The Holly chieftain., 1901-05-24


was not as splendid and magnificent
as the great naval pageant which ac-
companied it. nor as profoundly im-
pressive as the greeting extended to
the President by the 4.JUO employees of
the ship yard.
With the thren. Of a great strike I'M
pending, the Presidents words to the
working men to-day have an added sig,
niicance and his reference TO ieXiAn.
sion and other national questions make
his speech, probably tue last he will
ever deliver on his present tour, In
every respect a notable one.
When the Presiden, lef. the SICK
room of his wife every arrangement
had been made to notify him on the
instant Of any change for the worse
in her condition. He was driven 10 the
\ wharf in closed carriage. escorted by
q squad Of mounted police.
y The Cabinet and other distinguished
kiests were already aboard the trans.
port tug Slocum. which was to convey
the party to the Union Iron Works two
miles up the bay. when he arrived. The
Presidents flag, an eagle and shield
on a blue field, was flying from the
main and the Union Jack was at the
Sbow as he stepped smilingly up the
gangway to the accompaniment of the
cheers of the thousands who crowded
the neighboring pier heads.
Every wharf on the sea front
swarmed with people Up near the
ship yards the grim warships of the
Pacific squadron were swinging at an
chor. with streams of signal flags ex-
tending fore and aft over the peaks
from prov to taffrail. or near Goat
t,Inr In = s1,a, Il
travel stained from her long journey
rived from the Philippines and still
had aboard the Forty y-second and
Forty-sixth infantry which she had
brought home. l-.tti i.-5fT,5.
The President saw her at once and
requested that the course of the Slo
cum he changed to allow him to pass
near her. As the Slocum approached
the big transport there was scene of
almost frenZie1 enthusiasm aboard.
The soldiers. all in their service uni
forms, rushed to the side aud sent up
cheer upon cheer at the sight OF the
President of the United States come
to welcome them home. ,5.. -..,.i
The band on the after deck struck UP
the 'Star-Spangled Banner" The SOL
diers climbed the rails and ratlnes
and almost drowned the music with
their shouts. They swung their hats
1f.d acted like madmen. Several of
6fihem brought their regimantal flags
and waved them frantically to and fro
from the bridge. The ensign at the
stern was dipped again and again. The
salute was answered by the Slocnm.
The President was plainly moved by
the remarkable demonstration.
i AS the SlOcum drew near the line of
\eel-clad thunderers OF the deep. with
lackies lining the rails. the marine
guards drawn up aft and officers in
full uniform on the bridges. a puff Of
smoke burst like n white balloon from
the port quarter of the battleship Wis.
consin. Admiral Casey's flagship.
Boom! came the report. 1t was the
first gun from the ships-the first of
Of the twenty-one
Each of the wnrships. the big. saw
age battleship Iowa. the long. lean
cruisers Philadelphia and Adams. the
little torpedo boat Farragut and the
revenue cutter McCulloch. which was
with Dewey at Manila. turned loose
their secondary batteries as the Slo-
cum slowly steamed by.
Beyond the warships the, lite tug
day fleet of steamers. yachts, tugs.
bargcs and every variety of water
craft jammed about the front Of the
ship yard. ~ r
Each was, black. with. cheering peo-
pie and there was hardly one Of then,
which did not have saluting gun Of
some sort to add its voice to the roar
of welcome that greeted the President
from the dense crowd Of workmen
gathered upon the pier.
Ashore to the right was stand COW
ed with acres Of people and beyond
that n hill alive with them. Up the
pier broad aisle OF white muslin ran
through the workmen packed on eth
er side. Up this path, arched over
with flags and banners, one of them
bearing the inscription: 1.-THE Oregon
Mas made her record: watch the Ohio
President and his party moved to
" 1tand where the representative OF
the 4,500 employees Of the Union Iron
Works, In neat speech, in which lie
asked heartfelt blessing upon the
head Of the President and expressed
tender sympathy for his suffering
wife, presented the President as 4
token of the esteem of the workmen,
with gold plateH engraved with a
suitable inscription.
The Presidents response afo,lsed
much enthusiasm. 1t was in part as
follows:
II am inexpressibly thankful to the
Ruler of us for his goodness and his
mercy. which hayss made 1t poatele.