The San Francisco call., 1909-03-14
Thousands ThrOng Downtown
Streets and Receive Welcome
to New Shopping District
Opening of PaIatiaI Stores
Marks Beginning of AM
other Epoch for City
Enthusiastic Crowds Greeted
With Music and Given Sou
Venirs of Occasion

venirs of Occasion
? HOME again, after three years
~ Of roughing il. the retail mer-
< \ chants Of San Francisco held
open house last night. Thou
sands thronged the downtown streets.
and in more than score of stores.
more palatial than any that the city
knew in the days before the fire these
thousands found the welcome OF men
who have upbuilt the new shopping
district.
Turning points have come thick and
fast in san Francisco's history dur
ing recent years. and last night must
be set down as the beginning of still
another epoch. It was night of
nights-the more complete and joyful
because the enthusiasm that was
aroused and the new life that pulsed
were spontaneous, unexpected.
Like New Years Eve
san Francisco was famous in the
old days for its Saturday night crowds.
yet never was there a Saturday night
when the old retail district was gayer.
happier or more resplendent than it
was last night. 1t was a second New
Years eve. without the confetti. the
noise and the ribbon paper All else
that could 20 to the making of festivity
was abundantly supplied. The streets
were ablaze with light and crowds
such as the city has never known, ex-
cept on special gala nights. tramped
the pavements and crushed in unending
streams through the doorways and
aisles Of the great new stores.
The return of several Of the larger
retail firms to their new homes in the
old downtown district after the years
Of squatter existence uptown furnished
the motif for the general outburst Of
enthusiasm that made the business sec
tion awaken to sudden, new life.
New District Surpasses Old
The newly returned business houses
were opened TO receive old friends.
and the merchants who were first to
find their way back and who have been
in their~hew homes for few months
or weeks combined to make the well
come al the heartier by joining in the
opening. A mere announcement was
given that all the big firms established
IN the new downtown district would
be open until 10 o'clock last night; it
was the only invitation needed to bring
q multitude
Was there a conhagration that swept
away the whole retail business district
OF san Francisco less than three years
sgo2 The stranger who threaded the
downtown streets last night would
have laughed had you told him so. AS
2 single Aladdin's palace sprang up in
the fairy story, countless palaces of
greater grandeur and beauty than any
imagination could picture have. sprung
up from the ashes Of the old shopping
district.
Evidence of Permanence
Binding oneself last night to the i'll
repair of some Of the streets and to
the temporary sidewalks at places
where stiII more palaces of trade are
being reared, one could forget the past
and find on every hand abundant ma
terial evidence OF metropolitan great
ness and permanence.
That was the thing that stood out
above all else-permanence It spoke
from the massive walls Of the new
buildings, from the long stretches Of
glittering show windows. from the
handsome interior furnishings of the
new stores, from the lavish variety OF
wares that these stores contained. and
above all else. from the crowds Of loyal,
cheerful gay san Franciscans. For.
after ali, it is the spirit Of its people
that has given the city permanence.
and it is simply this greater perma-
nence that the new buildings. the new
stores and the whole new downtown
district reflect
Car Lines Are Taxed
From shortly after twilight every
car line in the city was taxed to han
downtown district The streets filled
quickly after the dinner hour, and in
Market. Geary, Post sutter. Kearny
Grant avenue and Stockton streets the
crush Of humanity spread from the
sidewalks and at times almost filled
the thoroughfares from curb TO curb
The swirl OF life centered about the
doorwsys Of the White House at sat
ter and Grant avenue, for the home
coming OF this firm alone attracted
thousands. but from here the stream
broke and flowed through all the
shopping district and further out Grant
avenue into Chinatown. where the big
arientaI stores were also offering wei