Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-20
CALIFORNIA WILD
 OVER THE FLEET,
Rousing Reception Planned For Great Atlantic Armada.
CITIES VIE IN WELCOME.

t, to Ocean Side When Warships Ar
 rive - Climax at San Francisco,
 Whose Citizens Will Spend s6o,ooo
 in Entertaining.
 California is fleet mad and proud of 1t. From San Diego to San Francisco the whole coast population is like a child awaiting the Christmas dawn
 Ears have been straining toward Mag
 1alena bay to catch the first official assurance that the plans for entertain ment at the ports have not been made dn vain, and now that that assurance Us given there will be a letting loose of such enthusiasm as is rarely heard of even in this land of strong likes and cordial natures.
 People of the east who nave not been in California in the last few months can scarcely be aware of the Immense popular interest taken in the coming of the great Atlantic fleet of
 battleships and the naval satellites that will assemble with them here and there It is remarkable. Gold mining enterprises, land projects, sales of new additions to cities, the growing of efforts in this land of tireless enegy have temporarily taken secondary place in the thoughts of Californians
 And this interest does not stop where the eastern boundary line of Califor- mia runs. From New Mexico and Arizona, their cities and their lonely deserts, thousands are laying their plans to see Rear Admiral Evans ar mada Tucson. Phenix, Albuquerque and Santa Fe will come in force to interested visitors. Even in the peni- tentiary at Yuma the convicts are eager for any word they can get about the comings and goings of the fleet, writes Los Angeles correspondent of the New York Herald. If there is man, woman or child of American birth in the great southwestern desert who has not heard how the Pacific coast is to echo with the greetings to and from the ships of war, he or she has not been found.
 It was for Secretary Metcalf and Rear Admiral Evans to add to or mar the pleasurable anticipation of Califor- mia. Should it have been decided to run straight through to San Francisco from Magdalena bay there would have been sore hearts at San Diego, Los Angeles and the ocean side towns be- tween.
 Being the first considerable port on the way, San Diego will extend the in- itial welcome to the men-of-war. Con- ing in sight of that city. Rear Admiral Evans and his 14,000 officers and men will catch their first glimpse of Ameri- can soil since they steamed out of sight of the Atlantic coast states. San Diego believes the seamen will be in the mood for welcome home. and the city is making great preparations to give it.
 The smaller towns lying between San Diego and San Francisco are not asking the privilege of entertaining the men ashore. but they hope and pray that the battleships will steam close enough to the shore to show the outlines of their huge hulks or at least to send out visible lines of smoke in friendly greeting.
 In Los Angeles S50000 will he spent to receive and entertain officers and men. Long Beach. San Pedro. Redon- do, Venice. Ocean Park and Santa Monica are jealous competitors for the honor of harboring the battleships. San Pedro. where the government is Just completing costly breakwater. boasts that its harbor will take care of eleyen of the ships if not all of them The other ports arc crying against any monopoly. and each demands that 1t shall be allowed its quota of the naval visitors.
 Los Angeles is more than a dozen miles from the coast. The fleet cannot come to if. but it expects to % 10 the fieet-the mountain to MOhammed For weeks citizens ot Los Angeles have been racing with the incoming visitors from other states 10 engage rooms at the ocean resorts for the ex- press purpose of being able to sea the feet. It would he hard now to get any sort of desirable vantage point except in the standing room only" depart ment. : The capacious street car facilities will be taxed 10 tho breaking point to carry passengers to lookout spots when the ships are scheduled to loom into view. Similarly they will be taxed to bring the rear admiral and the off cers and men to Los Angeles. for the | city is determined the armada shall |. not go forth without trying the hospi ! tality of the town.
 X grand banquet at the Alexandria | hotel to cost S25 a plate is one of the projected for the officers. A | four days round of festivities Is to be 1 the lure held out to tho meu-3.5ln | men each day These are tO hc given | 2 ball at the big Shriners' auditorium | s nd a series of fete< of the wild vest I ern order at the parks. If I.os Angeles Is not given a chance to spend that s50.n0O fin its own way it will be liter ally broken hearted.
 Naturally tho climax of entertain lEent will come at San FraneiScc. where the entire agzregztioa If naval rraft Is fo t-e seen The city which lately wss laid iow by quake and fire will spend at least S6o.0Oo for the pub