Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-22
GENERAL FREMONT.
Grand Reception to Him
at Armory Hall.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST.
Addresses of Welcome by Mayor
Workman and Hon. r. +.
Del Vale.

The arrival of General John G
Fremont in this city short time
since awakened in the minds of 6
number of the residents "reminiscences
of the past, and when it was remem
bered what prominent part he took
in the early history Of Los Angeles, il
was determined by some Of the fore.
most citizens to tender him public
reception on the evening of his 18th
birthday Preparations were COM
menced at an early date for that event
and Armory Hall was selected as the
place wherein it was to take
place. So great interest was
taken in the reception that
as early as 6 80 O'Clock last evening,
despite the rain and bad condition OF
the streets, the citizens, eager to ex-
tend a hearty welcome and reception
to the Pathfinder, General John
G. Fremont and wife. began to arrive
at the hall, and long befoi the doors
we're thrown open & o'clock the
stairway leading to the hall, and even
the street in front, was packed with a
surging mass of humanity. AS the
doors swung back a pleasant picture
presented itself to the gaze of the
crowd. The hall was elaborately and
appropriately decorated with flags and
bunting, the stage with flowers and
palm leaves, above which in large
letters wreathed by beautiful flowers
and intertwined with sprays of smi-
lax. were suspended the words
"Welcome to the Path Finder"
and the brilliant light from the
electric lights and numerous gas
jets, contrasting with the gloom out
side, excited surprise which pre-
pared all present for willing enthu-
siasn for the exel cises which followed.
Shortly after the doors were opened,
General Nelson A. Miles and General
Mathews stats filed in and took their
places on the rostrum. Precisely at
1880 the following gentlemen were on
the platform General John G. Ere
mont and Mrs. Fremont, DR.. John S.
Griffin, Major w. II. Bonsall, Hon.
W. II. Workman, Mon. r. F.
Del Vale, General Nelson A.
Miles, U. S. A. and staff; Colonel w
f. Drum, Major Geo. E. Glenn, Major
A. S. Kimball, Captain J. s.
Weston. Captain Barnett, Lieutenant
T. S. McCaleb, Lieutenant Leonard
Wood, Lieut.. T. J. Clay, Gen. John
r. Matthews, N. G. G. and staff, Maj
or L. S. Butler, Lieut. Col Joseph
Kurtz, Major J. d. Harvey, Major Alb
bott Kinney, Captain Dan Mcfarland,
Captain Fred. w. Potts. The hall
at this time was filled to its utmost
capacity. Major w. II. Bonsall pre-
sented to the audience as chairman
Hon. w. Fl. Workman, Mayor, who
opened the reception by the following
brief remarks:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-lt is sell
dom that our citizens have the proud
privilege of welcoming to our fair city
so distinguished person as the one
in whose honor we have assembled
this evening. Los Angeles can GER
tainly be Congratulated upon being
enabled to greet one to whom she is
indebted to-day for being made an
American city. What letter COM
mentary could there be on this glori-
GUS climate than the fact that the
bold. dashing soldier who, forty years
ago, so materially assisted in the con-
quest of our city, should return here
to spend the remaining days of USE
full career. General Fremont needs
no eulogy, and l do not purpose
making any extended remarks, but
I wish to ask those old veterans of the
Stevenson regiment and those who
knew General Fremont in early days,
to come up and be among the first to
take him by the hand. further
wish to remark that the people OF Los
Angeles greet with equal pleasure the
estimable wife of the patriot, Mrs.
John G. Fremont. The committee of
arrangements has very appropriately
selected Native Son of the Golden
West, the Cicero Of Los Angeles, to
deliver the address of welcome. This
young gentleman is a worthy son of
a distinguished family of Los Angeles,
whose father was well acquainted
with General Fremont, and | know
he will do full justice to the occasion.
I take pleasure in introducing Hon.
r. F. DelValle.
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
The Hon. R. F. Del Vale in ex-
tending welcome to the venerable
and honored Path Finder, spoke as
follows: In the midst of prosperity,
activity and thrift we oftentimes lose
sight of those circumstances by which
our status of enjoyment was immedi-
ately brought about, but no man who
has valliantly served his nation loses
a place in the hearts Of his country
men. However the history of trials,
of struggles, Of privations and other
circumstances may grow dim in men,
ory, that of the hero and brave SOL
der who spent the flower of his life
in behalf of the people and the cause
he loved better than his own life,
grows more fixed, more deep, and
sacred to those who realize more
vividly as the years go round, the
great results that have gown
from such acts. We are American
citizens and as Americans we will not
forget those who have the right to
claim from us the most profound re-
spect, and tonight we are gathered to-
gether to welcome to our city the
veteran who, in the face of such OBJ
stacles as would turn the resolution OF
anything but an iron will, with a few
trusty followers, threaded his way
over the painless desert and, at the
peril of his life, scaled the hoary.
snow-crested and frowning tops of the
Sierras and paved the way to the
prosperity we now enjoy: With one
voice we welcome you, General Ere
mont, to the great and glorious State
you helped to preserve and lead us to.
We may now refer to past history,
and we find you in 1884 pressing
westward to Salt Lake City, where
your quick perceptions prompted you
to advise the establishment of mill
tary post, which was ignored by
ao4:nx hut tho wisdom