The San Francisco call., 1909-10-20

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there in the open square of the city.
AS the old Spanish Californians would
gather in their plaza for their fetes
and festivals, so San Francisco, horn
of honorable Spanish blood and still
touched with the romance and grace
and beauty of the Latin race, went out
of doors into its plaza yesterday and
there started the joy for week.
There was much of Spain in the
crowd. There were the wide hats,
little girls dressed in Portola colors
which were borrowed from Spain, there
was music in the air. there was over
head the blue sky of Spain and CALI
fornia and all good out of door coun-
tries.
Luncheon at ST. Francis
From the plaza the party went to
the ST. Francis hotel, between saluting
ranks of international soldiery There
luncheon was held in the colonial ball
room, which was decked with Portola
colors and at the end of which was a
splendid painting of the queen.
To compare the celebration of yester-
day with other festivals is easy. Yes
terday was the most frolicsome and
spontaneous. In fact, it was spontan-
city which carried it through. The
most recent celebration here was the
visit of President Taft That was sue
cessful, as the president was honored
with the cheers of thousands and the
day was full of dignity and respect.
Dignity and respect are not the pecu-
liar qualities of Portola celebration.
Merriment and joy are, and as merri-
ment and Joy are the more fiamboyant
virtues, the celebration yesterday was
the more fiamboyant. The other great
gathering since the fire was the coming
of the Atlantic fleet. That was ia
the keynote
patriotism, civic pride, the desire of
man and maid for amusement, the de-
light of the California people to cling
to dizzy heights and look down on men.
marching to band music. all made yes
terday famous day and promises TO
make the week a famous week. For
the coIors or Portola. red and yellow.
hang from every point and it is dim
cult to be ungenial in that eaudv at
mosphere.
Lights Bring Carnival Spirit
was not until the great bell and
archway of lights over Market sstreet
had been vivified with the electric Cur
rent that the real carnival spirit struck
the city. Then * came with such a
bang that every one wondered what II
VIII be by Saturday night. which is ser
apart particularly for carnival pur-
poses ana Jolllncaton.
Confetti was everywhere The tinv
red and yellow bits seemed to be shed
by the colored btaIbs, they fell with
such certainty aid abundance. It was
more than New Years night celebra-
tion.
Almost as conspicuous as the noise of
humanity carnivaling were the illumi-
nations and fireworks. The illumina-
tions were everywhere the fireworks
in Union square. Market street from
the ferry out was a white arch of gilt
tering incandescents. From the street
1t looked as If there was a white roof
overhead from an elevation it ap-
peared as If there was a white and
brilliant carpet on the street In the
bay the warships were outlined In
splendor and the darting searchlights
shot white across the heavens. The
bay had much of the glory it wore
when the fleet was here; the city was
far more resplendent,
The fireworks in Union square at
tracted q tremendous crowd, but that
detection did not seem to affect the
congestion in Market street in the
least. There was a mercy granted the
city last evening which is seldom be-
slowed when fireworks are scheduled
there was a sky clear of fog. The
rockets scared to their highest and
broke into their hundred bright parti-
eles and not red nor blue nor green
nor white shooting star was dimmed.