The San Francisco call., 1909-10-22


tary company with businesslike wea-
pons and badges of honor. The float
of the German American league was
one of the most attractive in the pa
rade
The piping of the Scotch bagpipes
heralded the approach of the men from
the land of Bobbe Burns. They
turned out in force, in plaids and Kill
ties, and behind them came the float
Scotland" which was studded with the
prettiest girls that ever tripped high
land fling.
OMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS
And stop, look and listen; for right
at this moment the foolish CONNER
cial Travellers burst into view They
had four big drums with them, on
each of which was painted request
that, "Drummers no more-Cal1 US
Commercial Travellers" Then a
long line of the knights of the road.
sometimes termed road agents, swung
along in linen busters carrying satch-
els, valises and bags of all sorts. These
the inquisitive crowds concluded con-
tanned alcoholic nourishment, and once
a traveller who relieved his thirst sur
reptitiously, from one of the satchels
was almost stunned by the howl of
blind rage that welled up from the mob
that lined each side of the street.
And here were presented seven floats
or contrivances or visualized night
mares, representing the life of the
travellers on the road. The first Illus
trated, by the use of two donkeys and
one commercial travAIef the mode. of
travel in the mountains: the second
showed how the travellers bumped
across country in prairie schooner in
40; the third that they took their ease
in stage coach In 81; the fourth was
a light buggy, the fifth a double rig,
the sixth an automobile and the last,
labeled future" was a real life size
aeroplane. A miserable baggage
smasher, Gagged. was next paraded be-
fore the crowd, and a water wagon,
dismal and untenanted, followed
The travellers were saving the best
for the last. 1t was cross section
view of a country hotel, and showed
two unhappy members of the travelling
fraternity pursuing bedbugs about the
room. Several specimens of the pests,
as large as rabbits, clung to bed
clothes, walls, and--it may be remarked
ito commercial travellers.
An artistic float by the Woman's club
of San Francisco followed, filed with
fairies and elves, and then the repre-
sentations of the Greek societies of
prettiest pictures of the pageant. I'M
doubted1y. The float ''Dionysius'
showed the ancient land of Greece
with fidelity to costuming and archi-
lecture, and behind came youths and
maidens of the glorious days of the
land by the Aegean sea, on foot and
mounted. draped in robes Of the period
and wearing wreaths.
CHEERS FOR FIRE LADDIES
Chief Shaughnessy led as fine show
ing as the local fire department ever
made The men marched in good style
and fine looking force they were.
With them was a battery, a chemical,
combination chemical and hose
wagon, hook and ladder truck, a fire
tower and an engine, all shining and
ready for action. The teams of the
California boys baseball league fol-
dowed, playing ball for once in the
streets without fear of the cops" and
school children.
The Italian societies presented the
float, Italy, Grateful to California -
and one representing Garibaldfs men.
Both were more than well done, and
the first was beautiful. The Italian
fishernen followed with a great fish
ing smack set in painted ocean full
of fish as large as those that always
get away, and the Italian gardeners
finished the display with a mountain Of
fruit and vegetables.
FROM OUTSIDE TOWNS
But yesterdays pageant was of all
California, and many towns contrib
uted handsome floats. Mill Valley pre-
sented view of that pastoral para
disc. in which pretty girls, Indians,
cowboys and flowers and ferns told
the story of Mill Valleys past and
present Oakland, sThe Athens of the
Pacific" showed scene from the i'm
dustries that have made the city what
1T is, and a locomotive, cows, hay
grain and a score of other things spoke
of prosperity and content. San An
selmo pictured itself, powered in bios
SONS and plant life, as did San Rafael
Bound for Stockton.i California,
49, was the rude scrawl prairie
schooner, drawn by a yoke of oxen,
carried as reminder that the big city
of the San Joaquin has had a romantic
history.
SANTA CLARA VALLEY
The Santa Clara valley sent float
covered with greenery, i'm and through
which revolved dais carrying a dozen
pretty girls representing towns and
cities of that productive district. San
Jose made a central figure for the
whole. Fort, Bras gg was we'll repre-
sented by daring idea. huge section
of redwood, 20 feet in length and 10
feet through, which spoke without any
need of words Of the wealth in timber
the country there contains. Automo-
biles containing Sacramento valley res
idents ended the parade.
The Mission promotion association.
the Downtown association and the
Bank of Italy entered artistic floats,
and California another Of the Por-