Smyrna times., 1910-08-24
BIG BATTLESHIP'S VISIT
HERE WILL Be BIG EVENT
RECEPTION GIVEN TO THE Of
FICERS AND CREW OF DELAWARE
Will be Greatest in the Wilmington
CitY's History Prominent Citi-
zens Are to Assist

CitY's History Prominent Citi-
zens Are to Assist
When the United States Battle
ship Delaware, aSRives in these
waters on October 4, to remain until
October 8, its crew and officers will
be given the greatest reception ever
given in Wilmington, This was the
decision of the battleship committee
of the Wilmington Board of Trade
at special meeting in the Equitable
building. The members of the COM
mittee feel that it is of great i'm
portance that they should entertain
the people who come for the pres
entation of the silver service, the
donation of the people of Delaware,
in proper manner. Several prom
inent local men have promised to
assist in the effort to properly en-
tertain these guests, and, according
to what has been said a dinner may
be given Wednesday evening, the
second day of the battleship in Will
mington port, and following that
the guests will be entertained by
individuals at dinners and luncheons.
A special committee with Josiah
Marvel as the chairman, has been
appointed to make arrangements for
the event. Mayor j. Harvey Spru-
ance has been made a member of
the committee, while the other
members are State Senator George
W. Sparks, Speaker of the House,
Thomas o. Cooper and Congressman
William H. Heald. These men
will hold special meetings when they
see fit to confer on the particulars
of the program. At a conference
Wednesday night following the meet
ing, the date selected for the pres
entation of the silver service was
October 5. This date, it is felt,
will not conflict with the firemen's
celebration. 1t was because of the
firemen's celebration that the date
for the arrival of the battleship was
changed and through the effort of
Congressman Heald that the dates
were so arranged that the two big
events will coincide. The committee
decided at Wednesdays meeting to
request Governor Pennewill to make
the presentation address. Though
he has not been approached on the
question since the date has been ar
ranged, it is practically certain that
he will be present to officiate for
the State as this is decidedly a State
event and the Wilmington Board of
Trade has ever tried to make this
apparent to the people of Delaware.
President Taft will be invited as
one of the special guests of the oc-
casion and it is expected that the
secretary of the navy will be on
hand. He will be invited by the
committee, and, if he attends, it is
probable that the commander of the
ship will ask him to receive the
silver service on behalf of the crew
and officers. Millard F. Davis in
formed the committee Wednesday
afternoon that he would place the
silver service on exhibition in Will
mingtOn on the first day of Septem-
Der, and would exhibit it until
September II. This will give the
people of the State ample npport1n-
ity 20 see it before it is taken to the
battleship to be presented. When
it is exhibited in Wilmington on
September l, it will be for the first
time, as Wednesday MIR. Davis said
that the gift had not been shown in
New York, as had been reported,
though the company which made it,
desired to display it to the New
York people owing to the fact that
it is the prettiest gift they have
manufactured Recently, and per-
haps the prettiest that has ever been
given. The dual event will be the
greatest that has ever taken place
in Wilmington as the firemen's cele-
bration will alone surpass all other
celebrations held in Wilmington.
The firemen will most likely invite
the sailors from the battleship tc
take part in their parade.