Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-16
is CREWS
ON PARADE
BATTLESHIPS DESERTED FOR
RECEPTION
cITYs PEOPLE MARCH WITH
FIGHTING MEN
Governor GiIIett and Rear Admiral
Thomas In Auto Bring Up Rear
of Column Mile and
Quarter Long
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald.
SAN DIEGO, April 15.-One of the
features of the reception of the big
fleet by San Diego today was the land
ing of the marines and bluejackets
from the sixteen battleships.
There were sixty-six companies all
told, and the original plan was to land
them all in the ships boats. with three
tugs to haul the boats inshore.
This plan was abandoned and the en-
tire force of men, 1900 all told, went
aboard the supply ship Culgoa at once.
Each man took the position assigned
him as he went on board the Culgoa
and remained there until ordered to
disembark. The men thus arranged
were landed so that the last man
aboard the supply ship was the first
man to get off.
The parade was led by a picked
marine band, composed of eighty pieces.
while four other bands were in the
parade at intervals in the line of
march.
Spreckels wharf looked beautiful,
decorated with vari-colored pennants.
AS the marines and sailors formed
on the wharf for the parade the BAN
ners, signifying the various ships from
which they came, were read eagerly
by the thousands waiting to see the
grand march.
March Like Ciockwork
The work of getting this great body
of men off Spreckels wharf and in line
of march proceeded with the greatest
regularity and without any mistake,
while the marching of the host of
armed men was with the precision of
clockwork. This was particularly no.
ticeable while the entire force was
passing over the wharf, where their
footsteps resounded as clearly as hoof
beats.
This is the largest number of marines
and sailors ever landed for any pur-
pose whatever by this government.
Another salient feature of this pa
rade, which was full of interesting ard
striking points, was one which ap-
pealed to the large crowd of spectators
especially. The parade was scheduled
to start at 230 p. m. The naval por-
tion of the line of march was ready
to march at three-quarters of an hour
before the hour set. And at 2:30 p. M
the command to march was given by
Maj. Hugh G. Gwyn.
This parade was mile and quarter
in length. large part of it was COM
posed of local civic and military socie-
ties, including representatives of two
posts of the G. A. r. and uniformed
ranks of various fraternal orders
Another feature of the parade was
the method of reviewing the paraders
by Governor Gillett and Rear Admiral
Thomas.
Reviewing Method Reversed
The usual method is for the parade to
march past the reviewing stand. In
this instance, however, the governor
and Rear Admiral Thomas rode in an
q II fOf nj fIn
When the head of the line reached
the city park, where the reviewing
stand and the presentation platform
were erected, the parade was halted.
This location affords a magnificent view
of the surrounding country for many
miles. being on top of the hill In the
city park, overlooking the entire city
of San Diego, the bay, Fort Iona and
the whole surrounding territory for
thirty miles around.
When the head of the column stopped
at this point in front of the presenta-
ton stand the line was dressed in
double file at the right line of march
as far back as the pedestrians reached,
for there were many carriages in the
parade as well as the thousands march
ing.
Then Governor Gillett, Rear Admiral
Thomas and the other officers of the
fleet and officials of the day moved up
the entire length of the parade, one
mile long, and reviewed it from their
present arms" and all the way up the
line of march from $4,000 to $4,000 people
cheered them.
Ceremonies Are Striking
The ceremonies at City park were
os two distinct features One was the
address of welcome to the fleet given
on behalf of the state of California by
Governor Gillett and responded to by
Rear Admiral Thomas on behalf of
Rear Admiral Evans. The other feature
was the presentation of the freedom of
the city of San Diego by Mayor John
f. Forward and responded to by Rear
Admiral Thomas on behalf of Rear Ad-
miral Evans.
The freedom of the city was symbol
lied by golden key which was native
gold, mined in San Diego county. from
which territory of the state all the
other decorations of the key came, in
Guiding the settings, which were in
tourmaline and pearl. This key was
encased in an orange wood casket. hav-
ing a band of silver, Surmounted by
silver battleship. All of these, includ-
ing the orange wood, also came from
San Diego county.
Equally striking was the presenta-
tion of the sword to Rear Admiral
Thomas. who again represented Rear
Admiral Evans. The sword had a sill
yer blade and a gold hilt, the latter be-
ing ornamented with beautiful tourma-
lines.
Costly Sword Presented
This costly and handsome weapon
was presented on behalf of the Heint-
zelman and Coons posts of the G. A. r..
Camp Bennington post of me Spanish
War Veterans and Morgan Independent
90 MN CoOfadprafe veterans.
The presentation speech was made by
S. w. Bell, past commander of the q.
A. r. post Anna Holton Doyle, the
14-year-old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Jarvis l.. Doyle of San Diego, handed
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