The Washington herald., 1909-10-12

Los Angeles. Oct. u.-Los Angeles
gathered a few OF her most beautiful
flowers to-day and showered them upon
the President Of the United States.
Los Angeles did not try 70 give Mr..
Taft a real Southern California Flower
Day" She merely buried him with nOw-
ers. that's all
1t may have been. as the committee
says, just common. everyday Los An
geles greeting. but 10 the man who lives
where roses cost a dollar a smell there
were features that suggested a floral
celebration
The President was no sooner out OF
the car than the local committee had
landed him in a great bed Of red se-
raniums. That was IN the city park. The
President was there 10 meet the pioneers
Of Los Angeles. and the pioneers. prob
ably to save the grass in the park, were
drawn up IN the seranium bed. The
President and his followers picked their
way carefully through the bed. but the
crowd that followed stepped from flower
to flower
Wheels Set I'm Roses.
The Presidents automobile itself wal
great cluster OF flowers. The wheels
were set with red roses. while the body
OF the machine was hidden on each side
behind bank Of yellow chrysanthemums.
Bouquets were showered on the car as
Il made its way slowly along the crowd
ed streets. AT one corner the President
was greeted by leI girls from the city
orphan home, each dressed In white
chaplets OF bright colored flowers. Be
hind the orphans was a hugo pyramid
Of roses with o red IT, or one side
II was not. however. until the Presi-
dents machine drew UP under n big arch
made OF date palm leaves that the real
shower came. Several thousand high
school girls were banked on either side
OF the street. and when they had emptied
their arms, the Presidents friends prac-
tically had to dig him out Of his beauti-
full bed.
The floral decorations at the banquet
in the evening were the most elaborate
that the President has seen on his trip.
The banquet was held in the city's audi
torium. More than 2ooO Of Southern Cal
ifornla's most beautiful women looked
down on the COO diners from galleries
that had been converted into garden
bowers.
Under Living Grape Vine.
The Presidents table was set under a
huge grape arbor The arbor above the
Taft table was made Of a living grape
vine with huge clusters OF grapes on It,
the whole being lighted by hundreds OF
miniature electric lights On the table
were the leathern bottles OF the old mon
astery days.
on the whole. the Los Angeles recep-
ton was one Of the most fattering the
President has received on the Pacific
Coast His automobile ride took hin
for five miles through streets that were
lined 70 the eurbs.
One of the most impressive features Of
| the reception was the ringing of the old
plaza cathedral bells as the President
passed. Around this cathedral centered
the life Of the old Mexican Los Angeles
and TO il the Spanish portion OF the city
still looks for guidance.
While the cathedral bells were ringing
under the blows Of a black-frocked padre
far distant sound fioated across the
plaza from the Chinese quarter. There
a Chinese orchestra was In full actioG
! beating the tom-toms and banging the
Cymbals I'm honor Of the Presidential
visit Several hundred Cinnamon were
In line along the street, while at their
feet stood row Of Chinese children, each
waving an American fag
The President will leave here early to-
morrow morning on an automobile ride tc
Pasadena, San Bernardino. and other
towns In the citrus belt Of Southern Cali
! fornia. When he has turned east to-mor-
row the President viii feel that he really
is on the last leg OF his journey.