Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-31
IS GIVEN
TO Los ANGELES
GERMAN NAVAL ATTACHE SEES
MUCH HERE
He Expresses Belief That Center Of
Life and Activity Of West Once
Claimed by San Francisco
Now Is Angel City

Capt. H. G.. Hebbinghaus German
naval attache at Washington, d. c.,
who has been inspecting the naval sta
tions of the west, was a visitor in Los
Angeles yesterday on his return to
Washington.
Capt. Hebblnghaus for the past ten
days has been a distinguished guest at
Mare island and Goat island the two
great naval stations in the Bay Of San
Francisco
The building of the new collier for
the United States navy at Mare island
was the source of the greatest attrac-
ton in my line" said Capt. Hebbing-
haus last night at the Hotel Alexandria,
where he Is a guest. II can truthfully
say that the collier now under con-
struction at Mare island will be one of
the best in the United States navy.
But the results of the calamity at
San Francisco were really of more in
terest to me, as I had never seen the
city of San Francisco before the dis
aster of April Is. L had read great
deal about the city, heard more and
seen hundreds of views of the city. 1t
was always my ambition to visit there
some time, as everyone L met who had
been there had so much to tell me of
the beauty of the city, it's similarity
to Paris and the up-to -dateness of the
westerners.
Los Angeles Now the Center
"I have always been interested in
the west. The people of the western
part of the United States are talked
about in all parts of the world. / have
always heard that there was a hustle
and hustle here that is not duplicated
in any part of the world. San Fran
cisco always appealed to me as being
the center of this western activity.
IT believe that it was the center of
life and activity in the west-that is,
before the disaster. But since then l
have all the assurance that Los Angeles
is now in the lead in this. 1t is the
natural place for it since the northern
catastrophe. From the little l have
had the opportunity to see of Los An
geles today 1 believe that I am cor
rect in my calculations. 1 regret very
much that I am obliged to return to tie
east. L should like to spend several
months in Los Angeles"
While in San Francisco Capt. Heb
binghaus studied the social conditions
of the people there, as it was much of
the social side of life in the stricken
city that he had heard. On this Capt.
Hebbinghaus said:
Judging from what 1 had always
been told of the social life of San
Francisco 1 could see that some great
calamity had visited the people. There
was not that always-spoken-o leaping
enthusiasm. But the amusement low
ing feature was perhaps as marked as
it ever was in the past. In fact, it il
the houses of amusement that are do
ing the most business in San Fran
cisco.
Tents Make Good Theaters
"Most of the theaters are in huge
tents. These are proving a great ad-
vantage over the old brick and stone
structures, in that the acoustics are SO
much better under canvas than other
wise. The prevalence of fogs in San
Francisco is no doubt responsible for
this.
During a fog the canvas tightens
up like the skin of a snare drum when
the adjusters are screwed up. Undsr
such conditions the speakers on the
stage can be heard as distinctly in the
rear of the tents as directly below the
footlights."
Capt Hebbinghaus will leave this
morning for Washington, D. C. After
a few days rest he will so to Boston to
attend the international yacht races
between the representative yacht clubs
of New York and Germany. Six yachts
of the highest types are entered in the
affair and in the east and in Germany
the results will be the source of much
interest. The races take place off Mar
Al oil SnntnI11hnr