The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-24
ON X ISLAND
The sArrival-SpeakeERe
at IN ~Landing-The Formal Gree ding
Between the Rival Party

Brunswick. Ga, March 20.-President
Mckinley rests tonight on. JekNl island,
the beautiful winter club home of a
number of eastern millionair on st.
Simon's sound, ten miles UP the coast
from Brunswick. With. him are Mrs.
Mckinley, Vice President and Mrs.
Hobart and Senator Hanna. They are
the guests of eX-Secretary Of the In
terror Cornelius n. Bliss, whom the
president promised to visit last year.
In another cottage on the island is
Speaker Thomas B. Reed. All persons
in any way concerned in their presence
at Jekyl assert positively and unre-
servedly that the visit of the two rival
political leaders at the same time is a
mere coincidence. Whether any i'm
provement Of their strained personal or
political relations will be one of the &C
cidents of their inevitable meeting on
the island no one will predict. The
speaker, probably, will cave Jeky1 to-
morrow afternoon or Wednesday and
the president IN Wednesday forenoon.
The run of the presidential train from
Townsville over the Plant system was
, rapid and without incident. Its arrival
in Brunswick agitated the surface of
the towns normally sluggish life. A
census of its 2 1000 inhabitant could
nave been taken about the wharf and
the railroad track a block away when
it reached here.
A committee from the Jekyl island
club comprising ex-Secretary Bliss,
| Author Thomas Nelson Page, Gable
Promoter j. A. Scrimson and Coal OPP
orator Joseph Stickney, Of philadel-
phia, welcomed the president and as
sisted by Mayor Atkinson and ex-
Mayor Crovatt, escorted him to Jekyl
island. The president was greeted with
a few cheers. which he slightly ac-
knowledged by lifting his hat, from the
negroes on h fiat cars along the rail.
road when he emerged from the trair
n assisted Mrs. Mckinley to the car
riage which took them to where the
revenue cutter Colfax lay in waiting
Another small volley of cheers broke
forth as the boat cast off and started
on the ten mile river and sound trip
to Jekyl. The demonstration was very
slight The weather was perfect.
Speaker Reed. some club member:
and a score of pretty girls in summer
frocks were at the waters edge x
greet the presidential party. The big
speakers attitude was characteristic
his hands behind his Jack and his heas
thrown back and upward. When tn,
president walked ashore Mr.. Reed smil
lngIy raised his hat and said: How d
YOU do. Mr.. President"
Mr.. Mckinley acknowledged tn
greeting with a low boy and said: "Hoy
do you do, Mr.. Speaker"
The president and Mrs. Mckinley en-
tered a carriage and drove away an,
the speaker strolled off with a prett,
girl. This was all. Late in the after
noon the president and Vice Presiden
Hobart went out driving.
The stay of the president at Jeky
will be made as pleasant and likewis
as informal as possible. No reception
will be given and Mr.. Mckinley and tn
others will be treated during their sta,
as a part of the stands large family
Jekyl is eight miles long by an ex
IRENE width of two miles. Ii has tie
miles of fine beach n some prett
drives over which the president will b
shown. h president and party ar
quartered in the cottage Of Frederic
Baker, who is in Europe travelling.