The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-12-27

the salute with
lifted hat and formally acknowledged
the words Of greeting, after which the
two shook hands and other command
ing officers arrived for the farewell re-
ception. To all the president spoke the
cordial and familiar words. "Goodby.
and good luckw and expressed his
pride in the feet and the sailors.
The Mayflower led the four mile pro-
cession of fighting vessels from Hamp-
ton Roads to the Horseshoe Bend Of
the Chesapeake, flying at its masthead
the blue eagle crested presidential flag,
and there turned aside and came to
anchor while the white clad ships
passed In review and out to sea, their
guns roaring, bands playing and sail
Ors singing. The fleet carries $4,000
officers and men and $4,000, 600 pounds
of explosives. The first stop will be
Trinidad, where the torpedo feet,
which started in advance, already
awaits the coming of the battleships.
Prior to the departure Admiral Evans
had given to the press in writing a
farewell message to the people of the
United States, conveying his apprecia-
ton of the interest shown in the fleets
movements and referring to the trip
as great practice cruise to visit our
friends and supporters on the Pacific
coast" In closing he gave some hint
about possible diversion to the far
east by saying that if the commander
in chief should decide to send them
con a mission Of peace and good will
to the nations of the other hemisphere"
the same interest would follow them
there. Later wireless message said
the admiral had made known orders
to return via Suez.
Letters to Santa Claus.
The postmaster general has made
public his annual proclamation con-
corning Santa Claus. In past years
letters directed to Santa Claus have
been sent to the dead letter office and
wherever practicable returned to the
senders. He now directs that these
letters may be turned over by any re-
ceiving postmaster to any regularly
organized charity society In the city
or town Of address to be used exclu-
sively for philanthropic purposes. The
terms of the order confine these d.
rections strictly to letters addressed
to Santa Claus, as 1t is found that the
name Kriss Kringle appears ~ various
city directories.
A 10000 Ton BattIeship Begun.
At the yards Of the Fore River Ship
building company, Quincy, Mass, Dec.
16 was laid the keel of what is planned
to be the largest battleship yet added
to the United States navy, the North
Dakota, Of 10000 tons displacement.
1t Is expected that within month
there will be 1000 men at work on
the vessel, and 1t will be completed in
three years.
100000 Christmas Trees a Year.
In discussing the effect on the for
ests OF the country by the use of
Christmas trees, of which 1t Is estimat-
ed that 100000 are used each year,
Clifford Plnchot, United States forest
er. says that the effect is inflnitesimal
COMPARED with the destruction caused
by forest fires and wasteful lumber
ing. IL planteu louI iScI "P"iI 'heSc
trees would be grown on less than.
400 acres. He says that trees suit
able for Christmas trees do not grow
in the old forests, where reproduction
is most important, but in the open.
and there is no more reason for an
outcry against using land to grow
Christmas trees than to grow flowers.
According to Mr.. Pinchot, the center
of the Christmas tree industry lies In
the big cities of the east. New York
city and the New England states con-
yume 1.5OO,O 900 trees. or nearly one-haif