Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-26
SAINT. MONICA, OCEAN
PARK AND VENICE

IT. NASTER week, coming concur
III rently with fleet week, has made
- things lively in the social circles
of the Santa Monica bay Cities Every
day has seen flutter of busy excite
ment among maids and maidens who
have been planning this or that fes-
tivity in honor of the officers and men
of the four battleships at anchor in
these waters. AS a natural consequence
of the fleets visit there have been prac-
tically no social functions of a strictly
private character, everything of that
nature having given way to the numer-
Gus public entertainments that have
marked the week.
-%-
The biggest event of the week was
the grand ball given to the officers of
the fleet at the Venice auditorium
Tuesday night. The mammoth hall
was beautifully decorated for the occa-
sion and nearly 500 couples were on the
floor. The grand march was led by
Capt. Giles B. Harber of the battleship
Maine and Mrs. Eglehoff- -Rundell.
-S.-
Several hundred couples danced on
Thursday night on the fine floor of the
Horseshoe pier casino at the ball given
under the auspices of the Santa Monica
| bay fleet entertainment committee to
| the warrant officers of the Maine, Mis-
| SOURI,, OnlO anu hllLlUtSOld. lC oleiS3
| of the dancing hall had been made over
into the side elevation of battleship
and the orchestra, clad in sailor suits,
played on the deck of the mimic war
vessel The grand march was led by
Mayor and Mrs. T. H. Dudley of Santa
Monica.
The ladies of Santa Monica. Sawtelle,
Sherman, Palms, Ocean Park and
Venice kept open house Thursday for
the officers and men of the battleships.
In spite of the storm and the conse-
quent lessening in the number of men
who came ashore that day large
number availed themselves of this hos
pitality.
An informal supper was given late
Tuesday night by a number of prom
inent Santa Monica bay citizens to
about forty officers from the four ships
anchored here. Most of the party had
been to the banquet at Redondo earlier
in the evening and returning tarried a
while at the Venice dance pavilion,
after which they repaired to the ship
hotel, where dainty repast was
served. Admirals sThomas and Sperry
were among the officers present. The
civilians included Mayor and Mrs. L.
H. Dudley of Santa Monica, Mr.. and
Mrs. David Evans. Mr.. and Mrs. H. B.
EalSinS, MIR. ana MIS-. CndrleS RuSSell
and many others. Covers were laid
for 100.
Abbot Kinney entertained Capt.
Charles w. Bartlett of the Ohio at
luncheon on board the ship hotel on
Wednesday.
Members of the G.. A. r. and the
Women's Relief corps went aboard the
ships in a body Friday morning, as did
also the ladies of the w. G. T. u, who
presented the sailors and marines with
comfort bags as mementos of their
stay in these waters.
The women of the Santa Monica bay
fleet committee rendered a delightful re-
ception Friday afternoon at the Cali
fornia military academy to the officers
of the battleships. Punch was served
and large number of guests were re-
ceived from o'clock to 4.
The Venice dance pavilion was the
scene Of a brilliant dance for the sailors
and marines of the Maine, Missouri,
Ohio and Minnesota Friday. One of the
largest crowds ever seen at any social
event on this beach gathered on this
occasion and the affair was pronounced
a red letter event in the lives of the
hundreds of boys in blue who were the
guests.