Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-04-12
CITY PREPARED
FOR GREETING
WILL WELCOME ATLANTIC
FLEET SATURDAY
GREAT NAVAL PARADE HELD
SUNDAY MORNING
Details of the Plans to Receive 'he
Sixteen observation-disclosures
lions on Land and
Sea

Los Angeles will welcome 'F1gh1lng
Rob,' and the greart Atlantic fleet this
week. The fleet is to reach San PEDRO
next Saturday
For this welcome to the hero of the
cruise and the greatest naval fleet ever
assembled Los Angeles has been plan
ming for months and has planned with
the highest ideals in view throughout.
AS a result the program IN ITS three
principal divisions is believed to rep
resent each portion of the popular cell
ebration fully and happily. The three
portions within purview of the commit
tee in its work were, the officers and
sailors of the fleet, the visitors from out
of the city and state and the residents
of Los Angeles. For the first, the clty'
as host. is entertaining them laV1shly
with a program lasting four days. me
program relates to the other two por-
tions alike Citizens of Los Angeles
and visitors join in welcoming the sail
ors as their participation in all events
is provided for.
The entertainment of the officers in its
formal character has, necessarily, been
somewhat exclusively arranged, the
only popular celebration being the re-
ception parade a week from next Tues
day. The banquet and ball could not
be made popular and were confined to
the business and social circles of the
city.
In general the popular welcome to the
Fighting Admiral and his men will
be first when the reception committee
meets the fleet down the bay on the
steamer Hermosa. The party will in
clude the committee, of which Mayor
Harper Is the chairman; the city coun-
ell and a number of invited guests, in
Guiding the patronesses of the ball and
the officers and guests of the Banning
company which rendered the services
of the Hermosa. The steamer will
steam back to San Pedro harbor with
the battleships and as soon as the Con-
necticut is at anchor the mayor and
others will board her and give the
formal welcome to the commander of
the great fleet.
Greeting at San Diego
But even before this there will be a
preliminary. Gen. Chaffee, chairman
of the committee on the entertainment
of the officers; Gen. Wankowski, JOS
eph Scott. Capt Randolph H. Miner
and Col j. B. Neville will board the
Connecticut when she reaches San
Diego and will extend the formal in
vitation of Los Angeles to the fleet
The approach of the fleet to San
Pedro bay will be watched by thou
sands along the shores from Balboa
to the harbor, a distance of fifty miles
In order that the spectacle of the six
teen monster ships may be made clear
to the thousands that will line the shore
or fill the heights, the entire fleet, in
Jingle column. will steam close to the
shore, the average distance probably
not being less than one mile from it.
1t will be an ovation practically last
ing an hour and will eliminate in a
monster demonstration of numbers at
the San Pedro harbor. AT Long Beach
and clear around the shores of the
bay 1t is expected that hundreds of
thousands will watch the approach of
the fighting engines OF the sea, and
when they drop anchor in the harbor
will give such cheers of welcome as
will electrify the $1,000 men on the
fleet with the patriotism and enthusi-
assn of the American people
The witnesses to the formal welcome
will be few, for it will be a ceremony
brief though important, being neces-
sary propriety. 1t will be entirely Off
cial, and at it's conclusion the mayor
and his party will return to shore.
Welcome at San Pedro
The fleet is scheduled to reach the
harbor at 8 o'clock next Saturday,
April IS. The fleet has not once been
behind its schedule and is not expected
to deviate in this instance. After the
welcome to the port is given, ana TINS
will be participated in by the san
Pedro fleet committee, and the dele
cations have quit the flagship and re-
turned to shore the ships will direct
their attention to preparing for one Of
the greatest spectacleS that ever Will
be seen in San Pedro harbor. This
spectacle will be the illumination of
the great fleet and the searchlight
drills. Coincident with IT the profuse
Examinations ashore will be turned ON.
Bands will be heard in all directions.
The harbor the beach towns and the
business district of Los Angeles will
be ablaze with the modern wizard
lights, which will emphasize the album
dance of color and beauty in the decor
ations now being prepared and erected.
The power of electricity Will be tested
in it's fullest sense and from the shore
there will be displays of rockets and
fireworks which may meet with re-
ssponses from the fleet silhouetted in
its own light against the dark sea-
The picture TO be seen on that night
is regarded as one the imagination,
no matter how vivid, may not antici-
pate. With the gigantic rays from
three score searchlights directed on
the distant mountains, penetrating the
valleys and lighting the darkest cor
ners, or turned perpendicularly while
III tne SeaFchlShl uTlll Iney SPEAK IN
dots ana she's to each other with
the distinc ness and rapidity of the
telegraph instrument. The searchlight
is to the night what the Photograph is
to the day in exchanging the signals
of different ships and transmitting Or
ders.
Naval Parade
There will be no shore leave from
the fleet on the day of arrival or the
day following-Easter Sunday. The