The San Francisco call., 1910-12-27
BRONZE BUST OF
diva MAY REST
ON FOUNTAIN
AllegOrical Group to Be De-
signed by Arthur Putnam
Suggested as City's Gift
SOngbird Says "Au Revoir" to
Her City and Its People
Through The Call

A proposal to cast a bronze bust of
7Tetrszzini and set it in Lottals foun-
tain TO commemorate for all time the
triumph and wonder of Christmas eve
will be considered by Mayor Mccarthy
and the board Of supervisors today with
The decision as to what form the city's
gift to the diva viii take. One sugges-
tion made by the mayor and supervisors
Is that e replica of this bust be pre-
scented TO Tetrazzini as the citys testi-
nonia1; another is that a small allie
gorical group of figures be modelled in
gold and presented to the singer, while
the bronze bust be placed in Lotta's
fountain merely as a commemoration
OF the event there last Saturday even
ing. Arthur Putnam has been men
tloneo 70 create the gift figures and
aa1g Patigian 10 model the bust for the
fountain. Both are local sculptors of
national fame.
SINGERS AU REVoIR
Even while the form of the city's
glrt was being considered in the
mayors once, Tetrazzini, in her apart
ments at the Palace. gave an "au re-
Nolr 10 the people Of San Francisco
through The Call 1t is written in
Italian. but the translation reads:
II am at once joyful and sOrrOvfuI
Joyful because my days here have been
more pleasant even than I hoped for;
sOrrOwful because 1 must leave the city
and the people / love. i do not say
farewell, bat au revOir.
The mayor and Supervisor J. Emmett
Hayden, who have been foremost
among the city's officials in advancing
the idea Of gift to the 'fncomparable
one, have not abandoned the consid-
GRAFTON Of gold plate, or gold album
low ~7r--r
presented to the board Of supervisors
for judgment But now il is felt that
perhaps these trinkets are not worthy
OF the diva's generosity and the mag
nihcence Of the city ma king the gift
It is felt that more distinctive would
Re some more pretentious thing, the
work Of San Francisco genius, giving
10 Tetrazzini something comparable to
the gift she made the city,
Several prominent men conferred with
Mayor Mccarthy yesterday regarding
the form of gift for the cantatrice and
the idea OF presenting the small group
OF allegcrlcal ngures and of casting the
bronze bust 10 be set permanently in
the pedestal Of the historic fountain
was evolved and taken up with enthus-
iasm- II was learned that Haig Pa
uglan willingly would undertake the
modelling Of a bust Of the singer, and
Manager ". h Leahy promised, should
the matter be taken up that arrange
ments would be made for the necessary
sirrngs Then came the suggestion that
two bronzes be cast and one presented
TO the diva as the city's gift
Here came the objection that this
would perhaps not ha worthy present,
though the bust would enable the
singer to have with her always re
plica Of the bust set UP in the heart of
San Francisco as a commemoration Of
the historic Christmas eve that Tetraz-
zini declared was the night OF all
nights of my life.
PUTNAM As DESIGNER
Arthur Putnam. a sculptor whose
work has gained him the plaudits OF
France as web as of his own country
then was proposed as the designed of
the group Of figures. Willis Polk. the
architect, suggested that these might
take the general form of the casket
made for Pope Julian the Fourth and
now in the museum Of Naples. made
by BenvenutO Cellini, the great sculp-
tor Of the Italian renaissance. Upon
the base Of the group could be in
scTibed q suitable inscription from the
people Of san Francisco.
Il would be willing TO subscribe a
pretty large sum myself TO see this
carried ont that we might give to
Tetrazzini something worthy of her
gift TO us" Polk said. i regard Put
nam as Of all sculptors the best to
GO TINS Work TOO lie IS a san tran-
ciscan. a genius capable of conceiving
a wonderful work. and Of designing a
group that would serve TO spread San
F'rancisco's fame.
This group would be small and ca
pable Of being placed in the singers
cabinet, or on her dressing room table.
II could be cast in bronze or gold. or
whatever was thought best"
WILL THANK SINGER
All the important organizations in
the city. the Merchants exchange. the
Merchants association, and the cham
Der OF commerce, have signihed their
intention Of %assing resolutions thank
ing Tetrazzini for her triumphant open
air concert OF Christmas eve TO add TO
the action OF the board of supervisors.
The park commissioners did a gra-
cious act yesterday in sending several
huge baskets Of rare and beautiful
flowers grown in the park conserva-
tory. to the diva. Her apartments We're
banked with the blooms. among which
were monster orchids Of a half dozen
species.
Tetrazzini viii leave the Palace to- 1
morrow morning at 1915 O'Clock. and
leave from the ferry at 11:40 on the
Shasta kimited for Portland, where she |
begins her northern coast tour by Civ |
ing a concert December 80. When she
returns January IS, for few days
visit. the ceremony of presenting the
citys gift viii take place.