Evening star., 1894-03-06
BACK ONCE MORE
President Cleveland Reaches the
City This Afternoon.
IN GOOD HEALTH AND SPIRITS
The Violet Brings Up Many Tro-
phies of Mr.. CIeveland's Skill.
HAD A OOD 7 NJ Z

The presidential cunning party returned
to the city at :35 this afternoon. The light
house tender Violet which has of late bios
somed into such distinction as an admin
istration favorite. was sighted off Indian
Head at IL o'clock this forenoon. The news
that she was passing the proving grounds
was electrically heralded to the world. A
large crowd Of Potomac people gathered
around the dock of the National Ice Com
pany as 1t is either there or at stevenson s
dock that the little Violet and her mates.
the Jessamine and the Crawford, usually
tie up for coal, provisions and rest At
noon a rumor ran along the front that
secret landing would be made to cheat the
crowd, but it proved to be only rumor
At 1890 the Violet was sighted as she
rounded the bend at River View and came
into Washington reach. Some Alexandrians
collected on the wharf and watched her as
she steamed by. the pilot laying course
close in shore. She was saluted. Halfway
up the steamer Pilot Boy was met, and her
master recognizing the tender as the Pres
idents yacht, pulled his whistle twice to
notify the upcoming craft that he would
pass to starboard and when bows abreast
let off three shricking blasts of steam as a
nautical salute. The little tender lent he-
voice in response. The folks al Washington
barracks knew her and many of the men Of
the fourth artillery ran to the wharf and
passing craft
AS she came abreast of the River View
pier the colors of the Randall Steamboat
company were dipped and OFF harbor po-
nee neaoquarters Harbor Master Sutton
and Officers Dean, Perry and Lewis hauled
down .heir flags and pulled them UP in
salute fashion. and the police cruiser Joe
blackburn whistled thrice. OFF the dock
OF the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat
Company Capt Donnell of the Violet. pull
ed the engine gong for a showdown, then
the slrSle ciang for stop, clang! clanS! back
water, the stem line was thrown out, the
stern line made fast, both hawsers came
taut and strained. the piles and the wharf
ing crsaked little. the Violet swung in
and the gang plank was lifted out.
On Land Once More.
The wheels of the tender churned round
a few times more. and at last the engine
gong said stop" Some punches of geese.
ducks and swan were brought ashore and
at lbs President Cleveland emerged from
the after cabin. walkad slowly along the
starbC1rd side of the ship, shook hands
with Capt. Donncil and thanked him for
the courtesies shown and also compliment
eo MN on his seamansnip. Capt Donnell
removed his hat, while the President kept
his on. Mr.. Cleveland returned the salute
OF the first officer, who stood al the ship
side or the gangway. and of the quarter
master VINO @ did duty at the land end of
the plank. The narrow board bent and
sWayed under the weight of the President
and he trod it gently. but with dignity He
seemed as though the swaying and bound
ing nsation Of the board was not pleas
ant, and when he had nearly reached the
lower end he tripped with his right foot.
raised his hands to recover his eouilibriuro
stepped ashore and walked unattended to
his carriage, which had been in waiting for
some time.
He looked we'll His complexion was very
ruddy and rosy and his eyes showed that
he has been in the wind a great deal. There
Inst nn lie
under the eyes, showing that he had spent
the morning on deck. His high hat was
pulled low over his forehead and his hand
some blue broadcloth overcoat swung omen
His trousers were of mixed stun and his
shoes were pretty we'll worn, but well
blacked. without being shiny
Feeling Well.
He said in a few words that he had never
felt better in his life, and that the trim had
done him world OF good. He was now
ready for work and would buckle down to
the affairs of state with renewed zeal
The shooting had been successful beyond
the hopes of the most ardent sportsman he
had registered several shots of which he
felt proud and had had big time all
around. The ships people had treated him
well and his eating had been of the very
best. Then he nodded to the coachman
and drove to the White House with Private
Secretary Thurber. The eyes Of the crowd
followed him as he drove away and hats
were once more worn on the head.
Fine Sport.
Capt. Davis and The Star man We're the
first to board the tender. Capt Donnell
said that the weather had been fine and the
trip a success. The finest sport of the
cruise had been in Currituck sound where
and six snipe had been killed He had
seen the President knock two swan at one
fire. one swan with each barrel.
As "a Shot.
He had seen him wing those snipe in a
way that even made the deck hands cheer
What kind of a man is he to deal with
on shipboard." said The Star man. First
class. very sociable; got a kind word for
everybody, and perfectly free Of airs" 1t
was evident that the captain OF the Violet
had been pleased with his guest.
Then The Star man asked some Of the
petty officers and able seamen as to what
kind Of a shot Mr.. Cleveland was. and
he shct pretty well for a man who hadn't
had any more experience than he had, and
another said automatically that the Presi-
dent was a fine shot If the game would
ing. however, that big pile Of game had
been killed. The birds were brought on
deck, and were later sent to the White
House. where a part Of them will be served
this evening at dinner. Mr. Cleveland this
morning presented Capt. Donnell with a
fine goose killed yesterday, and this will
decorate the officers mess this evening
Secretary Gresham and Capt Robley d.
Evans, who were with the party, came
ashore together and entered a carriage
Things tanned down at the dock the ex-
element was soothed and matters along
the front regained the even tenor Of their
way.
At the White House.
The President reached the White House
at 1:45 o'clock. He was accompanied by
Private Secretary Thurber Secretary
Gresham and Capt. Evans did not 10 to the
White House. The former went to the Ar
lington and the latter went to his residence
The two carriages separated at the juno
ton of Pennsylvania avenue and Madison
place. There were no special preparations
apparent at the White House for the Pres
ident's reception. FIVE newspaper reporters
stood near the main entrance awaiting his
return, and they were the only persons
there.
The Presidents arrival was the signal
for the hoisting of the American flag over
the mansion. He got out of his carriage as
lightly as his weight would allow and
walked into the house at a brisk walk.
He seemed In higa spirits ana his face was
the picture Of good nature as he returned
the salutations of the loorkeepers and
ushers. He did not linger in the corridor
however. but passed directly into the red
parlor, where he received a most cordial
welcome from Mrs. Cleveland and the two
children.
The probabilities are that a meeting of the
cabinet will be held this afternoon. At any
rate, all the members of the cabinet will
call at the White House to welcome the
President back to his duties.