Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-18
THE NATIONS HEAD.
HIS Arrival In ToPst A-TAs wslevme-rhs
AsosTs-The Par As-Ths v.tsrans-Ths
s0noos-The RsVIsw-rhs Indian
&1pPeeanoe vetsraH.
ne 1noial - Veterans just Would Shake
nan d of the PrssIdsnt-Ths Seven
Indiana Veterans Present
Given = Reception.

ToPTkA, KAN.-Ifwas the peoples day and
the President of the United States was their
guSst To say Just how many visitors there
were IA thu city was impossible. There were
not les than 1000, and some of the esti-
mates 60 a. high as $1,000. Anyway, To-
pekG broke Its record on big gatherings It
was the largest the city has ever known, and
it might be said, too, that it was the biggest
gathering of Kansas people that has ever
been assembled.
The presidents special body guard, con-
sisting of company A of the Third regiment,
Kansas National guard, kept away the crowd
until he had reached the barouche near by,
which was drawn by four beautiful sorrel
horses. The Seventh United States cavalry,
the presidents guard of honor, was placed
along Fifth street, facing south, and battery
A, Filst United States artillery, depioged on
the ground south of the Missouri Pacific
depot, fred the salute as the president mede
his way from the train to to the waiting car
rage
The route from the train to the reviewing
stand was seventeen blocks long. The
streets passed over were kept free from
vehicles. The streets, walks, buildings and
roofs, for the entire distance, were packed
the middle. Along each side were formed
the organizations comprising the grand pa
rade, commencing with the military, regulars
and militia, the veterans by states, the ex-
prisoners of war, the Tippecsnoe voters and
the schools. Of the latter there were 5,467,
each with q flag, and all marshalled with
banners.
Welcome was IN the air as we'll as on the
banners, in the store windows and on the
more prominent business houses. The vet
Grams in line gave cheer after cheer as the
president passed, smiling and bowling to all.
As the head of the procession passed be-
tween the throngs the organizations fell in,
forming a line which required an hour and
twenty minutes to pass the reviewing stand,
block beyond the last school formed.
While the Indiana delegation, which num-
bered nearly 900 gray haired veterans, some
of them SCARED, some Of them with one arm
each, there seemed to be a great desire to
shake the hand of the president. All disci-
pline was at an end, hats we're thrown in the
air, and cheers were heard for blocks. The
president did his duty. He shook as many
hands as he could reach. Some of those who
crowded upon him had followed him through
the smoke of many battles, and he called
some of them by name. Finding that the
line was being broken up, platoon of the
national guard was placed in front of the
presidents carriage SO that he could not be
reached.
After dinner President Harrison received
informally the former citizens of Indiana,
now citizens of Kansas, who have organized
themselves into the Indiana association"
Rev. F. S. McCabe was the one selected to
address the president.
The members present of the presidents
old regiment, the Seventeen Indiana volun-
teer infantry, were also presented, and
greeted most cordially.
The Tippecanoe veterans, who voted for
William Henry Harrison in 1910, of which
there were seVenty-two, won warmest well
come. These gentlemen are none of them
less than 20 years of age.
The president appeared profoundly moved
by these receptions.
At 2:3O the president and party were es-
corted from the hotel to Camp Sheridan, at
the state fair grounds.
The ladies of the 6. A. R. formed near the
entrance to the grounds to receive the presi-
dent, and as his carriage drove up the ladies
saluted in unison by waving their handker-
chiefs. to which the honored guest responded
| by bowling.
There was assembled around the grand
stand, from which the president was to speak,
| the largest gathering OF people which has
ever met in Kansas. Although the president
was not to deliver his address until O'Clock,
there were 10000 people there as early as 1
O'Clock, and by 2 o'clock the grand stand
was not only filled, but ten acres of ground
in front of this large structure was covered
with people.
1t was nearly o'clock when the presi-
dental prrty put in an appearance. The
| crowd had been growing larger. 1t was ire
| mendous. The race track In front of the
grand stand, extending from the horse sta
bles on the west to the end of the quarter
stretch on the east was thronged with people.
| The inside of the race course was almost
filed with carriages and people. There were
acres and acres of people. Such spectacle
| is seldom seen IN any country.
1t was with considerable difficulty that the
officers were able to secure a passage way
through this dense throng to the stand from
which the president was to address the as
| sembled thousands.
Tho speakers stand was wrapped in Amer
lean flags and bunting. The table was Gov
cred with roses and other flowers, and there
were also several beautiful floral pieces,
among them two shields of scarlet and white
! geraniums and stars of blue immortelles and
| daisies.
As the president assembled the stand, the
crowd before him concluded that the time
had come to 'holler," and the shout which
broke forth showed that there was not q
eonsumptlve in the crowd. The appearance
of Senator ingalls, upon the platform was
also the signal for another burst of applause.
The president stood for moment and gazed
upon the monstrous assemblage before him.
1T is wonderful" be remarked. 81 had no
idea was going to meet the whole state of
Kansas here to-day" While the whole state
OF Kansas was not present, it is true that the
whole state of Kansas was never so we'll rep
resented at a gathering of any character
there were over 10000 veterans, and there;
were representatives from every county In
the state.