The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-05-06
CITY OPENS ARMS
TO WELCOME FLEET
Plans Are Complete, Multitudes
Are Eager, Hospitality
Is BOundless

San Francisco is today a city ex-
pectant. It's people know this morn
ing but one topic of absorbing inter
est. Ten miles off the harbor mouth
the 16 great white ships, forming the
major part of the mightiest armada
ever gathered in the Pacific ocean, are
riding quietly at anchor awaiting the
signal from the admiral's ship to slip
cables and proceed through the Golden
gate to their destination, after Voy-
age of more than five months. during
which they have traversed nearly 25,ooo
miles of intervening seas.
Within the city half a million people
are awaiting that dramatic moment
when they will see for themselves the
famous vessels about which they have
heard so much, and release at that I'M
slant the pent up patriotic fervor ana
enthusiasm that has been gathering
for weeks. A hundred thousand visit
ors are here, coming from north and
east and south-some even from the
Hawaiian isles-all proud alike of the
glory of the city and the honor that
has been given to it, of all others, In
receiving and bidding welcome to the
fleet
Before the sun is high another $4,000
people will have arrived Scores OF
excursion trains from the east, from
Utah, from Oregon and Washington
and Idaho. from British Columbia, Arr
IONA, Nevada and the northern and IN
terror parts of California are bearing
their quotas of eager citizens. They
are coming men. women and children,
with but one idea-to see the fleet
SO far as the official preparations are
concerned all is complete. Details
were talked over and plans for to-
days events were settled many days
ago. Members of the committee In
their minds have gone over the pro-
gram many, many times that no hitch
or marring incident might possibly
occur.
METCALF WILL TALK
The days festivities will begin at 9
o'clock. At that hour Secretary of the
Navy Metealf, Governor Gillett and
Governor Sheldon of Nebraska, with 81
members of the executive committee of
the California Promotion committee.
will seat themselves at breakfast in
the red room of the st. Francis hotel.
The occasion will be memorable one.
For a great mass of petitions. 400 to
500 in all, from every city of impor-
tance in California and the Pacific
coast signed by members of the rep
reSentative commercial bodies, will be
presented to the secretary, respectfully
requesting him to keep fleet of at
least II battleships permanently in the
Pacific station.
The secretary has already informed
the committee that he will talk plainly
with them. dealing with questions of
great Importance as he has not dealt
with them in public before. Results
of much import to the people of the
coast are expected to result from this
breakfast. The guests will rise from
the tables at II o'clock and go their
various ways to make ready for the
main event of the day-the arrival of
the fleet.
Last night the batt1eships of Admiral
Evans armada arrived and anchored
{ off the lightship. All that remains for
them to do is to hoist anchor at IL
o'clock, the time officially set. and
steam for the entrance at the heads
This they will reach at noon.
As they pass between the forts from
the Preside and from Fort Baker the
huge guns will boom formal salute
Fl guns ringing from each fertilization.
If the battleships reply as they ARE
expected to do the event will be a
spectacle of SURPRISING grandeur the
like of which has been witnessed by
few of the thronging thousands on the
slopes of the Preside. the top of Tele-
graph hill, Goat island and the other
Faces where the anxious sightseers.
Without pausing the fleet will pass
on slowly through the heads and to
the east of Hunters point, where the
Pacific fleet rides at anchor. AS the
Connecticut swings to the west fol-
lowed by her line of huge white con-
sorts, the Pacific vessels will drop into
the formation.
THE CITY'S WELCOME
The city's official greeting will not
commence until after o'clock, at
which hour the Connecticut is expected
to anchor Promptly at the minute Of
2.30 the official boat of the committee,
the government customs launch Hart
ley. will put off from the Mission street
wharf. bearing Mayor Edward r. Tay-
lor. Chairman James d. Phelan. r. B.
Hale Allan Pollok, Robert III. Fletcher,
Walter Macarthur and Frank j.
Continued on Page 13, Middle Column