Omaha daily bee., 1908-04-19
Wsrships Given Enthusiastic Welcome
by 100000 Persons.
LINE NEARLY TWO MILES LONG
Connecticut Leads the Way and
Anchors at $3.50.
WILL REMAIN SEVEN DAYS
Three Divisions to Go to Other Los
Angeles Harbor Today.
SHIPS BRILLIANTLY DECORATED
ReCRntfou Party Headed nv MaxOr
WILL REMAIN SEVEN DAYS
SHIPS BRILLIANTLY DECORATED
Reception Party Headed by Mayor
Harper and General Chanee
Board Flagship as Soon
as IL Anchors.

LOS ANGELES. Cal, April 1S-Los
Angeles sent more than 100000 of its resi-
dents to the ocean side to witness the
American battleship fleet, which steamed
into San Pedro harbor, twenty-five miles
away, in the full radiance of a midsummer
sun and dropped anchor at $3.50 p. m. With
the Connecticut leading and with Rear Ad-
miral Charles NJ. Thomas on the bridge,
the long line of ships pointed within the
breakwater at San Pedro bay just half an
hour behind their scheduled time of
rival.
The Connecticut, Kansas, Vermont and
Louisiana tok up berths within the shell
tered portion of the harbor, where they are
to remain the full seven days of the fleets
visit, while the other twelve ships of the
second, third and fourth divisions reached
out into the open water in a line nearly
two miles long.
Welcome II Enthusia site.
The arrival of the fleet was accompanied
by all Of the flashing colors and embelish-
ments that have made its presence in every
home and foreign port visited in the last
four months a marine picture unrivaled'
in imposing beauty. The thousands of
people who made the occasion of the ar
rival a holiday and who lined the walls,
breakwaters and beaches surrounding the
bay, fairly went wild in their enthusiasm
the fleet steamed into it's assigned posi-
ton They had watched the ships grow
from a miniature squadron, smoke-en-
shrouded In the distance, to the full grown
glory of the near view offered in the con-
fines Of the harbor, with increasing excite
ment and when the anchors dropped with
a white splash irto the rippling waters
fofl In Apf,.
OF greeting. while cheers grew in volume
until they could be heard on board the
Minnesota, the last of the big fighters In
the fan
ships Brilliantly Illuminated.
Tonight the fleet was Illuminated. hulis,
superstructures, turre.s and yatdarms being
outlined in electric bulbs. Mayor A c.
Harper. accompanied by General Adna r
Chaffee and other members of the Los
Angeles re- -ption committee went by spe-
cial stearhr several miles down the coast
TO greet the incoming fleet, but did not
board the flagship Connecticut until the
archoring signal of multi-colored flags
dropped from the signal yards. Admiral
Thomas received the visitors in his cabin
and thanked them in characteristically
gracious manner for the cordial greetings
extended.
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. To-
morrow morning the fleet is to be split up
in squadrons. in order that four Of the Los
Angeles ports may share in the honor Of
entertaining the greatest naval force the
waters of the coast ever saw.
Fleet Leaves San Diego.
SAN DIEGO. Cal, April 1S.-The Atlantic
fleet got under way promptly at O'Clock
this morning Rear Admiral Thomas was
up at o'clock and personally took COM
mand Of the meneuvers preparatory TO the
setting out OF the fleet. He was on the
bridge when the signal up anchors" was
broken from the yards Of the flagship. The
Connecticut was the first to get under way
and with Admiral Thomas flag waving at
its after truck. it led the way around
the lighthouse and the far jutting rocks of
Point Iona and pointed the course to the
north.
The ships of the first division ali hoisted
anchors at the same time, and as the Con-
necticut steamed away. the Kansas. Yer
mont and Louisiana soon fell in line. Next
the second division got under way. the
Georgia, tn, flagship of Rear Admiral
Emory, leading. II was followed by the
New Jersey. Rhode Island and Virginia
One by one the other vessels of the fleet
fell into place into the long column. which
at first stretched over a distance of three
miles. Orders were signalled at once to the
ships and the short run TO the port of Los
Angeles was beR,in irJ earnest