Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-05-02
PRESIDENTIAL PARTY
LEAVES WASHINGTON
Seven Weeks Tour Of the Country
is Begun by the Nations
Executive.
10 TRAVERSE THE CONTINENT
superb Special Train, Consist,ng of Seven
Coaches, Carries tho Distinguished
Tourists-starts at Schedule
Time This Morning.

Washington, May 1.-The train
which is to carry President and Mrs.
Mckinley and their party on their long
excursion across the continent and
back, made it's start today precisely on
schedule time, 1880 a. M, over the
Southern road. When President Nc
Kinley arrived at the station the build
ing was thronged and many persons
We're congregated on the outside.
There was cheer as the presidents
immediate party drove up to the sta
ton, and a general demonstration Of
affectionate regard as the head Of the
nation and his wife made their way
through the crowd to the train. Mrs.
Mckinley leaned upon the arm of DIR.
RiXey, and both she and the president
smiled in response to the greetings
which met them at every step. They
We're accompanied to the train by nu-
merous friends and many persons dis
tinguiShed in the affairs of the nation.
The party included Secretary Gage,
Secretary Root, Senator Hanna, JUS
tice MclIenna, General Miles, General
Corbin, General Sternberg, Secretary
White of the American embassy in
London, Commissioner of Pensions
Evans, Controller Dawes, General
Bates. Assistant Postmaster General
Shellenbarger. Congressman Living
ston and many ladies of the cabinet
circle. Mrs. Mckinley found the draw
ing room of the private coach, which
she and the president are to occupy,
beautifully decorated with roses and
other flowers. She spoke gratefully of
the thoughtful care of her friends,
Seating herself beside the window
facing the crowd she continued to smile
and bow to acquaintances until the
train moved out The president took
q position on the rear platform of the
Olympia beside Secretary Hitchcock,
hat in hand, brilliant carnation in his
buttonhole and a smile upon his face.
In Tennessee.
Bristol, Tenn, April 2O.-The first
day of the presidents long trip to the
Pacific coast lay through an historic
section in Virginia, across the valley
of the Rapidan and James, in sight of
the homes of jackson and Jefferson, up
past the peaks of Otter. so dear to the
hearts of Nirginians, in the pictur-
esque Blue Ridge mountains.
The Tennessee line was reached at
1855 o'clock last night with the ar
rival of the train at Bristol. The
route as far as I.ynchburg was over
the Southern railway. There the train
was shifted to the tracks of the Nor
IOlK ana western Tor q snort distance
cut to Bristol, where it resumed it's
flight over the Southern road
The presidential party received a
flattering ovation from the time the
train left Washington. Large crowds
assembled at every station. The coun-
tryside and crossroads each had its
little group of waving watchers strain
ing their eyes to catch glimpse of
the chief magistrate as the train
whisked by. At Charlottesville the
students of the University of Virginia
turned out; at Lynchburg Senator
Daniel Virginia's brilliant orator.
made a speech greeting the president.
and at Roanoke two bands assisted in
the welcome. At each of these places
the president responded to the loud
calls made upon him and spoke briefly
from the rear platform of his car.
If yesterdays reception through Vir-
ginia is an indication of what is to oc-
cur throughout the rest of the trip, the
presidents tour across the continent
will be triumphal one Some of the
people in their eagerness to grasp the
presidents hand clambored up the rail-
ing surrounding the platform. The
president received these demonstra-
lions goednaturcdly and never failed
smilingly To grasp the hand extended
to him. Mrs. Mckinley, sitting at the
window in the observation car, smil-
irg and waving her handkerchief in
response to the greetings of the multi
tudes, created no less enthusiasm than
the president