Here is a look at the past. Items have been culled from The Chronicle’s archives of 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago.

Oct. 3: In the latest attack on the legacy of Christopher Columbus, a noisy group of protesters disrupted the traditional coronation of “Queen Isabella” at City Hall yesterday, calling the ceremony a “glamorization of genocide.” Several dozen people chanted, “Shame, Shame,” just minutes after Italian American dignitaries and city officials walked down a flight of stairs in the City Hall rotunda. Two women held up a sheet that read. “Feminist Dykes Against Queens.” Others standing on the second floor held up placards that read, “Columbus Equals Genocide” and “Why Celebrate 500 Years of Oppression.”

Supervisor Angela Alioto, wearing a sweater with Italy’s red, white and green colors, asked the chanting group to allow the coronation to proceed, but her pleas were largely ignored. Don Casper, master of ceremonies, then tried to quiet the crowd by offering Judy Talaugon of the American Indian Movement an opportunity to speak for three minutes. She told the seated crowd; “This is over. You must align yourself with the truth. My people have little or no tradition left. The celebration is over.” Despite the constant protest, the show went on. Gina Sangervasi O’Keefe, dressed elegantly in a satin gown of red and white, was crowned with a diamond-studded tiara by acting mayor Tom Hsieh, who greeted the crowd in Italian. O’Keefe remained cheery in her short speech honoring Columbus despite the crowd’s booing.

— Yumi L. Wilson

Oct. 3: Two members of the Grateful Dead — the lively San Francisco group responsible for such rock hits as “Good Morning, Little School Girl” — were busted on marijuana charges yesterday. The raid — on the Dead’s way-out 13-room pad at 710 Ashbury Street — also led to the arrest of the group’s equipment manager, two business managers and six girls, variously described as “friends,” “visitors” and “just girls.” Band members arrested in the raid were Ron (Pigpen) McKernan, 22, The Dead’s flamboyant, longhaired singer, and rhythm guitarist Robert Weir, 19. Matthew O’Connor, State narcotics bureau head, said that agents confiscated over a pound of marijuana and its big brother, hashish.

“They were processing some marijuana in the kitchen by running it through a colander to get rid of the stems and seeds. Five hippies who were released walked across the street and sat on the sidewalk watching the proceedings. When the first person came out of the building in handcuffs, one girl yelled a familiar 12-letter epithet at the police. The Dead came on the scene last year as the group playing for a Capital Records documentary called “LSD.” The record was produced by Owsley Stanley, a 31-year-old who reportedly retired a millionaire by selling acid before it became illegal. The group then teamed up with novelist Ken Kesey for his “Acid Test” happenings. The name of the group comes from an Egyptian prayer; “We grateful dead praise you, Osiris…”

Oct. 1: President Roosevelt made his first wartime inspection of the San Francisco Bay region last week. On Thursday, September 24, from dawn to dusk, he visited shipyards and submarines, docks and supply depots, training stations and hospitals. News of his visit here was held in confidence until he returned safely to Washington. On Mare Island, the first item to catch his eye was a Jap “baby submarine” — a two-man ship captured at Pearl Harbor. It was resting on a railway flat car, with the heads of two torpedoes protruding from her bow. All over the baby sub, not much bigger than an oversized-barrel, were various and uncomplimentary comments scratched by American sailors. The President paid a special visit to the Mare Island hospital, where 33 men in wheelchairs waited. First in line was Leo Lopacinski of the U.S. Marine Corps, credited with killing 36 Japs on Tulagi during the battle of the Solomon Islands. Rolled up in his wheelchair, the marine stuttered and stammered before the President. Mr. Roosevelt reached his hand from his car to give a hearty handshake. “Glad to see you,” he exclaimed. “If they’d all get 36 Japs, it would be alright.”

Oct. 12: The fatal accident that occurred last Sunday when a motor-truck that was left standing on one of the Sacramento Street hills near Powell Street broke loose and crashed down the grade, killing and maiming pedestrians, should bring home to automobile drivers the careless manner in which they allow their cars to remain standing on hills. In almost ninety cases of a hundred, automobiles may be discovered on the numerous hills of the city with only the brakes set, while the traffic ordinance of the city plainly states that cars left on a grade must have at least one wheel hooked to the curb. The hooking of one of those wheels is certainly no trick, and while tire men might claim it works some injury to the wall of the casing, the prevention of a mishap similar to the one of Sunday past will certainly more than pay for any damage.

— Leon J. Pinkson

Johnny Miller is a freelance writer.