Wayback Machine
Here is a look at the past. Items have been culled from The Chronicle’s archives of 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago.
1992
Oct. 12: Thousands of chanting demonstrators disrupted Columbus Day celebrations throughout San Francisco yesterday, preventing a re-enactment of Columbus’ landing at Aquatic Park, sitting down in front of Queen Isabella’s float and snarling traffic for hours. There were 40 arrests, including one person suspected of throwing a Molotov cocktail. Riot police tried to keep demonstrators and Columbus Day parade-watchers on separate routes, but the two groups mixed it up in minor shouting and scuffling matches. The trouble began at Aquatic Park at 1 p.m., when a 40foot sailboat and a catamaran carrying people dressed as Columbus and his crew were met by a small protest regatta and a crowd of at least 2,000 protesters on shore shouting: “Columbus, turn back.” At the request of the American Indian Movement five protest sailboats from the “Peace Navy” blocked Columbus’ landing. Columbus’ boat, which was heading from Scoma’s restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf to Aquatic Park, turned back. About 2 p.m. protesters sat down in front of Queen Isabella’s float and were dragged off by police. Twenty minutes later when the parade reached Columbus and Green streets, more than 150 protesters rushed into the parade waving signs that read “Columbus, Wanted for Genocide” and “Discovery or Robbery.” Someone hit a police car with a Molotov cocktail causing some damage, but no one was injured. — Teresa L. Moore
1967
Oct. 10: Police swept through the Haight-Ashbury yesterday in a daylight search for school truants that netted 32 thoroughly confused hippies, including the 17-year-old son of Timothy Leary, the Pied Piper of the psychedelic movement. John Leary, who was charged with being a runaway, was later released to the custody of a family friend, a University of California professor. Eleven others were also released at Park Station after it was determined they were too old for school.
The elder Leary, in a phone call from New York, told the Chronicle that his son had been living in Berkeley for a month with his full approval. “This is the fourth time Jack’s been arrested — just for being his old man’s son.” As the other 21 admitted hippies were also released, Police Chief Thomas Cahill defended the raid. “I don’t have to make excuses to anybody,” Cahill declared. “If those who are criticizing had children who were swallowed up in that jungle, they’d have a different story.”
1942
Oct. 11: The Army confirmed yesterday that three prominent San Franciscans, who previously had been accused of pro-Fascist sympathies, had been exiled from the Western Defense Command as “dangerous or potentially dangerous” to the land of their adoption. They were Sylvester J. Andriano, former draft board head, former Supervisor and ex-Police Commissioner, active in the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Italian language schools; Ettore Patrizi, editor of L’Italia; and Renzo Turco, attorney. Andriano had been hauled before a committee investigating un-American activities. He was accused of promoting Fascist ideas in San Francisco and admitted books and teachers in the language schools were supplied by the Italian government. He and Andriano had been decorated by the Italian government. Patrizi had consistently praised Mussolini in his newspaper and had lauded Fascism and the Italian conquest of Ethiopia. Turco told the committee of having met Fritz Wiedermann, former Nazi consul general here and of having spoken before meetings of the German-American Bund. On arriving at their new residence in the interior of the country, they must report to the FBI and will remain “under observation” of the FBI, the Army said.
1917
Oct. 8: Nearly 300 retail liquor licenses have been cancelled in San Francisco since the first of the year and the war tax on whisky is viewed as the principal reason why many keepers of small saloons are said to be contemplating retirement. Stocks of ardent spirits snugly hibernating amid gathering dust and cobwebs in dark cellars must appear and do their bit to help make the world safe for democracy. The new war tax measure commands all bottles and barrels, in bond, on shelves or in cellars to stand up and be counted. The retailer, who had taken time by the forelock and laid in a stock before the tax would become effective, finds his expectations disappointed. He must still pay the added $2.10 revenue on each gallon in addition to the old rate of $1.10.
The sawdust trail to the mahogany-topped counter is becoming less traveled. The smaller saloons where a slug of whisky has cost a dime will be forced to demand 20 cents, and in those places where walls are covered with rich tapestries and floors are tiled, two bits will be the fee. The $2 beer tax has was anticipated by the saloon men who have been providing glasses of thimble size, so small that when the foam has been deducted it takes two at least to wet a moderately dry whistle. And this miniature sells for 10 cents. The day of a bootleg of steam for a nickel has gone, never to return.
Johnny Miller is a freelance writer.