La Junta tribune., 1908-05-23
LHERE NEVER WERE SO
San FNanelsee

cisco as there we're last
week. Every thing was crowded.
and Is far as the eye could reach
there were acres upon acres of hu-
manity. They came from Ill parts
Of the state and from nearby states.
The papers claim that nsaRiy mil
lion visitors were in the city. II
was patriotism. pride and curiosity
that impeIled them to come to view
q maritime panorama-one of the
greatest Of moving pictures. one Of
the grandest displays Of power.
wealth and grandeur ever put forth
on this coast. They came to see the
big feet Of warships which left
Hampton Roads last December,
complete her trip Of Is. 900 miles.
Precisely at noon, May 9Th. the
Connecticut. with. Admiral Evans on
board. poked her nose through the
Golden Gate into San Francisco bay.
and the others followed in single
file. until the entire fleet Of forty
six vessels of various shapes and
sizes were anchored in the harbor in
plain sight Of the city. 1t was easv
for any one to see them enter, as
large part of this city is situated
, upon high bluff or plateau over
looking the entire bay.
On May 7th the big parade
through the streets Of San Francis
co took place. 1t consisted Of United
States troops. state troops. civic
societies and about 10000 sailors
from the fleet. Admiral Evans was
the biggest man on the coast at the
time. and was the observed of all
observers in the parade. Many
other distinguished men rode in the
parade. There was much enthusi-
asm, but not 50 much Is have wit
nesed as Grand Army parades.
On May 9th. Secretary Metcalf,
of the United States Navy. review
ed the feet in the Harbor. 1t was
most spectacular affair and was in
harmony with the other great
events Of the week. These were the
three great davs. when the city wss
most crowded and the greatest ex-
citement prevailed.
Brete Hart says, '.Of ways that
are DARK and tricks that are vain,
the heathen Chinee is peculiar, /"
But many Of the people Of this burg
can beat the heather Chinee in this
respect. The first night was here
l had to pay 81 for bed in a room
where other men slept. The next
night got a room all alone for 50
cents. At one place paid Is cents
for an article and at another place
they asked 50 cents for the same
article. and so on. Like the heathen
Chinee they are very peculiar. "
This popularity is no doubt caused
by an excess of patriotism. | met
here an old comrade, Charles Stone,
with whom l served through the
Civil War. had not seen him for
forty-three years. He was not the
active. viriI soldier boy of forty
three years ago not much. He
looked like the last rose of summer.
'all faded and torn." but he said
his patriotism had improved by age.
like old wine. It was a strange
meeting.
The ships Of the feet are ilumin-
ated every night from stem to stern.
and from the waters edge to the
highest mast they are lighted up
with electricity. casting their bril-
liant effulgence over the entire bay
and presenting q most imposing
spectacle one worth making long
journey to witness.
Crowds Of people every day visit
the ships and are treated very kind
" by the sailors. being allowed to|
go all over the vessels and see every
thing. have been aboard of two
battleships the Minnesota and
Ohio. Each had six stories or decks
and about $50 men. Very little
wood was used in their construc-
tion. .nearly everything being ironGus|
steel.
In the army we have white regi-1
ments and colored regiments. but b
the navy there is no color line.
About nix nsr cent 0f the men of -