The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-05-18
ELABORATE PREPARATIONS FOR
LAST OFFICIAL RECEPTION OF
GREAT BATTlESHIP FLEET
viii Attempt TO Prove Its Claim as
Most Hospitsble City on Pacific
coast-Fleet viii Start From
Seattle on Long Voyage.

Seattle Wash, May 1S.-(SpeciaD
Seattle will attempt to prove its
claim as the most hospitable city on
the Pacific coast when the battleship
fleet. which leaves san Francisco to.
day arrives here on Saturday. This
will be- tHc last official reception to
the Office s and sailors before they de.
part on their long voyage around the
world and the citizens OF this boom
ing metropolis are determined to
make il the most memorable Of all
Jlc voyage That IL will be difficult
to surpass the welcome extended the
tars in san Diego, Los Angeles, San
Francisco and other California cities
IS admitted, but the Seattle spirit,
whi il ha5 built a great city in the
shortest time ON record, is not baked
by difficulties The bigncss of the
task before them has only whetted
the ambition Of the people OF this
city and II Is entirely probable that
every man jack, after tasting toe joys
OF a Seattle welcome, will vote this
the grandest town on the American
map Al least, Seattle will
do its best to merit such an opinion,
and when Seattle does its best things
| undreamed of in other cities are like
| ly to happen.
When the flagship of Admiral
| Thomas leads the great feet into FL
lott Bay next Saturday afternoon, he
/ will find awaiting him tne executive
officials of all the states and cities of
| the northwest. Tens OF thousands of
| citizens will cheer the gallant tars,
guns will boom noisy welcome and
the whistles of scores of steam craft
OF all kinds will toot in tumutous
joy. That will be but the beginning.
Admiral Thomas will be presented
with a key to the city, made of solid
gold from Alaska nuggets and every
other officer and sailor will be pre-
scented with an assortment of the fifty.
seven varieties Of hospitality that
Seattle will have constantly on tap
during the stay of the feet.
The great land parade that will be
one OF the features of the celebration
will take place on the morning of
Monday next That day will furnish
the greatest military spectacle ever
offered the people of the northwest.
There will be 10000 men in line, in
Guiding sailors and marines from the
battlesmps, IA companies of coast ar
tillery from the Puget sound iorts,
companies 80 niantry from Fort Law
son, national guardsmen and many
uniformed fraternal organizations.
Elaborate Preparations are being
made for decorating the city and the
/ line OF march OF the parade will be
/ literally covered with flags, bunting
and other hangings that will make a
/ splendid background for the brilliant
pageant to pass before the thousands
of persons who will crowd every point
of vantage.
one of the greatest events of the
program of cnte tainmcnt for the pub
lie will be the aquatic sports on the
bay. These will include boat races
by crews from the battleships, launch
races by the swittcst tenders from
the warships and other events OF
ike chara ter. In order that the pub
lie may have an opportunity 10 view
these races Ia comfort, not only will
many barges be provided by private
parties tor carrying visitors to the
scene but permlssion will be obtained
from the admiral OF the fleet for per.
sons to view the races from the decks
of the warsh.ps.
The battleships will be moored in
a huge horseshoe formation around
the bay, and as the races and other
aquatic events will take place with
in this horseshoe the spacious decks
n the war vessels will provide room
for thousands who desire to enjoy the
spectacle