The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-28
SOMEBODY BLUNDERED
PREPARATIONS FOR WELCOMING
THE PRESIDENT ALL FOR NAUGHT.
No One Notified Him of Proposed
Demonstration at Cleveland, and He
Drove to Hanna's Home.

CLEVELAND, Aug, 27.-President Nc
Kinley surprised the people of Cleveland by
his early arrival from Buffalo this morn
ing. There was no presidential salute fired
by the naval reserves from the old revenue
cutter Andrew Johnson, the cannon of
steam and sail craft did not bech forth in
welcome of the President; banners and
flags did not f1utter in the breeze in honor
of his coming. There was reason for the
absence of all these ceremonies which had
been planned on an elaborate scale. 1t was
lacking because the presidential party ar
rived in Cleveland several hours ahead of
schedule time, or rather the time antici-
pated by those who had planned the local
reception. Senator Hanna's steam yacht
Comanche, which brought the presidential
party from Buffalo, arrived inside of the
Cleveland harbor at 2:30 a. m. There she
lay at anchor until o'clock, when she
steamed into the inner harbor and made
asst to the dock of the Pennsylvania Com
pany.
Senator Hanna was, somewhat surprised
to know that elaborate preparations had
been made for the reception of the Presi-
dent, and said he had advised against it
yesterday by telegraph, stating that there
no certainty of the hour of their ar
rival. He asked that the naval reserve and
the Tippecanoe Club be notified Of the ar
rival of the Comanche and invited the
newspaper men aboard the yacht The
presidential party was scattered about the
boat in groups of tWos and threes. Presi-
dent and Mrs. Mckinley were midShip look
ing across the muddy CuyabOEl and con-
versing with Col. M. T. IIerrick. The
perfect health. He was unusually pleasant
in his demeanor He talked volubly of his
trip from Buffalo, of the G. A. r. encamp-
ment which he pronounced to be the great
est in history, and spoke in the highest
terms of the manner in which the people
of Buffalo had handled the encampment.
He was asked his impression concerning
prosperity as gathered from his trip across
the country. You had better ask business
men about that, he replied They can
OF his plans for next week the President
spoke quite freely. His stay in Cleveland,
he said, would be a quiet one, with rest as
Wednesday of next week, probably in the
morning. the presidential party will leave
for Fremont o., where they will attend
the Hayes-Smith wedding in the evening.
The following day the President will at
tend the reunion of his old regiment. On
Friday he will attend the state fair at Co
lumbus. The Presidents mother will not
visit Cleveland during the stay of her son,
but the latter will make a short trip to
Canton after his trip to Columbus. The
President will probably spend Saturday and
Sunday with his mother before returning
to Washington.
At 100 o. clock the carriages arrived at
the dock and the party left the Comanche.
The crowd had increased but little in size
since the yacht first tied up at the dock.
There were not more than $50 people in
sight. Those who came from Buffalo on
the Comanche We're: President and Mrs.
Mckinley Secretary and Mrs. Alger. Miss
Alger, Frederick Alger Senator Hanna,
Col. NJ. T. Herric,1, II. NJ. Hanna and Will
liam Chisholm. Vice President Hobart and
Mrs Hobart will not come to Cleveland.
rloah n nj emf lie
the surreptitiOus manner In which the Pres
ident and Senator Hanna entered Cleve-
land. The Iippecanoe Club and the naval
reserves had planned most elaborate re-
ception, which included parade about the
downtown streets and speech in the pub
lie square. The hour that the Comanche
was expected to arrive was a. IN. and the
programme had been prepared to conform
to that time. At o'clock May " McKisson
placed his overcoat on his arm and saun-
tered to the boat landing Meanwhile the
TippecanOe Club and the Great Western
Band were marching and countermarching
about their headquarters TO get into posi-
ton The people were gathering in num-
bers to go to the boat landing. 1t fell as
a distinct shock to all of them to learn
that the President had arrived two hours
earlier and was already at Wndemere.
President Mckinley decided to spend the
afternoon quietly at Mr.. Hanna's home.
The naval reserves, however, were deter
mined not to be deprived of its presidential
salute. The Andrew Johnson. accordingly
steamed out into the lake off Senator Han
guns, returned to the harbor.
As a sort of compensation for the dis
appointment of the people it has been ar
ranged to hold a public reception to-mor-
row afternoon at o'clock at the Hollenden
Hotel. The President and Senator Hanna
regret that there should have been any
disappointment. The latter said this even
ing: Il did not know that single arrange
ment had been made for a reception or
anything Of the kind until our party had
reached the house this morning"
Senator Hanna said he received several
kilograms in Buffalo yesterday asking him
what time the President would arrive in
Cleveland. and to all of them he had replied
that he did not know. for everything de-
pended upon the weather. 1t was not Ger
tain the President would come by boat un-
I'll he went aboard the yacht Mr. Hanna
said he discouraged a public demonstration
for the reason that ii could not be stated
what time the President would reach Cieve-
land definitely. The Cleveland arrange
ments were made quietly. the intention be-
ing to surprise the President. and for that
reason the people on the yacht knew moth
ing about the reception.