The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-19
FLEET NOW
 AT SAN PEDRO Thousands Extend a
 Hearty Welcome. BEACH DOTTED WITH PEOPLE All Business is Suspended by Gen
 eral Consent. The Stay of Fleet is Intended to Be Made the Greatest Celebration
 In southern Californis's K History.

Los Angeles. Cal. April is.-Los An seies sent more than 100000 of It's residents to the oceanside today to welcome the American battleship fleet which steamed into San Pedro Harbor. twenty-two miles away and dropped anchor at s:so D. m.
 The sixteen fighting vessels and three auxiiiaries, leaving San Diego shortly after o'clock this morning had steamed up the coast in single colunsen; formation. four hundred yards apart. and in full view or tnousands
 of persons who gathered a. eysry
 vantage point. With the Connecticut leading and with Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas on the bridge. the long line
 Of shfus filed into the breakwater at
 San Pedro Bay just half an hour De-
 hind their scheduled time of arrival.
 The Connecticut, Kansas. Vermont ana Louisiana took up the berths within
 sheltered portion of the harbor where
 they are to remain the full seven days
 of the fleets visit. while the otner twelve ships reached out into the open
 water in a line nearly two miles long. UnrivaIea Picture.
 The arrival of the fleet was accom-
 panied by all of the flashing colors and embellishments that have made It's
 presence in every home and foreign
 ports visited in the last four months
 a marine picture unrivaled in imposing
 beauty. The thousands of people who
 made the occasion of the arhival a
 holiday and who lined the sea walls, breakwaters and beaches surrounding the bay, fairly went wild in their ef- thusiasIn es the fleet steamed Into It's assigned position.
 When the anchors dropped with a spIash into the waters whistles blew in perfect pandemonium of greeting. while cheers grew in volume until they could be heard on board the Min nasota. the last of the big fighters In the ear reaching column.
 Tonight the fleet waa. iiiuminated hufis. superatructuf6, turrets and yard l arms being outlined in electric bulbs. Mayor A. c. Harper accompanied by | General A. R.. Chaffee and other mem. | bers of the Los Angeles reception com
 mittee. went by special steamer sew
 eral miles down the coast to greet the
 incoming fleet.
 The stay of the fleet at the port of Los Angeles during the next week Is | to be marked by the most elaborate | program Of entertainment, both for the | enlisted men and officers. the city has | ever known.
 l Never in history has Los Angeles ris- | on with such enthusiasm In observance | of a celebration, patriotic or other l wise. Without legal declaration but 1 by general consent. business had been
 dropped with the tasks of the day but | just begun and the entire population l seemed to be streaming toward the l coast. Hours before they could hope
 to catch sight of the first smoke from | the tunnels of the warships 50.oo0 | people were on their way to Hinting- l | Newport and a dozen towns and vil- | lages on the ocean shore whence they | might observe the stately procession ] of bAttleships on their way to the an I chorage grounds.
 l Dotted With People.
 | Early advices from Long Beach and l San Pedro stated that points of vant- ] age including the high bluffs on the l south side of Point Firmy and the sand | dunes stretching away for miles south | of Long Beach, was thickly dotted with l people who would spend the interven- 1 ing six hours in the burning sun rath- | CT than risk the chance Of obtaining an unsatisfactory view of the passing | fleet, From further down the coast
 where human habitations are few ana | far between came the same reports
 telling of farmers and residents oL in s land towns who had driven scores Jol miles to gaze upon the fighting war | ships and cheer them as they passed a | mile or more beyond the white line or | the breaking surf
 Today the battleship Atlantic meet | enters upon the second installment or
 it's California welcome admiration l that will continue through solid
 week of liberal hospitality and un- broken entertainment for the oncers and men of the visiting warships from | the other side of the continent. The
 stav of the fleet Is intended to be made inc greatest celebration in the history of Southern California. and thousands or visitors, representing every section of the Pacific coast. has for weeks been
 busiiy engaged in planning details for
 the reception. .
 Beach. San Pedro. Redono, Venice | Ocean Park and Santa Monica are gay
 with huttering flags and festooned | with lights that will flash their indi- viduaI welcomes each evening. By common consent. the American flag has 1 been chosen as the most appropriate
 flea ture of civic adornment. and in this
 city. the principal streets are overhung