Coming October
Carnival

Whether the Portola festival is a
world wide success or notorious fzzle
is right up to the people of California
saws the festivals finance committee
from its headquarters in the Phelan
building. The interior of the state has
been appealed to through the press, and
San Francisco and the bay cities have
already been made to realize the need
of funds. So the committee is patiently
awaiting the results.
This week will determine largely, in
view of the wide notice to the people.
whether the festival viii be what it
was planned to be. But If the fund con-
| tinues to grow at the rate shown the
last few days not only the original pro-
gram will be carried through, but many
startling novelties introduced.
One hopeful sign is that fraternal So
cieties and civic and commercial bodies
are contributing, not only as organiza-
tions but are encouraging their mem
! bers to contribute as individuals be-
sides The workingmen, foreseeing bet
ter times, are as generous in proportion
as the merchants.
What the Portola means locally may
be seen from the statement of bank
! clearings in Los Angeles during Elks'
week, which show an increase of $5,-
| OO0. 900 over the previous week. This
sum represents but part of that left by
the visitors If the Los Angeles banks
show a 5S.6 per cent gain, San Fran
cisco should gather in s20,000,O 900. Inas-
much as the Portola exceeds any other
| festival in extent ever attempted in
! America, the committee looks for at
| least 100000 visitors. But far greater
than merely temporary gain will be
the advertisement given the state and
its people.
The committee says that it is particu-
| larly important that the 100000 fund
should be completed by the end of this
week. With the money at hand plans
can be made Immediately for the cele-
bration and the programs sent broad
cast early to attract visitors.
! Lesser Prayer, head of the firm of
| Prayers who returned from New York
Yesterday is most enthusiastic regard
| ing the way in which the metropolis is
discussing the Portola festival. He
states that in commercial and financial
| circles there has been developed more
| sincere and genuine feeling of enthusf-
asm than ever existed before for San
Francisco, and that as result of the
publicity work done by the Portola
be invested in this city.
"All New York is discussing Por-
tola," said Prayer yesterday, ''and the
wonderful work of rehabilitation done
in the past three years. Our city has
received more genuine result bringing
advertising in the publicity work of
the Portola festival than it ever re-
ceived before. ts
"The fact that we are going to have
a great celebration here at this time
brings forcibly to the attention of the
world the fact that we have a city
it, This means that we have rebuilt
and are proud of the rebuilding, and
there is hardly another way in which
the attention could have been called
! to US as effectively.
THE confidence of the financial and
commercial world has been gained by
| the advertising of the Portola festival
| Everybody has kind word to say for
! San Francisco and California. 1t re
| mains with us now to fill the bill in
| the way of a program. If this is forth
coming there will be financial results
that will astonish the most sanguine. "
PortOla Boosted
El Captain council of the national
union had a large attendance last night
in Van Ness hall at its 'Portola Boost
Meeting" There was a pleasing pro-
gram Of music and songs and an ad-
dress by P. T. Clay, chairman of the
festival executive committee, who made
the audience wise as to who Portola
was and of the object of the committee
u t-