The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-16
HOW SAN FRANCISCO MET
AND WELCOMED THE FLEET
The Advertisers San Francisco Representative
Describes the Festivities Inside the Golden
Gate---Dazzlng Days of Celebration.

! tion which comes from a task well
| done. After all it was but the SYM
| boliZing of American energy and
! American grit directed along two diff
ferent lines, and carried out to a sue
cessful ending. No wonder San Fran
cisco has given itself over to two whole
/ weeks of celebration.
THE COMING OF THE FLEET.
| The people of San Francisco knew
! the fleet was coming. had watched it's
| progress up the Coast from San Diego,
and meanwhile worked with feverish
anxiety to get the city into presentable
! trim, and decorated for the occasion.
! Not until the squadron reached Mon
terey and Santa Cruz did thu full sig
nificance of it all become apparent to
the people. 1t was something to look
forward to before that time-after that
| it was a reality. The fleet was so close
that you could run down the Coast on
the train, take a look at it and return
the same day to tell of the sight you
saw. Thousands went down to the
coast cities, saw and came back en-
Unused and excited. They spread the
fever of patriotism, until the night be-
fore the fleet arrived-the whole city
was upon the streets as though the
fleet might suddenly wheel into sight
around the corner, and if it did they
would be there to meet it. Everyone
wanted to be doing something-wanted
to be somewhere-that is why no one
stayed at home.
The day before the fleet was due at
Monterey thousands of people poured
into that little seaside town intending
e ~ ha
sells as they came around the point.
They rose according to schedule. they
went to the shore-and there before
their eyes lay the great white armada
at anchor. 1t had slipped in before it
was expected, stealing out from the
darkness into the thick low-hanging
fog of the bay, quietly feeling its way
to the anchorage where anchors were
dropped with scarcely a sound, and
by the time the good citizens were
fully awake the men of the fleet were
busily engaged in their morning duties
of cleaning ship. 1t was a disappoint-
ment to those on shore not to see the
fleet maneuver into the bay, but as the
fog slowly lifted and the morning sun
beat down upon the glistening armor.
everything was forgotten before the
beauty of the display.
AS soon as naval rules allowed. the
officials of the small town paid their
official welcoming calls to the fleet, and
soon afterwards sailors and officers
came ashore for another round Of en-
tertainment, the same kind they had
received all up the Coast. Before it
fully ended part of the fleet steamed
across the bay to Santa Cruz where
entertainments began anew, which re-
ceived a fresh impetus when the re-
mainder of the fleet weighed anchor |
and went to join the main column, !
which was also joined by the torpedo !
feet which for the first time since the |
squadron left Hampton Roads caught |
up with the fleet to stay. Santa Cruz
was the point where the entire fleet |
gathered before its triumphal entry |
into San Francisco bay.
The climax came when the news was |
flashed to the ships and up and down |
the state that Admiral Evans, who had |
been spending weeks at health resort |
trying to get back his health, was in |
condition to take command of the fleet.
Not a well man by any means was
Admiral Evans, but wise doctor knew
the grit of the man, knew the soul of
the admiral. and knew that one thing
now above all else would help to make
him well-it was the fulfillment of his
Continued on Page Two.)