The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-05-17
THE PRESIDENTS TOUR.
1T TOOK A STRONG CONSTITUTION
TO STAND THE RACKET.
A Talk with a Newspaper Man Who Was
On the Train-A Remarkable Record
in MISUNDERSTANDING Schedule
Time Under Difficulties.

MIR. Richard V. Oulahan, who accompanied
the Presidential party during the grand circuit
of the country as the representative of the
United Press, talked with HERALD man last
night about the journey.
"The President must have very sturdy
constitution" he said. "He was awake from
early morning until late at night, and he de-
livered from two to twelve speeches every
day, besides shaking hands with many peo-
pie at every place where the train made a
stop. How he managed to keep from break
ing down is g mystery to me. You
would be astopished at the great
gatherings of people at little out -the-way
places that had the appearance of
being almost desc rted. And not only did
crowds assemble during the daytime to greet
the President, but at places through which
the train passed in the middle of the night
many gathered to cheer as the train went by.
did not sleep well on one night this week and as
many as ten times between midnight and day
break heard cheers echoing In the dists nee
as we dashed past little wayside stations
Just think Of people remaining awake until
or o'clock in the morning for the salts
faction Of sending cheer after the President
"The Oakland AFFAIR." As understand it,
the Presidents carriage was unable, on ac-
count OF poor police arrangements, to get
within q hundred yards of the stand where
he was expected to speak. Finding it impos-
sible to get through the crowd, he made
speech from the carriage, and then was driven
on to keep other engagements at other places
in the city. The Oakland people were too
sensitive, think.
''It was wonderful journey in many re-
spects-particularly so in the history Of rail-
roading. You Will be astonished when l tell
you that In the ten thousand miles traversed
the train kept strictly to its schedule except
| on one occasion, when we were fifteen
minutes late. Nearly every town where we
were to remain for short time-say an hour
had programme that would consume two or
| vigilance on the part Of the gentleman who
! had the train In change-Mr. George w. Boyd,
the general passenger agent of the Pennsyl-
| vania-that:.the President succeeded in keeping
| his engagements at all the places where we
had promised to stop. To Mr.. Boyd all the
schedule is due. He was proud
| man when the train came to a standstill in the
| station here yesterday just as the hands of
the station clock pointed to 4:30. 1t was ex-
actly on schedule time that the party reached
San Francisco, our objective point. Mr.. Hos
burgh, Of the Southern Pacific Road, WHO ac-
companied the party over his system, told
| me the night of our arrival in San Francisco
that he considered it one of the most remark
able things in the history of railroading that
such complicated schedule could have been
carried out for such distance without the
slightest hitch. Marshal Ramsdell, of the Dis
trict, gave Mr.. Boyd a great deal of assist
ance in keeping to the schedule, and some
credit for the successful accomplishment OF
the journey is due to him. 1t was pitiable to
see Mr.. Boyd and the marshal making desper-
ate endeavors to cut short two-hour pro-
gramme at a one-hour stopping place, so that
the train could leave on time. You know
how successful their efforts were.''