Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-09-07
WARSHIPS GREET
Mr.. ROOSEVELT.
Two Score of Bob" Evans Big Boats
Fire Twenty-one Guns Each
simultaneously.

taneously by every fighting craft in
mighty fleet of two score warShips greet
ed President Roosevelt when he stepped
on board the naval yacht Maytlower to-
day to review what is believed to be the
largest war fleet that ever assembled i'll
American waters.
W hen the President stepped on board
the Mayhower, the great fleet lay in
three columns, each about two miles i'll
length, with battleships and monitors in
the center column, the cruisers and soy
eraI other battleShips i'll the otf-Shorc
column and Il long line of torpedo de
stroyerS stretched between the remainder
OF the fleet and the shore. Encirchng
the entire fleet was Il Gordon of cutters
making Il picket line for the exclusion
OF the excursion boats.
Dull Sizes Clear Up.
Dull and lowering skies with ftful
showers of rain sweeping across the
sound early in the day threatened to rob
the display of much of its beauty and
cast Il serious damper over the enthuSi-
aSm OF the thousands of spectators who
were gathered to witness it i'll every
manner of craft conceivable.
Later they cleared up.
Half an hour before the arrival of the
President, Secretary of the Navy Bona
parte boarded the Mayfiower and was
received with Il salute by the marine
guard and the rutiles of the drums. Fol
lowing him came Postmaster General
CortelyOu, who was also honored on the
quarterback.
The naval attaches representing
foreign governments came on board the
DeS MONIES and We're transferred to
the Maytiower i'll launches. \ large
number of guests of the President and
Mrs. Roosevelt were on board the
Dolphin.
Bob" Evans in Command
Followed by the cruiser Des Moines
and by the Dolphin the Maytiower pro-
ceeded out to Oyster Bay to the head of
the fleet off Lloyds Neck. where the
battleship Maine with Rear Admiral
Robley ID. Evans on board, lay in the
central position at the head of the fleet
The Dolphin and DeS Moines took up
their positions respectively ut the head
OF the third and first columns and the
Mayt1ower passed down between the long
lines of warships while the roar of the
PRESIDENTS salute of twenty-one guns
again burst from the three-inch guns of
each warship as the Mayhower swept
majestically past.
Each ship in turn with sailors man
ming her yards and guns sounding paid
her tribute of honor to the commander
ln-chief as the yacht passed up and down
nation OF the fleet and then having cir
Cled entirely about the fleet. anchored ut
the position Of honor at the head of the
central column.
Great Fleet in Sunlight.
While the review was taking place
the clouds began to roll away and be-
fore it was finished the sun broke
through and. brought all the splendor of
the great white warships and long black
t...t~ Ii
the mightiest fleet that the United States
has ever assembled.
Panic Among Sightseers.
4 wild desire to see the warShiDS as
sembled off Oyster Bay for today'S big
naval review caused panic among the
1900 passengers on the big side wheel
steamer Bridgeport Sunday in which
scores of women and children were
thrown to the decks and trampled upon.
AS the steamer approached the fleet,
everyone rushed to the port side. The
steamer heeled over until her guards
were submerged and flood rushed over
the lower deck.
shes turning over" was the cry.
Mad Fight; Many Hurt.
The crowd rushed for the starboard
rail, causing Il similar list in that drec-
ton. Then came mad fight for life
preservers i'll which many were slightly
injured.
Feast After the Parade.
When the parade of the Mayfower
was over and the President had looked
with critical eye at each of the flag
dressed vessels today, his yatch came to
anchor and he received on board the
commanding officers of the feet. Then
followed a gala luncheon at which the
officers, the government officials, the at
taches, senator sand congressman were
guests, together with Il number of the
personal friends of the President
1t was Just twenty minutes past II
o'clock when the reviewing yacht came
within range of the flagship Maine,
which stood at the head of the center
column of the fleet. There came flash
of flame and a puff of gray smoke from
the starboard saluting cannon of the
flagship, which was the signal for the
other vessels to join in an unanimous
salute of twenty-one guns. 1t required
twenty minutes for the Mayfower to
run down the first lane. Then she put
about and came up on the outer edge of
the most westerly column of the ships.
Reaching the head of the column again
the Mayfower turned once more to the
west and took a tour outside the torpedo
boat line, coming eastward to the
Names position once more and then
cast anchor
Illumination Next
After luncheon the President visited
several ships of the fleet. When he re-
turned again to the Mayflower the re
view was practically at an end. although
Mr.. Roosevelt and most of his guests
remained on board to witness the illu-
mination of the feet which occurs at
o'clock tonight.