Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-21
Made Welcome in the City of
the Angels.
EVERYTHING THROWN OPEN
Boxing Bouts Were the Feature OF
the Day.
BANQUET TO THE OFFICERS
Many Regrets and Kind Words for
the Absent Admiral, Evans.
Need of a Navy.

LOS ANGELES, April :1-Speeches
were made AT the banquet To the adm'rais
and commanding officers of the fleet and
their STATS last night by Gen. Edna r.
Chaffee. Robert j. Burdette. Bishop Con-
aty Gov Gillett. Admiral Thomas and
others II was nearly ] O'Clock when
Admiral Thomas rose to respond TO the
MANY addresses of welcome. The adj
miral paid splendid tribute to Admiral
Evans and expressed the earnest hope
that the commanderin-chief might SO
far recover his health as to lead the fleet
into the Golden Gate.
He spoke of the pride and confidence
with which the officers and men of the
fleet regarded Admiral Evans. Admiral
Thomas response to the welcome extend
ed by southern California was earnest
and appropriate.
Need for a Navy.
Gov Gilett spoke of the magnificent
manner in which southern California had
received the fleet and said he hoped that
ADMIRAL Evans might be able to take the
fleet into San Francisco. He told the Oh
fcers of the fleet OF the welcome that
awaited them at San Francisco. and that
they would find there. in place of the
eleven miles of blackened ruins Of two
years ago. a magnificent city OF sky
scrapers and reconstructed streets
The governor advocated a larger and
stronger navy and deprecated. the defeat
of the Presidents recommendation of four
new battIeships. The lack of merchant
grace This he attributed to the influence
of the Mississippi valley, which had Op-
portunity of seeing only prairie schoon-
ers and knew nothing of the national re-
aUirements on sea.
City of Flowers.
Eos-ASSeies was California in minia-
<enre Yesterday. The spirit of the Golden
state pedple-cordial. whole-souled and
generous almost to its hurt-was typified
in the way the hand of welcome and
greeting was thrust out to the men of
the navy. Receiving the clasp of that
hand We're rear admirals. captains. COM
listed men. Every man of them felt that
II warm. American heart impelled the
thrust of the hand
Disclosing the floral splendor of the
state was the picture in the banquet hall
of the Alexandria Hotel, where command
Ing officers were dined at night. Re-
vealng the bluff. hearty ways of the
masses was the open-air melodrama in
Chutes Park.
At the clubs the lavish hospitality of
the California business man showed IT.
self. In vine-clad. rose-embowered PALM
hidden homes in the boulerards the fash
ionable set were at home to the navy
wives and daughters.
Gov. Gillett. still demanding a larger
navy and scoring Congress for its pleas
Of economy. was here. Gen. Adna r.
,Chaffee the Californian who SO well rep
resents the military progress of the ma
ton. mingled in the panorama of gold
braid and blue jackets. Rev. Robert ].
Burdette. the one-time platform fun
maker. passed his cheer along. Joaquin
Miller. the poet who finds his inspiration
in the Sierras. let his long gray locks
shake in the ocean breeze with the
boys.
There were. Gen. Harrison Grey Otis
growing old. but still full of fair fight
Bishop II. j. Conaty. coming from the
festal services of Easter day and Mayor
~ c. Harper. voicing the sentiment of
Los Angeles
The Two ''Jims" Share Honors.
There also was big Jim Jeffries. to
whom many of the men behind the guns
looked with something akin to alteration.
and Jim Corbett sharing the honors
with Jeff There was Lucky" Bald
win. still living up to his name, winning
money the boxing bouts and spending
it for the pleasure OF the boys.
Here were the actors. Los Angeles was
the stage. Its buildings and the hills be-
hind them formed the setting. In the far
background were the sixteen battleships
on the ocean. cleaning white and buff in
the daylight and outlined by fire at night.
The audience consisted of 2JONO celebrat-
ing citizens
In lavish appointment and beauty of
setting the banquet to commanding OFF,
Ill
was one of the wonders of the Cali
fornians' ways of doing such things. II
his banquet were the apotheosis of
beauty. that of action. life and shifting
turai Park where the enlisted men had
the right of way Everything came for
the asking to the boys who wore the
blue Jackets While $500 of the enlisted
diversions provided for them. the other
thousands were out on the ships In the
four ports. receiving visitors and explain
ing the internal mechanisms OF the fight
run at San Pedro and the other ships
had all they could take care of with
safety.
Banquet a Brilliant One.
The banquet to Admirals Thomas
Sperry and Emery was replete with sur.
prises. picturesque features and beautiful
effects in floral decorations and in electric
lighting. II was attended by MANY OF
the most prominent officers and men OF
affairs in the city and state and was as
elaborate feast as the ingenuity of the
committee in charge and the culinary en-
pertS could make It, The menu was
secret each course furnishing surprise
\ vacant chair marked the place origi
nall. assigned 10 Rear Admiral Evans
The latter. though absent because of the
illness which keeps him at PasO Robes
shared in the tributes of the evening.
The big gilded dining salon OF the Ho
tel Alexandria had been closed to guests
for four days while the decorations foi
tine banquet were in progress. and II was
IN reality a bower OF roses. vines ano
smiling blossoms. The air was filled with
the perfume of the mingled blooms. The
entry was an arbOr of flowers on lattice
work Above the tables. seating :,6t
guests trelliswork had been constructed
and in this way side walls and ceiling.
were covered with roses. peoples. geran
ums. lilies and the myriads OF flower:
that abound In California
Fountains playing in vari-colorad eiec