The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-06-26
CALIFORNIA EPISTLE
Mrs. w. E. VandervOrt Sends Greet.
ing to Milbank Friends

ing to Milbank Friends
In private letter to Milbank
friend Mrs. W. E. Vandervoort
writes about California, the visit
the battleship fleet to Santa
Cruz, and trip to San Joaquin
valley, and we publish the letter
as matter of interest to the
many friends of the lady at the
old home here:
"For some reason the Milbank
people have been in my mind all
day, so much so that l think I
will write few lines this even
ing and tell them about the
colony out here. At present the
South Dakota people are all we'll
and happy. We are enjoying
most delightful weather; every
day almost the same, cool and
pleasant with millions of flowers,
vegetables and fruit IN abund.
ance.
1--WE had a Sunday school con-
vention in April, which was very
interesting. Among other good
things the singing was ali led
by e. 0. Excel, the well-known
composer. We have all been
singing his Sunday school songs
for years, but no one can bring
out the expression or sing them
as he does. The Epworth league
conference for the state of Cali
fornia was also held here in
April, but of course the event of
events was the visit of the battle
ship fleet. For days before the
arrival the little city was busy,
and the decorations, both public
and private were beautiful.
Saturday morning the first
squadron arrived in our harbo
a little before nine o'clock. The
parade was in the afternoon, aud
the school children were in q
double line On Pacific avenue,
loaded with. flowers, certain mum.
ber carrying red, some blue,
some white, and as the automo-
biles advanced with the senior
officers of the crew the flowers
were thrown down and the street
was CUmpIeuIy n,o-on I,vrrvo.
bands of the red, white, blue.
l was fortunate enough to have
an upper window, and the effect
was very pretty. Mrs. Watson
with her Brancheforte school
was there. l counted forty-fve
large beautifully decorated auto
mobiles, but some said there
we're over ninety.
The ladies club received the
senior officers at four o'clock and
l was invited to this reception,
and was introduced to several,
among them Rear Admiral
Thomas. The ladies served tea,
coffee and frappe with tiny cakes
and the 22nd infantry band fur
nished the music.
Monday q barbecue dinner was
served at Big Tree grove, six
miles from here ana some four
or five special trains went up to
carry the excursionlsts. I was
told that about 5000 sat down at
one time. There were sixteen
quarters of beef and twenty
sheep barbecued, together with
other good things, making a fine
dinner.
Tuesday morning a mum Der OF
us went out to visit the ships, the
entire squadron being now in the
harbor, including sixteen battle
ships one hospital boat one re-
frigerator boat and the Aotilla OF
eight torpedo boat destroyers.
1t was a grand sight. We were
aboard two ships-the Kansas
and the Kearsage. cannot de.
scribe these immense castles Of
the sea. They were spotless)y
clean, and the discipline and
order seemed to be perfect.
A guide kindly showed us
around for about two hours. We
saw them prepare small kettle
of potatoes for dinner-about
twenty bushels, and were shown
the electric buttons that throw
the signal flags, ALSO the i'm mense
search light. We were shown
everything, from the big guns
shooting a proiectile as large
around as barrel, to the small
rapid firing guns on wheels.
The armor on these boats il
twelve inches thick.
| The electric illuminations and
fire works in the evening were
grand. In fact, the whole thing
was something only seen once Ia
life time
j The day after the feet left l
made little trip with friends