Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-22
GALA WEEK
FOR FLEET
OFFICERS
FOUR DAYS PROGRAM BEGINS
APRIL 20
BANQUET AND BALL TO BE BIG
FUNCTIONS
Public Reception Abandoned and
Fighting Bob" viii Be Greeted
In Auto-DetalIs of Recep-
ton Program

BY the decision of the committee on the
entertainment of officers as to days which
are to be devoted to the entertainment of
the officers of Admiral Evans fleet the pro-
gram of events is practically completed.
| The banquet at the Alexandria is to be a
first day feature and the grand ball at the
Shriners' auditorium is to be a third day
feature.
| There will be public reception. IL was
deemed impracticable in view of the jeop-
ardy of life in large crowds to hold plat
form reception to Admiral Evans and his
| officers
Instead OF reception the admiral and
his subordinate high officials will be driven
through the business section in automobiles
during the afternoon of the second day.
With the probable presence of the wife of
Admiral Evans during the festivities and
also of Admiral Dewey and Secretary Met
calf the week is planned to be a history
making one for Los Angeles.
So far as can be determined now
the order of events in the welcome
OF Los Angeles of Admiral Robley d.
Evans and his great fleet of sixteen
| battleships has been fixed. The meet
ing of the committee on the entertain
ment of the officers at its meeting at
the Merchants and Manufacturers as
sociat1on rooms yesterday afternoon
settled many matters Of Importance,
particularly those of the banquet and
LalI.
That Mrs. Charlotte Taylor Evans
| wife of Fighting Bob" would be pres
ent was the firm conviction of Col. J.
B. Neville of the committee, who is
cousin of Mrs. Evans. The present
purposes of Admiral Dewey are to
make as extensive a trip as possible
If he attends the San Francisco review.
and this may include his presence in
tJ.Qs Angeles during the celebration.
Secretary Metcalf is also probable
guest of the city at the same time.
Gen. Adna r. Chaffee, chairman of
this committee, was the dominant one
in making the program which so large
ly concerns the chief parsonage to be
entertained. Gen. Chaffee being lieu
tenant general of the United States
army, retired, has been designated as
the chairman of special committee
that will greet Admiral Evans at San
Diego on the arrival of the fleet there
ana deliver TO him the formal invita-
ton of the city of Los Angeles to visit
TIE port of San Pedro and the city.
This will be the first formality of the
ceremonies of welcome to the fleet
Gen. Chaffee and Admiral Evans are
old friends and this ceremony will be
particularly pleasing to both. Gen.
Chaffee will also carry personal in
vitations to Admirals Emory, Thomas
and Sperry, in command of the other
divisions of the fleet and other high
officers. Upon the delivery of these
Invitations it is formal for each to
accept, when the committee will retire
and return to Los Angeles to continue
preparations for the reception.
Celebration to Begin April 20
According to Admiral Evans tele.
gram the fleet is to reach here not
earlier than April 49, This date is
ion that Admiral Evans will not move
the fleet on Saturday but will rather
leave Sunday night and steam at rate
that would bring the fleet to San Pedro
after daylight. This would make Mon
day, April 20, as the first day in port
and open the way to calculating the
program as beginning on that day. The
committee assumed that this will be
tie admral's plan and that the four
first days of the week will be available.
Perhaps the stay will be longer, but
provision for fifth day has not been
made. If the stay should be five days
the Santa Monica bay committee has
completed plans that will be attractive
to the fleet and the public.
On the visit of invitation to San
Diego Gen. Chaffee is to ascertain the
precise hour at which the fleet will be
at anchor at San Pedro. The etiquette
of the occasion requires that the mayor
of the city visited should board the
flagship within two hours after anchor
and extend the welcome and freedom of
the waters and the city. This impor-
tant function will be performed by
Mayor Harper and representative
escort of citizens.
In the middle of the afternoon the
officers are to be brought ashore and
escorted in special cars from San Pedro
to the Alexandria hotel, where apart
ments will be reserved for them. There
they will be entertained until time for
preparation for the banquet, when they
will retire to their suites. The ban
ouet will be at $3.50 o'clock. Gen. Chat
fee will preside and Joseph Scott will
be POSTMASTER. The guest of honor.
the admirals and the speakers will COM
pose the twenty seated at the head
table. The distribution of the officers
and civilians will be promiscuous at
other tables. In all 260 will participate
in the banquet.
Banquet Arrangements
One important feature of the escort
of Admiral Evans and the sixty officers
who will be guests at the banquet was
: discussed. 1t is anticipated that there
will be a great crowd about the hotel,
and Col. ]. B. Neville was made COM
mittee of one to arrange police restraint
so that the distinguished company
would not be overwhelmed by the null
titudes. Col. Neville had a preliminary
talk with Chief Edward Kern last
night. 1t is proposed to rope Fifth
street from Spring to Broadway SO
} that the Immediate approach would not
be blockaded.
| According to reports made by Col.
Neville and Joseph Scott, who have
: charge of the details of the banquet,
{ 1t will be one of the most luxurious
events of the west The Alexandria
management has exceeded the amount
(Continued on Page Two)