New-York tribune., 1910-01-02
THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
San Francisco's Celebration of
Nezg Years Eue.
rRy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

San Francisco Jan. L-San Franciscos
celebration OF New Years Eve was the
most hearty and general since the earth
quake and fire, three and half years ago.
Three distinct celebrations were held-one
in the downtown district. to mark the com
plete rehabilitation of the business quarter;
one in Fillmore street, which still remains
a lively uptown centre OF trade. and one in
the Mission District. which since the fire
has become the home of the greater part
Of the working classes. who formerly lived
south Of Market street.
The feature OF the celebration was a
parade Of one thousand Illuminated auto
mobiles. which. after passing through the
principal business streets, proceeded TO
Fillmore street and then to the Mission
District. accompanied by seven bands
Seven OF the huge Illuminated floats used
on the last night of Portola festival week
followed.
These floats depicted typical California
scenes and industries and were carried on
fiat cars over the lines OF the United Rail
roads. which transported them free Of
charge The most gorgeous feature of the
parade was the Oriental display The Chi
nese and the japanese spent thousands N
decorations and in beautiful displays OF ar
tifcial cherry blossoms. After the parade
the streets We're cleared and fetes in the
style of Paris. Venice and Nice were held.
with dancing in the streets and squares
The project known as the Geary Street
Railroad bond issue, calling for the issu-
ance OF s2.G2o.O00 Of bonds for the recon-
struction OF the Geary street cable road
as an electric system. was favorably voted
on on Thursday The franchise of this
n
1t has since been operated under lease
from the city.
The Geary street road now runs from
the heart OF the business district TO Golden
Gate Park Most of the street railways of
San Francisco are owned by the United
Railroads. of which Patrick Calhoun is
president
Opponents of the bond issue urged that
the municipalization of the Geary street
line would serve only TO prevent the United
Railroads from getting control OF the line.
with attendant transfer privileges.
Advocates Of the bond issue say the line
can be developed into a competitor OF the
United Railroads and force that system to
give adequate service.
Prince Cupid. of Hawaii. who passed
through here this week denied emphati-
caIly reports from Honolulu that he had
called Governor Frear a liar and that he
had split the Republican party in the
islands. He declared that his chief ambi-
ton was to provide free land for his peo-
pie and for poor immigrants 10 the islands
Under the projected homestead law thou
sands of acres of land now idle would be
transformed into homes.
The death Of George W McNear this
week removed one Of the largest wheat ex-
pOrters of the country. McNear will be re-
membered for his ability in developing the
grain export trade of California and for
his part in causing the failure of the wheat
corners engineered by Fay and Flood, OF
the Bonanza firm. Flood in the early SOS at
tempted to corner the wheat on this coast
but MeNear ana his associates secured the
state and dumped so much grain on the
market that Flood lost s10OO0.0G0. Fifteen
years later Senator Fair tried the same
game, and he failed exactly as Flood had
because McNear. Balfour. Guthrie & Co.
. and others produced wheat which he
thought was not in existence. His losses
also ran into the millions
The recent formation of the Western
Hotel Mems Protective Association here
has already done much TO check the opera
tons of dead beats and bad check men.
and this work will be increased by the
planned formation of the National Associa-
ton of Hotel Men for Mutual Protection
Kirk Harris. president OF the association
and manager of the Grand and HamIin
hotels here, will go to Chicago TO meet
representatives Of other associations and
discuss plans for a greater national as
sociation- With an exchange of photo
1a-r--
these pests OF the hotel business could al
most be- eliminated in a single year. il is
thought.