The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-20
-FOUR HiiaaRBORS
HOLD WARSH|PS
Big Fleet Divided for First Time
Since Leaving the At
lantic Coast.
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS
LOS ANGELES PROGRAM FOR
THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.

Los Angeles, Cal, April 19.-Tonight.
for the first time since leaving Hamp-
ton Roads. the battleships of the At
lantic fleet are separated. In four
harbors, a few miles apart, they lie at
anchor in divisions of four, and these
positions they will maintain until next
Saturday morning, when the sixteen
fighting craft again united under the
flag of Rear Admiral Thomas, Will get
under way for Santa Barbara, the next
port of welcome.
Animated Scene.
For the ships. for the officers and
men. and for the people of Los An
geles this has been a busy Easter Sun
day. The division of the fleet was ac-
cOmplished at o'clock this morning,
but even at this early hour the shores
Of San Pedro harbor and the hills over
looking were well covered with specta-
tors eager TO witness the maneuvers of
the warships. While the crowds ashore
watched, suddenly the signals began to
fly and within a few minutes the sec
ond division, led by its flagship, the
Georgia. steamed slowly out of line and
proceeded three miles across the harbor
10 point opposite Long Beach. The
third and fourth divisions rounded
Point Firmin for a longer cruise to San
Pedro the four ships led by the flag
ship Maine proceeding to anchorage i'm
the most sheltered portion of Santa
Monica bay. and the fourth division,
with the Alabama leading, dropping out
of the column 10 anchor a few hun
dred yards off the pier at Redondo.
Thousands Lined the Beach.
At an early hour the steam and cleo
trio roads were transporting thousands
of visitors to all four ports. and as the
day advanced the Overcrowded beach
cities sent their surplus thousands of
people along the stretches of sandy
beach, out along the docks and piers.
and up along the hills that commanded
the best view of the vessels at anchor.
Not until this afternoon were visitors
received on board, and after that time
the people surged about the boat land
ings, and the bays were dotted with
tiny craft, laden to the limit of safety,
with men. women and children who
struggled to be first aboard the big
white, clean fighting machines.
Sailors in Church.
4 striking feature of the service in
each of the big churches of Los An
geles was the presence of squads of
sailors in uniform, who were without
exception given places in front pews
and to whom in nearly every instance
the clergymen addressed q portion of
the Easter sermon. The church
squads" composed of first-class liber-
" men. were brought ashort early this
morning and after attending deVotions
were given until tomorrow morning TO
see the city. Armed patrols were land
ed at the beach cities and sent into
Los Angeles, but up 10 a late hour there
had not been a single instance OF dis
order.
Bsnquets and Balls Planned.
Throughout the next five days, and
while officers and men of the fleet are
participating in the round of banQuets.
balls and other forms of entertainment
devised by various committees, the peo-
pie Of all southern California will be
welcomed aboard the battleships and
each night there viii a repetition of
last nights splendid illumination.
Judging from tOday's record, il is safe
To say that a quarter of a million peo-
pie will make the effort to inspect the
big guns at close range and learn how
Jack" lives aboard ship.