The San Francisco call., 1909-08-22
Great Fleet to Boom
Welcome to Portold.
THREE PARADES AT
OCTOBER FESTIVAL
Opening Pageant TO Be Strictly
Military and Combine Ancient
and Modern Features

Arrangements for the series OF
three great parades which will be
spectacular features of the Portola
festival are going forward rapidly
under the direction of an experienced
drill master and organizer. The many
fraternal orders having uniformed
corps have been notified of their ac-
ceptance as part of the great army
which Will march in military forma-
ton at the opening parade.
This opening parade viii be strictly
military and viii combine the fea-
lures Of a historical pageant and a
modern review OF troops Only thor
oughly drilled and fully uniformed
troops viii participate, and the order
of march viii be the same as that of
the great parade at Washington at
the Inauguration of the president The
Portola Dragons, that company Of
uniformed yeomen which viii be the
personal escort CT Don Gaspar de
Portola, will be one of the most pic
turesque features of the affair. cor
responding TO the Cleveland Greys, the
body guard of the president at the in
augural parade.
The first parade will differ from the
historical pageant in that 1t viii repre-
sent the reception of the discoverer of
the bay by the people of the city
which has been built on its shores
and by the state and the nation. Por-
tola himself and his dragons, with
the Indians and other followers, Will
be IN the costume Of their own period,
and the entrance to the city will be in
the manner of the historical pageant.
GUNS TO BOOM GREETING
His arrival will be greeted by the
salutes of the guns of the great pow
ers out in the warships on the bay. He
state and of the nation as a leader and
with his dragons will take his place
at the head OF the great parade after
having been welcomed by the mayor
and city and state officials and the
diplomatic representatives of world
powers
The ranks Of the soldiery will divide
and Portola with his personal body
guard will ride TO the head of the line.
He viii be escorted through the streets
TO Marshall square, where the city
hall stood. This will be transformed
into a royal court, and here his queen
and court viii await him. From that
time the royal couple VIII begin their
FIVE day reign.
Instead of the handful of footsore
and starving troops which followed
him on the expedition on which he dis
covered the bay of San Francisco, Don
Gaspar de Portola, the first governor
of California. viii be escorted by a full
company OF royal dragons in faultless
uniform. with shining helmets and
breastplates and mounted on glossy
black chargers, and will lead an army
composed of the soldiers and sailors of
the world.
This parade through the streets will
be most imposing spectacle. The
formation will be strictly military,
with no breaks in the line of march.
The cavalry and infantry of the reg
ular army, the national guard and the
uniformed drill corps of the various or
ganizations, with the naval forces from
the warships. viii represent this coun-
try, while the bluejackets and marines
from the foreign vessels with their
bands and flying banners will show the
fighting forces of the nations around
the entire world,
SECOND PARADE ELABORATE
The second parade will contain divi-
sions representing the civic, Industrial,
state and international life. The deco
rated floats of the various cities, COM
munities, industries and organizations,
with uniformed escorts, will be in the
line and will present riot Of color.
These floats are being built and every
thing will be prepared by the time of
the opening of the festivities
The third of the parades will be It
night and will contain the illuminated
floats. This will be a unique spectacle,
and there viii be many original de-
signs and ideas.
The Portola Dragons have been or
ganized and are being drilled by COL
onel J. K. Ritter, veteran drill master
and the winner of couuHless prizes and
medals for exhibition drills and pa
rades- He won the first prize at the
recent convention of Elks with his
Oakland drill corps I'm Los Angeles.
The dragons will be a permanent
organiza ton, and like the Cleveland
Greys will represent the city in all
functions of a public character 1t is
expected that they will be ready TO
meet President Taft when he reaches
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