The sun., 1908-04-22
OFFICERS IN AUTO PARADE
Los ANGELES STOPS ALL BUSI-
NESS TO CHEER THEM.


the VermOnt-MAny Social Festivities.
Los ANoELEs, Cal. April 7i,-Los Angeles
reached the whirlidg stage to-day. She
began TO spin around yesterday and to-day
she got such a whiri In her reception Of the
battleship feet that warship madness
attained the proportions Of small tornado.
The town took a day on. You could
scarcely buy cigar. so tight was the busl-
ness district shut up Having closed all
stores banks shops and half Of the restau-
rants, the place put on its best clothes and
went out on the street 10 stand for hours
and hours to zee the parade Of automobiles
60 by,
That parade contained the Admirais and
other officers In uniform who attended last
nights dinner The town wanted to see
real heroes and hero without a uniform
s az useless as a ship without a rudder.
So the officers had to get up after about
Ave hours sleep and be shown in uniform
to the multitude Some OF them were
pretty weary, but they we're game. You
see, it's no Joke to ait up until ? o'clock
in the morning after most elaborate dinner
and listen to speeches about our merchant
marine, harbor Improvements, California 8
climate and the regulation Of trusts even
II you have had wine TO drink that is l7s
years old and costs $50 pint and cordials
that cost 81 a swallow.
This was what they had al that dinner.
II was the most OstentatiOus dinner of the
cruise The boosters we're out in full force,
but they did not obtrude their calling and
treated it as a joke. Nevertheless you
we're told that the only place in which to
live 10 southern California, and that II you
have money. here IL the place for you To
bring IL and then stay with it II you want
to keep il.
There were only about thirty automo-
biles in to-day's parade, Fully 2OOOOO
people thronged the streets to see them
20 by. The officers we're cheered all along
the route. School children by thousands
we're assembled in front Of the school build
ings. Groups Of children sang songs as
the machines whizzed by Companies OF
young women pranced out into the high
ways and scattered roses 10y the bushel
in front Of the autos Youngsters were
banked on terraces with effective group
ihgs of aags and banners. Bands Of boys
and girIs pelted the guests with bouquets.
The route lay through the choice resi-
dental districts Every house was abla2e
with hags and banners and alive with
matrons and maidens all waving things
and shouting greetings. IL was literally
true that the town was in a mad whirl as
those automobiles swept through street
after street for nearly three hours II was
q grand big holiday, and any man or woman
who toiled unnecessarily WAS flt candidate
for life imprisonment.
There we're 5000 bluejackots ashore again
to-day They had the usual prizehghtlng,
fencing aud balloon ascension stunts, with
the side shows in full blast and free down
at Chutes Park The Hon. James j. Jeffries
again oficated a. referee at the fights
and again was the centre Of n tumult OF
enthusiasm. Arthur Rollins Of Kentucky
beat Bert Compton Of Louisiana for the
welterweight championship Of the fleet
Then the boys had another Spanish barbe-
cue luncheon. Again they marched to
Agricultural Park betwsen lines Of school
children and saw the Wild West show
They then went back TO Chutes Park and
danced with the girls until II was time to
60 back TO their ships, Just before morning
This afternoon there was reception
and garden party 70 rofiicers at the resi-
dence Of Randolph H, Miner, formerly a
Lieutenant in the navy. All society was
there. Admirals and Captains were guests
tonight at the California Club Of the So
ciety Of Colonial Wars and Sons Of the
Revolution Warrant officers and chief
petty officers were guests Of several local
organizations at dinner There we're
band concert and fireworks in Central Park
and the Chamber O. Commerce gave
dinner to Admiral Sperry and the officers
Of the fourth division Of the fleet az Re-
dondo.
The warships we're again visited by
throngs. The Vermont Society, about two
hundred strong. went TO the Vermont 70
tell Capt. Potter and the officers that they
were the greatest lnen on earth and that
the Green Mountain battleship was the
best ever. They had good time after
they had told all that, What the nlsh
TO see the ships means may he inferred from
the fact that no less than $1,000 tickets
we're sold 10 San Pedro on the fBt two
days OF the fleets stay here. Only one
quarter Of the feet is anchored there. Long
Beach had even bigger crowd,
Amarine Elks lodge was formed in the
feet to-day.
Lieut.. Gen. Chahee entertained a party
Of officers al luncheon to-day. Among
the guests were Rear Admirals Thomas,
Sperry and Emory, Lieut. Gen, Young,
Capts, Richard Wainwright and 0sterhaus,
Gov Gillett Of California, Major Gen. II.
q Otis and B0h Burdette