The San Francisco call., 1908-05-07
|OAKLAND'S F[ASTS
TO BE MEMORABLE
Committee Plans That Banquet
and Barbecue Shall Be
Most Notable
Officers Accept Invitation and
Preparations for Sailors
Are Made

OAKLAND. May 6.-As Oakland's
share in the fleet festivities. Saturday.
will be spread two of the most re-
markable feasts that this. state ever
has seen and which will rank as two
of the noteworthy of the country. At
one will be seated in Idora park Sat
urday night the stats of officers from
the battleships of the American navy
and the highest dignitary in the naval
branch--Seeretary Metcalf. At the
other, the great barbecue at Adams
point after the parade in the Oakland
streets. will be laid tables built of 75,-
600 feet of lumber; on them will be
utensils and dishes enough to stock
a store; they will be decked with 1ow-
ers CLEANED from every flower bed in
the city, and around them will sit.
virtually. the American navy.
The evening banquet, with 1000 COW
ers laid, at Idora park, next Saturday,
is planned to be the most memorable
event in the six months that the officers
of Uncle Sans navy have spent since
they left Hampton roads on December
16, 1907.
OFFICERS ARE ACCEPTING
The officers of the Atlantic feet are
sending in acceptances OF the invita-
tions almost to a man. and last night
the chairman, Frank W. Bilger, re-
ported that he had heard favorably
from $50 out of 200. The Pacific fleet
has not yet made reply. because the
officers at Bremerton and other Pacific
points have not been accessible to the
committee. 1t Is believed, however,
that they will be represented more
numerously in proportion to the size
OF the fleets than the Atlantic men,
AT that banquet there will be seated
men from every state-men who man
ships named for every state but three.
To the barbecue the committee on
entertainment is devoting attention to-
gether with the arrangements for car
ing for the officers after the parade.
The committee still lacks so automo-
bfles to carry the officers from the line
of march to Piedmont park, where they
will be guests at a luncheon: to Arbor
villa. where they will attend recep-
ton. and to Idora park, where the
banquet will be held.
SKATING RINK FOR HALL
Other plans are growing for the en-
tertainment of the jackies. The col
ored men of the fleet are to be the
guests of the colored citizens of this
city. w. j. Morey of the committee
of negro citizens announced last night
groes of the city have rented the skat-
ing rink at 1921 Seventh street. West
Oakland, and there will conduct an in
formation bureau, and give dances, en-
tertainments and otherwise care fol-
the men IN the fleets.
The Grand Army is doing it's share
in the reception. The Grand Army men
have decided not to enter the line OF
march Saturday, but will have sta
tion in Clay street at Fourteenth, near
the school children. The women's aux
iliaries are coming to the front and
the committee has been notified that
the women of Appomattox and Lyons
relief corps will decorate the long
tables at Adams point, where the en-
listed men are to assemble to be served
bullshead dinner The decorating
will begin at 10 o'clock and the COM
mittee is appealing to the citizens 10
| send flowers to Adams point before
that hour. For the school children
who will be placed at Fourteenth and
Clay streets, the committee is buying
10000 flags.