Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-04-21
BA1TLE-SH|P FLEET
Is At Los ANGELES
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
WATCH GREAT MEN-oF-WAR
DROP ANCHOR ON COAST.
TARS GIVEN REST
ON SABBATH DAY

TARS GIVEN REST
ON SABBATH DAY
For That Reason the Vessels Are Al
lowed to Lie in San Pedro Bay
Until Monday, When official Wei.
come Is to Be rendered.
Los Angeles, Cal, Apr. 20.-The At
lantic battle-ship fleet entered upon
the second installment OF its California
welcome-a demonstration that Will
continue throughout solid week-oi
liberal hospitality and unbroken en-.
tertainment for the officers and men
of the visiting warships from the other
side of the continent. The heet
dropped anchor here late Saturday
Dimming the memories OF famous
flestas and surprising in scope and en-.
thusiasm the occasion when Los An
geles has been host to visiting thou.
sands, the stay of the fleet is intended
to be made the greatest celebration in
the history of southern California, and
thousands of visitors, representing
every section Of the Pacific coast, are
added to the population that has for
weeks been busily engaged in planning
details of the reception.
All Towns Add to Welcome.
Not Los Angeles alone, but Long
Beach, San Pedro, Redondo, Venice.
Ocean Park and Santa Monica are gay
with fluttering flags and festooned
with lights that will flash their indi-
vidual welcomes each evening. By
common consent the American flag
has been chosen as the most appro-
pirate feature of civic adornment, and
In this city the principal streets are
overhung and the buildings almost
hidden from view by enormous ban
ners.
A hundred thousand people were
scattered along the beaches and bluffs
of 40 miles of coast stretching from
well below the Santa Ana county line
to the north shore of San Pedro bay,
where the fleet dropped anchor late
Saturday afternoon.
Traction Companies Busy.
Traction companies in Los Angeles
taxed every resource to meet the rush
of travel during the morning hours,
and at five-minute intervals long trains
crowded with passengers followed one
another to the beach cities, where ac-
commodations for the week had long
since been impossible to obtain.
The crush of sightseers was all the
heavier because of the eleventh-hour
announcement that the battle-ships
until Sunday Numerous conflicting
announcements had been made as to
the intentions of Rear Admiral
Thomas, to whom had been referred a
protest from the church federation of
this city against parade of the fleet
on Easter Sunday. 1t had been sup
posed that the fleet would be divided
before reaching San Pedro, one d.
vision of four battle-ships dropping out
of line at Long Beach and the other
two divisions proceeding onward to
Redondo and Santa Monica.
All Would See the Fleet.
Officials of the transportation COM
panies were in despair as the plans for
handling the immense crowds had
been based upon the assumption that
practically all the visitors would in
sfst upon seeing the entire fleet, and in
this case the facilities We're made
quate.
Secretary Metcalf's order providing
for the anchorage of the entire feet
at San Pedro was welcomed by all
who planned participation in the recep-
tfon of the fleet.
AS matter of fact, the actual vel
come of the officers and men does
not begin until Monday, although
Mayor Harper and Chairman M. H.
Flint of the entertainment committee
boarded the Connecticut Immediately
after her arrival and extended to Rear
Admiral Thomas and his officers a
formal welcome on behalf of the city.
No Activity on Sunday.
The ships were Illuminated Saturday
night, but no visitors were aboard
Saturday Sunday, save for the trans
fer of divisions to Long Beach, Re-
dondo and Santa Monica, was day of
inactivity, no shore leaves being
granted and no visitors being received.
Beginning with Monday, however,
there are five days of ceaseless activi-
ty for the officers and men of the
feet and for the thousands Of people
in Los Angeles and adjoining cities
who are engaged in their entertain
ment. On each day shore leave will
be granted to $500 enlisted men. for
whom special entertainments, slightly
varied on each day, will be provided
The boxers of the Atlantic fleet will
settle the championships in all
classes; wild west show with COW.
boys, imported from Arizona, will be
repeated and in addition there will be
barbecues, concerts and dances for the
sailors, all of whom will be carried
from the beaches to the city and back
to the ships without charge.
Politician Shot Down.
St Louis, Apr. 20.-Edgar Smythe
a former member of the house of dele
gates and prominent in politics, was