The Butler weekly times., 1908-05-14
BATES co. BOY SEES FLEET.
AIva Brown Writes His Sistor
His Impressions Of the
Great Battle Ships.

DEAR ELslE:-l Will Try ana give
you q brief outline how | saw the l6
L. S. War:tDogs, namely: The Con-
necticut, Kansas, Vermont, Georgia,
Louisiana, New Jersey, Rhode Island,
Virginia, Maine, Ohio, Missouri, Min.
nesots, Alabama, Illinois, Kesrsarge
aud Kentucky.
This great fleet OF battleships ar.
rived at San Diego, 2:30 p m, April
18th; the first stopping place In Call.
iornia. 1t was great sight to see
them come in four abreast at full
speed. 1t was pay day for the sailor
boys at this point, each man receiv,
Ing months pay. The money paid
out on single ship was $15, 700 90,
or approximately S250,000.00 for
the feet.
When the fleet arrived the sweet.
toned chimes rang out over the gay
city for the first time since the old
mission days; and thousands stop
ped In their promenade in the bright.
ly lighted thoroughisres so listen. 1t
certainly was swell. You know San
Diego is noted for It's old Missions
with their sweet toned bells.
The morning OF April 18Th, 6 a m,
the feet weighed anchor, and started
for San Pedro, running close enough
to be in sight OF land all the way.
About 1:30 p. m, with very strong
field glasses, you could see, at great
distance from San Pedro, a long mar.
row streak OF smoke, then about
200 O'Clock you could zee a email
white object. | tell you 1t just look
ed like the ocean was round ball
and these war dogs were coming up
on top. Later on you could see 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, Z and 80 on until you could
count the 16, In single file about a
quarter OF a mile apart. They came
In at right angle so We could see
their sides as we'll as the front OF the
boats. | want to tell you It certain
ly was grand sight, and everyone
remarked they never saw anything
so beautiful. One who has never
seen the feet cannot imagine what q
grand sight it was.
Is arrived at Long Beach at 800
p. m, and all the church bells snc
whistles were turned loose and oh
such q noise. When the first ship
! the Flagship Connecticot, arrived a
San Pedro, the last one, the Ken
lucky, was at Long Beach, ten mile'
distant, when they dropped anchor
for the night. At 700 p. m. the flee
was illuminated. Oh such msgni
ficent sight. Think of 16 battleshipl
one solid mass OF electric lights Will
a large cross on the end OF each ship
At 500 p. IN. the searchlight drill
commenced. Each ship has six i'm
mense searchlights, three on escl
end. They can throw these light
out In any direction and see an oh
iect as plain as you can see In broaC
daylight with the naked eye. Th
searchlight drill lasted. for one hou
and was very beautiful. Just i'm
agine ninety.six large sesrchlight
flashing first one way and then an
other. 1t is beyond my description
The papers state Greatest crowd il
world cruise of proud Fleet bids 4
welcome at hsrbor gate OF Los An
geles," and am sure they have no
exaggerated It in the least.
About $500 sailor boys get shor'
leave daily. They get off at 8 a. m
and are supposed to be back OF
board at I a. m. the next morning
but l tell you many q one is toe
weak In the knees to get back, hav
ing q black eye or something OF th,
kind, but they sure receive severe
punishment when they do get back
They have 22O OF them In a darl
dungeon, handcuifed and ball.and
chain on leg, and live on bread and
water for 80 days. so l was told TO-
day. They also cannot get shore
leave for at least four months. The
ships have their own policeman to
look after the sailor boys In the city,
and the Bluejackets certainly keep
shy Of them, for they report ell theil
meanness to headquarters, and they
know what that means.
The Connecticut is one Of the larg'
est bettleships, It's length being 45O
feet; weight $4,000 tons; speed 1e
1k - - -