The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
ORIGINAL BOOSTER
OF CANAL FIESTA
San Franciscan Raised First
American Flag FIOated Over
Isthmus of Panama
FOrecasted Americas Compile.
tiOn of Great Ditch During
De Lessepss Regime


Psnama-Pacifc international exposi-
zion booster. Other boosters for the
worlds fair Of 1915 have appeared by
thousands during the last few weeks
end there are possibly a score OF men
In san Francisco who pledged their
support 10 the project as long as four
OF five years ago.
Wasserman however. can look with
paternal indulgence upon such recently
acquired enthusiasm, for his boosters
title is one that dates from July A.
1851 when with his own hapds he
raised the first American flag That ever
Coated over the isthmus of Panama and
proclaimed his belief that if the then
projected isthmian canal was ever to
become reality its construction must
! be left 10 the United States
=. Friday OF this week Wasserman will
celebrate the siNtieth anniversary of
. MS first arrival in San Francisco. for
II was on December 81 1850. that he
hrst sailed through the Golden gate
into san Francisco bay He was then
Lad Of 10. fresh from Germany and
seeking his fortune in a new land
trom that day to this San Francisco
has been his home, though he has made
extended trips 10 all parts of the world
al various times
CIVIL WAR VETERAN
=: Wasserman answered his countrv's
cail ia 1861 and served during the
civil war in the Seventy-flrst New York
p regiment Then he returned TO Cali
f0rnia and in 1869 was one Of the first
representatives of the Alaska CONNER
cla1 company 10 make the Alaskan
Journey. In 1879 he turned southwark
aDd became an employe of the rerdi-
Dsnd de Lesseps company. then under
20 king under French colors the build
ing OF the great canal that was to join
the two oceans.
From 1879 until 1882. Wassernan
was store keeper for the De Lesseps
company at Panama. and it was while
acting in this capacity on independence
day. 1881. that he determined that the
stars and stripes should be hoisted on
the islhmus.
i applied 10 count de Narteaux
chief Of the canal company for per
mission TO raise the American flag
over my Office on that davr said
Wasserman yesterday in relating the
story Of this occurrence Of nearly so
years agO.
He told me that he had no authority
20 grant such request. and that if
-s1e allowed me TO do such thing he
would have TO give the same per-
mission TO every other American and
every foreigner connected With the
canal company in Panama.
made UP my mind that if he
ffSAA-NAAl give ne PERMISSION TO raise
the flag over my Office I would see
that 1t fiosted just the same and told
aim that II the Panama canal was ever
completed 1t would be under the flag
of my country that the task would be
p accomplished Went up into China
town there in Panama and found a
: Tag and big box Of frecrackers and
teok them 10 nay room at the hotel
HAD GLORIOUS CELEBRATION
About S:30 O'Clock on the morning of
the fourth I hung that flag out Of my
hotel window. and about II o'clock I
went out and set off the frecrackers.
. il didn't take long TO round UP all the
americans in town, and after we had
.cheered the flag I took them all down
10 the American club, where they
dubbed me the American captain
Well we had a celebration that was
worth while and that lasted-but then
that isn't part of the story"
Wassermsn smiled at the reminis-
cence and was only recalled to the
present by warning that he must get
ready for q trip TO Oakland. .where he
was TO preside last night AT a family
dinner at the home OF one Of his sons
I've been a little under the weather
lately" he cOnfided. and my wife was
afraid that the trip across the bay
today might be too hard on me. But
don't you believe st. Tn good for
half dozen Christmases YET. That
viii take me to the one after the
worlds fair in 1915. and If I can just
live to see that fair I'll be content
THAT is my one wish now
Plan Permanent Organization
Permanent organization of the
general citizens committee Of 200
which is TO assume the responsibility
of planning the essential details of
the great Panama-Pacifc international
exposition VIII be completed. this week
aud the active work connected with the
gigantic undertaking VIII at last be
under way
Menbers Of the committee have al
ready been notified Of the initial meet
Eng TO be held Wednesday afternoon.
and at that tine the first steps win
be taken toward dividing and sys-
fematizing the labor TO be accom-
piished within the next five years The
names of the members Of the COM
Fnittee win be made public within the
next day or two, having been with
5leld until the plans for the first meet
ang could be completed.
The first matter to be considered
wednesday viii be the adoption Of
general plan OF organization. Sugges-
fions fn this regard have so far been
OF a tentative nature, but it is prob
able that an executive committee of
30 or u members viii be chosen at the
outset ana lIaL oIneE committees to
fake up the matters Of finance.
pubn~ty, site, administration, legisla-
sion. city. county, state. government
snd foreign participation and kindred
subjects viii be named
The selection Of director general
and the executive heads OF various de-
partments proba bly, viii not be made
until a large amount of preliminary
work has been disposed Of and the
7-s1rf - 1l1fa~ af
individuals thoroughly considered. The
field for selection Of executive officers
viii not be limited to the membership
Of the ways and means committee and
the shoices viii be made only after an
exhaustive canvass of All eligibles.
BUTTONS RAPIDLY SOLD
Practically all the buttons provided
FOR the boosters day sale last Thurs
0ay have been disposed Of and the re-
ceipts from this sale viii be audited
Monday or Tuesday. The fund secured
viii be used in meeting preliminary
expenses, which have been met up to
the present time by the donations of