The San Francisco call., 1909-10-02
FIREWORKS TO
FURNISH LIGHT
FORiFFST|VAl
Most Brilliant Displays Ever
Seen in West Promised
EachsP POrtola Night
Theatrical Managers Prepare
Long Program to Assure
Success OfsBenefit

The most brilliant displays of pyro-
technics,ever seen in the west will be
featuresy of the Portola festival The
contract for the fireworks was let
yesterday Ato the Pain fireworks COM
pany and Athe preliminary work has
been begun The displays viii be
given every evening IN Union square
from about 10 o'clock until midnight.
Not only wilIsthe 6isplay,of fireworks
be on a more elaborate scale than
anything ,ever before sseen in the west,
but many novelties viii be intro
duced. Tons of powder will be burned
Up, thousands of rockets, hundreds of
bombs and scorestof set pieces will be
used every night. 1t VIII be possible
to see thei display sfor miles and the
effects viii appear nearlytas gorgeous
when viewed from the high hills
around thesc city as when seen close at
hand
..INELCOME" IN FIERY LETTERS
A grands ssignaI salute of bombs ex-
ploding at< great altitude will an
nounee thei beginning of each display.
A night of tfgure balloons with won
derful pyrotechnical effects will fol-
low. In largeAblock letters surrounded
by wreath ofAmolten spray tthe word
welcome" will be displayed.
A Portola poster of fireworks viii be
one of the features of the program.
II win be % by 20 feet square and the
colors of the posterSwill be reproduced
i'm living fire. The Arms of Portola"
viii be displayed in bright .heraldic
coIors and will take up 500, square
feet.
Some of the special features of the
program will be the Falls of Mime
haha." Fight Between an Airship and
Monitor and the Merrimac. The
"PiRar of Light" ands the Temple of
Flora
CATARACT OF LIQUID FIRE
The Falls of Minehaha" is de-
scribed as one of the most beautiful
effects ever attempted in pyrotechnics.
mighty cataract in flowing LIQUID
FIRE with its roar, splash and mist is
renresented. The Pillar of Light"
was the sensation of the pyrotechnical
display at the Inauguration of Presl-
dent Taft One mile square is made
as light as day by this device.
flight of humming birds will be
among the novel effects of the display
Nests of fiery, kissing cobras, mann
moth umbrellas of fire, a screen of
sna killing dewdrops, fiery spider bombs,
acrobatfc candles. bengal lights, aerial
wigglers. batteries of tadpoles, golden
snravs silver fire wheels, blazing sun
wheels. gigantic whirlwinds and
cresceudo of repeating bombs will be
among the features of the program
TbAre will be so distinctN effects at
every night display.
RIo THEATRICAL BENEFIT
Seats are selling rapidly for the Por-
tola theatrical benefit which is now
Iess than a week off. Notwithstanding
the drizzling rain which kept up all
during yesterday, there were continu-
Gus calls for benefit tickets at the
various theaters where they are on
sale. and the event promises to be one
of the greatest financial successes the
Portola committee has had.
The program, which is in the hands
Of committee appointed Of theatrical
managers. will be no less successful
than the finances, for on it are the
names of the best thea atrical stars now
in San Francisco. From the Alcazar
will come lovely Miss Evelyn Vaughan
in the second act of Sweet Kitty Bel
airs" Billie Burke will be there from
the Van Ness. The Valencia will send
a scene from the musical ''Mademoi-
sele Mischief" and the Garrick will be
represented by one from George Cohan's
plays. Fifty Miles From Boston =
KoIb and Dill will be there from the
Princess and from the Orpheum will
come Mary Norman, Ddna Aug, the
Big City Four and Henry Give.
The prices of the seats are 81 in the
orchestra and 81 in the balcony, all
reserved. The performance will COM
mence at 1:30 o'clock.
The following contributions of 800
and over have been received recently:
The California transportation company. 500
W < J. Sloane .---.-.--.-- ----..-.- Zo0
Anglo and IondonaParis national bank -. $50
t'rOcker estate company ..---....-..t.. 250
Froeker realty company .......-............ 100
Parrott CO. ----.--.-..--.. 100
Bids have been invited by the Portola
festival committee for the entire issue
Of $4,000 copies of the official Portola
-.