The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-09
THE ADMIRAL'S WELCOME
CROWDS OF PEOPLE GREET THE
HISTORIC KEARSARGB.

Programme for Their Entertainment
During the Week.
The historic cruiser Kearsarge, will
Admiral Gherardi and his staff, who ar,
to be the guests of the Merchants Week
Association, came up to the city last night
at o'clock, and is lying at the lower cot
ton press wharves
The reception committee announced In
yesterdays MORNING NEWS left the city
on the tug Regis shortly after o'clock, and
reached the warships in Tybee Roads
at O'Clock. The sea was rough
and several of the reception COM
mittee had slight attacks OF seasick-
ness The admiral had transferred his flag
from the Philadelphia to the Kearsarge
before the Regis arrived. 1t was i'm
possible for the tug to lay alongside
the warship on account of the heavy sea,
and the steam launch of the Kearsarge was
used to transport the members Of the COM
mittee. The embarking and disembarking
by this method was not an agreeable ex-
perience to the landsmen, but they man.
aged to make it successful.
THE RECEPTION ON THE KEARsARGK.
Admiral Gherard and the officers of the
Philadelphia, who accompanied him, to-
gether with the officers Of the Kearsarge,
in dress uniform, with side arms, were
drawn up on the main deck to receive the
visitors. The marines and blue jackets were
lined up forward and presented a
fine sight. Admiral Gherardt greeted
Mayor McDonough and the mem
bers of the committee in a
cordial manner and introduced his officers.
When Can't. j. d. Johnston, who was in the
navy with Admiral Gherardi before the
war. and during that unpleasant period
fought him in Mobile bay as an officer in
the confederate navy, grasped the hand of
the admiral, the veterans beaming counte-
nauces showed that warm friends were
together. They talked over the reminis-
cences of the days, when they tried to end
each others career, and interested every
body around them.
THE MAYORS WELCOME.
After the Kearsarge was got under way
toward the city, Admiral Gherardi invited
the visitors to his cabin.
President Palmer Of the Merchants Week
Association introduced the mayor, who
made a brief address OF welcome. He spoke
as follows:
admiral Gherardi and Officers:
The pleasant duty devolves upon me as the
executive Of the city of Savannah to welcome
you to our shores. and can assure you, sir,
that this occasion has been looked forward to
with no little degree Of pleasure. We are glad
70 have you in our midst and trust that
your stay in our city will be gratifying
10 you as know it will be TO us. Our aim shall
he to have you leave us with pleasant recol-
lectIons OF Savannah and her people. Extend
ing you hearty welcome, now place you In
the hands of the executive committee of NAV
week festivities with the assurance that every
one OF these gentleman are thorough artists in
fact, graduates from the highest school OF art
In painting and their favorite coloring is of a
slight crimson hue.
THE ADMIRAL'S REPLY.
Admiral Gherardi thanked Mayor Mo-
Donough for the welcome. He had often
heard of Savannah's hospitality and judging
from what he had already experienced he
felt satisfied that when the time arrived for
him and his officers to leave they would go
with the pleasantess recollectious of
kindnesses and regrets at having to leave
The meeting with the reception Dom nit
tee was pleasant episode to him, Admiral
Gherardi said, in view of the fact that
among its members was oue-Capt. John
ston-who had been with him many wears
ago in the navy and whom he met later at
Mobile, at which time they tried hard to kill
each other, but, he. thanked God, didn't
succeed Things have changed since then,
he remarked, and now all meet together as
citizens Of a reunited country If the re-
cent Threatened war with Chile had devel-
oped, the admiral said, he knew the people
OF the south would have been among the
first to uphold the honor Of the nation
North and south, east and west would have
been there together. The south has shown
Its valor in the past and he is satisfied can
be depended on in the future.
Referring to the navy, Admiral Gherardi
said: while we tried once to DESTROY you,
30 now we are ready to protect your His
speech was received with applause, and the
of no aAr n
drunk amid enthusiasm.
Col George A. Mercer followed Admiral
Gheraldi with warm speech of welcome to
the city on behalf of the citizens generally.
THE WELCOME TO THE CITY.
The Kearsarge was given a royal recep-
ton to the city. Tugboats with parties
aboard went out to Fort Oglethorpe and
farther TO meet the cruiser, and saluted her
with screech Of whistles. AS the cruiser
reached the Savannah, Florida and Western
wharves the sdmirars band took position
on the deck and played during the rest of
the trip. The ships saluted by dipping
with their flags, and the Mary Odell fired
gun as she passed. The river front from
East Broad street to West Broad street was
thronged with people. Thousands lined the
wharves and crowded on the vessels living
alongside, and the bluff was packed at every
point where a view of the river
In the rear of the Bay street Offices were
taxed to their capacity and people even
climbed on the roofs of the wharf sheds and
staging to get e view of the cruiser.
Whites and blacks were indiscriminately
mixed. 1t looked as if the whole city had
turned out to welcome the warship. Every
body wanted TO see what the historical
kearsarge looked like.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION.
It was an enthusiastic gathering, and as
the kearsarge sailed up the river the people
cheered her continuously and waved their
handkerchiefs i'll welcome. Tugs and other
steam craft blew their whistles and flags
were displayed all along the river front.
The sight was novelty TO the
naval men. 1t is seldom that they get such
an ovation and naturally they were
delighted to see the throngs out to greet
them. Admiral Gherardi said it was the
most enthusiastic welcome he ever got on
coming into port with q warship.
The kearsarge was steamed up the river
by her pilot, Capt. Marmetsteiu, to West
Broad street looking for a suitable berth,
but as none could be found he swung her
around end headed back down the river TO
the lower press wharves. The people fol-
lowed in crowds, and when the cruiser tied
up the wharves was a mass of struggling
humanity. Marines we're pot out on sentry
duty and the blue jackets had to stretch a
rope and force the people back in order TO
give the officers room to disem-
bark. As soon as the Kearsarge
made landing the city's tug Theckla, with