Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-05-06
THOUSANDS VIEW
I Continued from page seven.

/ continued trOtU PAGE seNtnsf
| The smaller towns, within !adl.
us OF 100 miles, were practically de-
populated, while from the large.
cities came thousands of people.
| In the city business was prao-
ticaily at standstill. the saloons
and restaurants being about tho
only establishments open for the
lday. The strangers had hard
ltime securing their breakfasts,
many walters refusing to work, pre-
ferring to see the ships more than
TO earn a days pay.
Goat island, in the middle of the
bay. directly liz front of the city,
from which the best view OF the in
coming feet and its maneuvers be-
fore anchoring could be had, was the
mecca for thousands of people liv-
ing across the. bay. For FIVE hours
ferry boats pied their way between
the Oakland shore and the island,
taking at least 1000 passengers on
every triD.
A conservative estimate placed
the number of visitors on both sides
of the bay at 100000.
"Up Anchor"
At IL O'Clock the haze had lifted
and the sun shone occasionally. The
sea was quite heavy and the bay
was choppy. At i1:15 the signal
'.up anchor" was flung out by the
Connecticut and almost simultane-
ously the anchors came up and the
Connecticut started of. followed at
safe intervals by her sisters and the
spiteful looking torpedoboat de-
stroyers.
lmm sdiately upon receipt OF
words that the feet had started the
ships of the Pacific battle5hip feet
and It's torpedoboat destroyers with
the anxIliaries prepared TO fall into
the big parade and the patrol boats
st amed up and down the sea way
line to keep the launches and ex-
cuslon boats within the limit pre-
scribei for them.
As Evans ships got fairly under
way they presented beautiful
sight. Their great prows nosed
through the water like knives,
throwing up great spray that
washed back on the bulging white
side0 OF the mammoth armor clads.
Steaming slowly, they gave the
sightseers on the beach an excellent
opportunity to witness their passage
into tho Gate.
As the Connecticut arrived in
front OF the military reservation, the
guns OF Fort Baker and the Preside
roared out their salutes. The speed
OF the Connecticut was slackenee
biz while Il was passing the forts
ard all OF the vessels behind her
slowed up. Like giant swans they
glidej over the waters, their steadi-
ness of formation arousing the high
est admiration, and completing a
marine picture beyond compare.
The torpedoboat destroyers steam
ed along on the port side OF the big
ger ships and were almost complete
" hidden from the view on the San
Francisco side.
AS the Connecticut reached |
Aleatraz island she let go all OF her
turret guns in reply TO the salutes
OF the forts. The great ship was
almost hidden behind the great |
clouds OF smoke belehed by the mon
ser cannon. Turning into the
north channel. the l6 ships. with the
torpeioboat destroyers still steaming
on their port side. sailed past Angel |
island, where the Pacific feet of
battleships and cruisers, the Pacific
torpedo tiotilla and the auxiliaries
were waiting for the order to fall
into line, which came Immediately \
after the last ship in the Atlantic
fleet had cleared the island With
clock like precision the waiting
ships fell into line and then in
squadron formation, the combined
fleets continued the journey past
Mission rock aud manouyered hack
20 their aneho-ages.
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