Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-19
CROWDED ROANOKE
WELCOMES FLEET
GREETS WARSHiPS OFF flEW-
PORT BEACH
Patriotic Citizens Crowd Vessel, Which
steams Many Miles to Signal
Good Wishes to the
Visitors

Crowded to her capacity, the big
Northern Pacific Steamship company's
Roanoke steamed from San Pedro har-
Dor at II so o'clock yesterday morning
to meet the Atlantic squadron, and to
review It in the procession to the San
Pedro breakwater.
Never was more enthusiastic crowd
gathered together on one steamship
than that which followed the Hermosa
to Newport Beach, and never did an
enthusiastic gathering cheer so Justify
as did the passengers of the Roanoke
when the magnificent battleships Of the
Atlantic armada made their first ap-
pearance over the horizon en- route
from San Diego.
Patriotic songs, music. laughing, flag
waving, cheering. whistle-blowing-
these were among the diversions of the
trip going; but returning. in the wake
of the sixteen spotless warshlps, there
was only cheering. hand clapping ana
concentrated admiration.
At first there was a long line OF
brown smoke visible In the distance.
but gradually beneath this mantel or
mist there appeared a few indefinaDle
specks. and later there lomed to view
the vessels of the. visiting feet-smali,
scarcely impressive at first, yet grow
ing In size, as II seemed, until In the
eyes of the patriotic weleomers tpey
appeared like mountain high, snow
white and indescriba bly, resplendent IN
their trimmings and armament.
As the Connecticut, steaming at q
little over thirteen knots an hour
passed broadside of the Roanoke, there
arose a cheer that must have been
heard to the mainland
THE Roanoke blew Hiree long whistles
and the Connecticut answered with u
flaw salute, lowering and raising the
ensign. From port holes, fore ana alt,
and from every upper nook ana turrel
of the mighty flagship were WaVIns
hands, some containing caps or hand
kerchiefs. and others with various op-
jects; while on the quarterback STOOD
the most of the sailors lined up against
the raillnges. gazing smilingly at the
two big steamers. with their thousand
or so of passengers, which had come 10
greet them
Every sailor on the sixteen vessels
appears more anxious to see Los Ange-
les and its beach resorts than to visit
any other port in their itinerary. Those
who came ashore yesterday stated tnat
with no exception Los Angeles was
looked upon as the most interesting
metropolis they will visit This may
account for the interest manifested py
the 14,UUU Sd1lOTS, IndiiutS anu Niii'seS
men, as we'll as officers, while the Ro-
anoke was passing the vessels yes
terday. AS each battleship passed the
Roanoke the latter blew the three
whistles OF greeting. and received the
flag salute.
Coming to the Kentucky, the last sl,lp
in the fleet excepting the tender iank-
ton and the hospital ship. the Roanoke
turned and followed the fleet to san
Pedro.
Two miles off Long Beach the war
ships stopped. turned their prows for
a few minutes toward Long Beach, then
in twos continued northward, in a few
minutes resuming single file.
AS the Connecticut dropped anchor
in San Pedro. the Kentucky anchored
simultaneously off Long Beach. The
tender Yankton and the hospital boat
continued to San Pedro, and again the
Roanoke en- route to its home port re-
viewed closely the long line of vessels,
affording the passengers an excellent
view. of all of them.
The Roanoke covered in all over six
fv-three miles and reached San Pedro
at $40 o'clock in the afternoon.