Georgia Sroufe Mrs. Dollie Sroufe-Tiffany Sophia Faull Rose Faull Edith Beam Biddle Bishop Carrie Brainard, Birdie Brainard Bessie Graves Ada Van Winkle Mrs. Hattie Brainard Susan Sroufe
In 1896, January 28, May 30 and 31, June 20, reception to General-in-Chief Lawlor, G.A.R., were days to be remembered, but of July 7 I must make special mention, as it was an honor that can only come once to a singer. It was the golden jubilee of the flag-raising at Monterey fifty years before, a scene of patriotic enthusiasm in which I, with other patriotic people, participated. Through Major Edwin Sherman, head of the arrangements committee, I was engaged to assist in the demonstration. I had a previous engagement with Frank Gilder at Santa Cruz for his concert a day or two before the flag raising. When I arrived at Monterey I was met by Major Sherman, wife and party and escorted to the hotel. After dinner the evening was spent with rehearsals and completing the arrangement for the morning's exercises. The day of July 7 was ideal, the air was mild and the sun came out in all of its splendor and the streets were alive with people who were assembling already in preparation for this great jubilee. The procession started promptly at 10 o'clock and passed through the principal streets of the city. Veterans of the Mexican war, sailors from the battleships that lay in the harbor, United States soldiers were in line. Many appropriate emblems, floats, and bands of music followed. School children symbolizing the American flag presented a feature never to be forgotten.
Across from the first custom house a large platform had been erected and upon this platform all the performers for the occasion were placed. At the top the children were grouped to form the flag, a most novel and beautiful sight. The officers of the day, Mexican veterans, musicians and speakers occupied the lower platform. The old custom house opposite, with its high flag pole, the two armored cruisers lying in the bay, the escort of hundreds of sailors from the ships made a never-to-be-forgotten scene. At the appropriate moment William P. Toler, the man who fifty years before raised the flag upon the same pole, amid cheers from the multitude descended from the platform and made his way through the crowd and ranks of the naval battalion to where Lieutenant Roper of the Monadnock stood. He escorted Mr. Toler to the northwest corner of the old custom house, beneath the staff, while the quartermaster of the Philadelphia bent the American flag on to the halyards which were placed in Mr. Toler's hand. At this point Major Sherman called for three cheers for Old Glory and Mr. Toler, with all the energy of his youth and his eyes sparkling with pride and patriotic fire, grasped the rope (but the halyards were stiffened) and after an adjustment of the difficulty the flag soon reached the masthead and was spread out to the breeze. Then occurred a scene not often witnessed. The people went wild at the beautiful sight. Hats and handkerchiefs went flying into the air. All reserve of these military men was forgotten in the moment of patriotic enthusiasm. The two battleships anchored in the bay puffed forth the smoke from the cannon's mouth. The air was filled with a riot of sounds from the crash of guns, multiplying the echoes rising above the strains of the Star Spangled Banner. It was a touching sight to see the veterans of war behave like boys let loose from school, the children clapping their hands, Queen California with her maids of honor upon her throne waving handkerchiefs. The sailors stood at attention throughout this demonstration, but when Mr. Toler turned to ascend the platform they seized him and bore him triumphantly to the grandstand amid shouts and huzzas for the midshipmate of fifty years ago. After the excitement was over he bade them all farewell. This was the last public appearance of Mr. Toler. He passed away the following year.