The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-10-01
FORMER LOCAL
RESIDENT TELLS OF
WESTERN INCIDENTS
MRS. w. f. DORMAN SEES BIG
NAVAL FLEET. PRESIDENT
WILSON AND PARTY

Mrs. w. E. Dorman, a former local
resident has sent the followino letter
to the Banner-News for publication
and we are sure her many friends will
be more than pleased to read it's in
teresting contents which are as fol-
lows:
Seattle, Wash, Sept. 25, 10.
Mr.. Editor and friends of Belding:
Just short letter to tell you
little of the fleet that l saw enter Ell
lott bay, Seattle, Wash. The sun
never shone better than it did the
three days that it stayed here. On
Wednesday the Oregon came in first,
it was a little slower now in it's old
days SO came on ahead, on Friday at
half past eleven they all came stealing
in, fine sight. Al of them. They
said all boats that could go started
at 8 o'clock in the morning to go to
meet them. They were all decorated
up fine. The trip cost two dollars to
go out there but at that the boats were
loaded. The New Mexico came In
under her own electrical power she is
the only one on the water, she saluted
with 10 guns. Then came the Oregon
who saluted with II guns, some shoot
ing. 1t did seem little like war. Then
at night there was the most beauti-
full fire works on the water and with
their big search lights you could see
to read the welcome" on the big L.
c. Smith building which is AZ stories
high. We live out four miles and
when they turned their search lights
that way it was light so you could see
all around. When the feet entered
the bay the High school girls had
learned the flag signal so when they
anchored they talked to a sailor who
understood it and they spelled the
words Welcome Home. 1t took 10
girls. each one represented a letter
this is called the Semaphore method
Of signaling.
Saturday the President and his wife
arrived at half past one so we saw
him good as he came up Second, and
the cheers that went up and every
one that could sing sang "My Country
'Tis of Thee. He went from their
down on the Oregon to review the
fleet. They sailed out a little ways
in the bay then all the boats sailed
around him then they saluted him
when he came on the boat and when
he left. He went from there to the
hotel New Washington where there is
a bungalow and with Spanish gar
den in front. This is Ia stories up
where it is quiet and nice, their meals
were carried up to them, and they
could see all over the city and the
bay. We used to go up there to have
a good look around. 1t used to be
10 e,r h,.f not civ
the bungalow was built here. They
rested until 8 o'clock when he spoke
in the Arena at 9. They went to
conducted by Mr.. Boldt, who has the
largest restaurants in Seattle. Covers
were laid for IL 800 guests. 700
springers of sweet potatoes wagon
loads of rolls and gallons of coffee
and everything that went with it and
they had a fleet of 1,500 miniature
battle ships made in French pastry
and served by 100 mattresses. The
dinner was completed in one hour.
Some dinner and some cooks, enough
to give all Belding a good meal.
Sunday the President and his wife
went to the First Presbyterian church
They left 10 o'clock that night at the
Bon Marche Park, at and Pine there
were 5000 boxes put up for the sail
ors to eat besides the |. o. o. =.
Temple there were a lot of K. of p.
and most every place that could feed
the sailors and tried to show them a
welcome. On Sunday all boats were
busy taking passengers out to circle
the fleet, 80 cents, and the airplane
which would cost you only 10 dollars
to circle it, cheap at that. The air
plane kept circling the fleet when it
came in making the loop the loop.
| would rather make it down here in
barrel on some little side hill where
it would roll. We were en- 8 boats,
the Ward Williams, the Pairie which
is the only equipped machine boat
afoat, it did the work for the other
boats when needed, it took about 40
men to do the repairing while at war.
We have been on or of the big war
boats before they went out to war.
They were stationed at Bremertan,
that is the navy yard and dry docks
are there.
Well, / guess / will stop now but
will say that if ever any Belding folks
come this way look us up. We will
be glad to help you around the city
which / have we'll learned. My adj
dress for now is. Mrs. w. f. Dorman,
1864 Carleton Ave, Seattle, Wash.
Come out the yeather is fine now.
We are as ever your friends,
Mr.. and Mrs. w. T.. Dorman.