President Visits L.A.!

Over the years, Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale drew many variations on “Miss Los Angeles” before adopting the best known version, a Latina. Above, here she is in 1909, welcoming President Taft. At right, Miss Los Angeles, Feb. 26, 1920 l     Although this poem is unsigned, I would suspect it’s by John S. McGroarty, whose poems frequently appeared in The Times. Hal Coffman, who died in 1958 at the age of 75,  was a syndicated artist who worked in New York and later in Fort Worth.   This is why you don’t want anyone cutting up your archival editions.

Oct. 11, 1909: President swings through Los Angeles for a day. He stops in San Pedro, Wilmington, Los Angeles and visits the San Gabriel Valley and Riverside before leaving for Arizona. One notable stop is the home of his sister, Mrs. W.A. Edwards, 2600 W. Adams St. View Larger Map

The Times publishes a glowing editorial about President Taft: "If we were to institute a comparison we would say that only the great Lincoln in the dark days of the war between the states ever faced more exacting duties than those Mr. Taft is called to meet and perform. Mr. Taft has a mighty advantage over that of his glorious predecessor. He comes to these duties with a wisdom acquired by long study of law and statesmanship, rounded out by experience of a varied nature extending over many years."

One of the most interesting aspects of the presidential visit is the large demonstration at the Plaza of “Anarchists, socialists, Mexican revolutionaries and Holy Jumpers.” Our old friends Detective Felipe Talamantes and Sgt. Charlie Sebastian, the future police chief and mayor, put in an appearance in dealing with the protest.  Recall that The Times bombing is little less than a year away. June 3, 1903: Holy Jumpers come to Los Angeles -- and women are playing slot machines!