Frank Lesher

Los Angeles, Cal.

The Sites of the City from Long Beach to Santa Barbara

The USS Virgina initially visited Long Beach, arriving on the 19th and staying to the 25th of April before going to Santa Barbara.

"Long Beach, Cal

April 21,1908

Dear Papa,

Received your letters of the 14^th and 15^th just. In which you acknowledge the receipt of the check and registered letter. Will give you $50.00 balance on the $200.00 as soon as I get a chance. For the next few months I won’t be able to save much as I will be taking in the sights and getting my teeth fixed. Suppose you have seen in the papers that the enlisted men have received 10% increase. This makes my pay $55.00 a month. Think the increase starts on the 1^st of July 1908. "

"Give me information in regards to my cousin in Hege of Mercersburg. He sent me a postal and said he would be glad to hear from me. Is he the man who writes for the “Public Opinion”? Also received a postal of Harrisburg sent by the Misses Niestling of town, who are now in Harrisburg.

Have not noticed any grape fruit growing, but will make inquiry. Well, we blew into this hospitable locality on last Saturday afternoon as you have seen by the papers and received a warm welcome. On Sunday morning the fleet broke up into divisions, each division going to a different place. We are going to Long Beach. Each place is from eight miles apart from each other and lying about 22 miles from Los Angeles and it certainly is a city of Angeles, judging from the way they treat the sailor boys. I have ordered the Los Angeles Herald sent to you for two weeks which will give you all the particulars."

"Went ashore yesterday and had the most enjoyable time I have had in my life. All men in uniform ride free on the trolley cars, which are if a fine type built for the climatic conditions. They run in tow three and four car trains and go like the wind.

Went out to the barbecue and ate all I could eat."

Certificate as honorary member of the Pennsylvania Society of Los Angels, Cal.

"Registered at the Pa. booth and received the certificate which I have sent you. Met a civilian who was taking names, found out he used to live in Waynesboro. He knows Bert Henninger and other town fellows. His name is Shields.

From this park we marched to the cultural field where a Wild West show was given for us. The leader of the band was a living image of T. Roosevelt and mounted on a horse back in buckskin costume make him all the dearer to the fellows from the Western Sates. After the show we went down town and did some shopping taking in the theatre in the evening. Went to bed at one oclock and got up at five arriving back on the ship at seven am.Liberty being from 7 am Monday to 7 am Tuesday."

Los Angeles is he busy thriving town of over 300,000 people and everyone of them treats us as if wew had just come as victors from some war. I have a gook of views which I will send with my other things.

Had all the oranges I could eat. If I would have eaten more I would have turned against them. As we were leaving the banquet they fired oranges at us. The finest California navals which we pay fifty cents a dozen can be bought for tem cents a dozen here were thrown at us by the hundreds. Tasted for the first Cile-con-coni a great Mexican and Chilean dish made of stewed beef and a particular sort of sauce.

Frank's Booklet from Los Angeles

The ships are thronged by hundreds of people daily and we are doing our best to show the intricacies of the ship to them for we wish in some manner to show our appreciation for the treat they have offered us.

The civilians pay 50 cents and up from Los Angeles to Long Beach and 50 cents to come out to the boat and back. They come as far inland as Arizona to see the ships.

The weather is delightful here, cool in the morning, moderate temp in the afternoon and cool at night from December to March.

The people bring roses, carnations, nasturtiums and other flowers off to the ship and we now have fresh flowers on our mess tables all the time.

Hoping that mother will see some improvement in my writing which all depends on the pen and holder.

Love to her,

Affectionately, Frank

Long Beach April 21,1908

P.S. Am excused list of electricians is made every morning, so that our division officer may know how to account for the electricians who are not at morning quarters. Those not excused are crossed out. Those excused are not crossed.

Santa Barbara

April 25, 1908

Dear Papa,

We are now at Santa Barbara having left Long Beach about 8:30 this morning and our ship is the nearest one to the beach. So near that we can hear the breakers pounding in on the beach and it sounds as if one was on shore.

Was ashore again on Thursday in Los Angeles. Went over to Pasadena and the ride between the two places is beautiful. Saw the residence of the Sticky Fly paper man. Took a walk down Orange Grove Ave the most beautiful residential section of the city. Took in the Sunken Gardens “Bush” the great brewer and they are said by some to be the most beautiful in the world. They are in shown in a collection views of Pasadena which I will send home some time in the future.

"One of the things which I will remember was the picking of my first orange from off a tree. Robert Burdette, the great preachers, lives on this street and while we were going past his residence, the gardener asked us to come in and have an orange. We jumped over a small hedge and I picked my first orange from the yard of this famous preacher."

"Going back we stopped at Cawstons Ostrich Farm where I bought the ostrich egg which no doubt you have received by this time. Paid a dollar for the egg expressage prepaid."

"Saw them picking ostrich feathers from off the bird and also little birds being raided by means of the incubator. It takes 40 days to hatch a bird. They have a factory on the ground where the feathers are prepared for the market but one cannot buy them any cheaper than you could get them in the East. They have 150 birds at the farm. The average live of a bird is 30 – 40 years."

"Have not seen Jack Lesher boy although I am on the lookout for him every day. Had pigs feet and cabbage with baked potatoes for dinner. The first time I ever ate pigs feet, sort of liked them.

Santa Barbara lies right in front of a big chain of mountains and we can’t see much of it from where the ships are anchored, it being hidden behind the trees."

Frank's booklet of Santa Barbara contains more than 30 pages of photos of the city.

"We left Los Angeles and Long Beach with regret for we never were treated so fine in all our lives and will be many men go back there to live after their time of enlistment has expired.

How far South have you been in California, have been as far down as Santa Barbara. Am going ashore tomorrow to take in the sights of the town and surrounding country. It must be fully as beautiful as Los Angeles and Pasadena.

Good night and love to both of you,

Affectionately, Frank"