The San Francisco Call and Post from San Francisco, California • Page 1

In Belialf of Applauding Thousands and. Amid Delicious Inspiriting Strains General Sarnes Takes Over tlxe Magnificent Bandstand in Golden G-ate Park From Its Donor, Olaixs Spreokels. AN A ARCHITECTURAL POEM SET TO MUSIC DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA CLAUS SPRECKELS. GENERAL W. H.

L. BARNES. That the memorial should be placed in Golden Gate Park was a decision which required no' long study to reach. This noble pleasure ground will doubtles be the chief scene of the cpen air festivities of the people of California and indeed of the whole Pacific Coast for all time to come. It already ranks among the finest parks in the world.

It is the resort of thousands. It Is the playground of the children, the festal garden of youths and maidens, the recreation of the worker," the solitude 01 the thinker, the of wealth and fashion, the object lesson of artists, and In many ways It ministers to the studies of men of science. dedicated to music rendered free to all and under circumstances that would make it attractive to rich and poor alike. (Applause.) furnish thejn with pleasures which recreate body and brain No other amusement which, can -be provided for large numbers surpasses music In that respect, and accordingly I was easily determined that the purposed memorial should be RECREATION FOR BRAIN AND EODY ALIKr. In my native Germany I had early learned the value well as the charm of music and of architecture.

I know how potent a benefit It Is to a people to have the privilege of listening under beautiful surroundings to the melodies and the harmonies which the master musicians have developed out ol their soaring souls for the joy of the world. I know that one PcrttPATTOM FOR of the strongest KbLKfcAHUiN fUK afe uards against BRAIN AND EODY pleasures that dissipate the gles of men Is to IvOvinR California as I do, and being grateful for the many benefits that have accrued to me during the earnest and active life I have lived here, I have desired to manifest those feelings in some monumental structure which would stand as a memorial of my citizenship among you. In deciding to erect that memorial In the form It has taken. I was moved by a desire to make it a source of the highest pleasure and good to the largest number of people possible. (Applause.) It a gratification to me to know that California, so kind to me.

Is kind and generous to all. Differences of fortune exist In all parts of the world, but each class of workers Is better off in California than anywhere else on earth. Our workingnien have the best homes and the hlRhest wages in proportion to their skill that are possessed by workers anywhere, and It Is an Invariable rulo that where wase-earnrrs are most prosperous 1 and have most opportunities to advance fortune, education and culture, there every grade of society Is most prosperous, best r.nd happiest. CALIFORNIA IS KIND AND G5N.ROU5TOALL. 'had occasion to regret the choice.

I have never wished for any other home nor lonfted for anything on earth that California could not give. Recently I went abroad with the Intention 'of remaining a year. You cee I have returned before the time I had fixed upon. My heart was here with my home and my home friends, and nothing that Kurnne or the Kastern States could furnish was sufficient to charm away the desire to get back to the land I love. (Applause.) fornla as my home, and I have never In all the years that have passed since then I cair.e to California by reason of the good reports I had heard of It in other lunds.

When I came and learned the full worth of the land and its people I found the cood reports had not told half the tale. I adopted Cali- a 4. opportunities she offers with a fair degree of sagacitv. will not fail to find an ample reward for all work of hand and head and heart. Mcrcmer that reward will come not In material things only but in the thousand kindly and Rracimis acts by which true friends make this life worth the lhir.sr.

HUNDRED PIECES OF BRASS STIR FIRST ECHOES in the Pavilion, From Their Home mind responsive to those senses win find a Joy In the work. To your hands. General Barnes. a3 a representative of tjie people of California. I commit the gift.

My wish Is that the pavilion the music which will flow forth rrom it may be incentives to artistic aspirations among all the people of California, and help them to find that happiness which humanity Is to attain tn this golden land in a more abundant degree than in any other under the whole heavens. As Mr. Spreckels finished he grasped General Barnes' hand and shook it cordially. Barnes then accepted the bulldlne in behalf of the citizens of San, Francisco and the Park Commissioners. He said: My Fellow Citizens: This Immense demonstrates the deep interest which the people whom I have the distinguished honor to represent to-day take the completion and dedication of this architectural triumph of the Reid rendered possible through the generosity of Mr.

Claus Spreckels. who may be Justly denominated the foremost living citizen of California. For himself and for the State his has been a most fortunate net so fortunate, perhaps, as it is rather the natural result of rare executive ability and absolute Integrity In affairs, of Indomitable force cf will in the undertaking ar.d triumphant completion of commercial enterprises which have benefited the pecple far than they have enriched him. The gigantic Industries which have been developed by this good citizen have for many years furnished homes and maintenance to more human beings than those of any other Individual or Indeed of any aggregation of capital In this State. The great refineries erected and operated by him.

the railway transportation provided by his efforts, the construction of public utilities of power and light, the productive farms which have made fertile so many thousands of acres and heaped so many millions of tons of the saccharine beet about his monster factories of sugar, to say nothing of the substantial and beautiful structures with which he has ornamented our chief city and given employment every mechanical trade, demonstrate his public spirit and entitle him to the full measure of affection and respect which the people la whose behalf I speak entertain for him. That to-day has been selected to devote this temple of music to the perpetual use of the people la especially felicitous. It connects it with an historical epoch In the life of. the commonwealth which marks its semi-centennial with the pride of an exultant population, rejoicing In the review of a past, munlfleent In progress and illuminated by the prophecy of acquisitions of wealth and civic power which bewilders contemplation ana stretches tram, SCENE BEFORE THE NEW BAND STAND AT THE DEDICATION. SEATING CAPACITY FOR TWENTY THOUSAND Not Half Enough for the Crowds.

WITH Beyenty-flve thousand people bending their heads to listen, the first melody welled from the new band stand in the Park, and, borne on the of the west wind, thrilled the a'r of Concert Valley. It was the dedication of the plare, and the stately pile of gTay sandstone, to music and the people, and the first composition played under Its aptly named "Immortality." was dedicated to Claus Sjirec-Uc-Js, the giver of the gift. The peristyle is, as General Barnes truthfully and br-autifully said, an archit-M-tural pot'm, set to music. It is beautiful In its pure simplicity, in the ss of its columns, and in its graceful scheme and outline. And it is wonderful, too.

from the purity of its aeou-stics, for the of the flute Bent down the and distinct as the trumpet's that follows. Its location is partly responsible for this, for in from the ocean th" brtczen come, and cold, and thoy notes alone as if they loved thrn. ar.d Frnd them playing among the trees and alons the slopes that form this V' triumph of harmony. throat court In front has been carefully luinr-d. and a profusion of shrubbery ar.d trees add picturesQue-noss to the Hccnc.

Tha bluish pray tint of the stone of which structure Js built brings out boldly fiom the dark-foliapcd background th. artistic work of the bu'Ioer. were provided for 29,000 which, on ordinary occasions, would more than answer all Vet yesterfiaVx great crowd tva only overtaxed Immense capacity, but the grounds along the outer boundaries of the court were black with humanity. The orchertra platform has an ex- width of feet and will accommodate 100 musicians, which number were there yextrrdar. As Mr.

Spreckels and General W. H. Barnes stepped into the music stand there was a spontaneous outburst appluuee from the vast multitude. Mr. Bpreckels bowed and then be- gan his presentation speech.

He was frequently interrupted by vigorous handclapping. Mr. Spreckels said: My Fellow Cltitzer.s: By a good fortune In which you will all Join with me In rejoicing, the completion cf this structure and the occasion of Its formal gift to the people come at a time when thousands from all parts of tlie commonwealth are thronging to San Francisco to celebrate the fiftieth aniversury of the admission of California to Btntrhood in the Union. We must all of us be well pleased that It has happened so; for the structure Is deglgnrd not for the city only, but for all California, and It Is therefore rlcht and fitting that Its dedication should take place under circumstances which make It not a civic holiday only, but a part of a great State festival. California has been for fifty years a State of the American Union, and I have been for nearly fifty yeara a citizen of California.

I was rnnone those who in early manhood to take part in the development of the rich resources of this golden land and to lay the foundations upon which the fabric of her pros- Parity rests. Whatever may have bt-en the experience of others, my labors In California have been abundantly rewarded. This has been no nig-gard land to me. I have found Its people as generous as the soil, ajid society here as rich in human virtues as are the mountains with gold. My experience has been that whosoever works in California with the honesty of a true Industry, and who meets the It Is right for me to give due praise here to the architects who have fashioned the noble proportions of the structure, and to the artisans whose skill has carrted out all that I have planned and the artist designed.

The architecture has been conceived In harmony to the use for which the structure is Intended and to the magnificent landscape of park and that surround it. It pleases the eye as music pleases the ear, and faculty Here, then, where all gather. It Is proper that the music which charms them should be provided with a stately and noble pavilion. Thus the plan for the edifice grew in my mind and purpose; and now I have the gladness to look upon the completed work and to transfer It to the people of California. (Applause.) SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1900.

PRICE FIVE CENTS. VOLUME L.XXXVIII— NO. 102. The San Francisco Call..