Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-04-30
FIRST DAYOF THE TRIP
President Mckinley and Party in
Tennessee by Bedtime
Last Night.
Is VERY WARMLY WELCOMED
Everywhere in the Old Dominion
Keeping in Touch with the Ma
tional Capital.

Bristol. Tenn. April 30.-Ine first
day of the presidents long tour TO the
Pacific coast lay through historic
section in Virginia. across the valleys
of the Rapidan and James, in sight of
the homes of Madison and Jefferson,
up past the peaks of Otter $50 dear to
the hearts of the Virginiansj. into the
picturesque Blue Ridge mountains.
The Tennessee line was reached at
10:55 last night. with the arrival of
the train ut Bristol. The presidential
party received a tiattering ovation from
from the time the train left Washing
ton. Large crowds assembled at
every station. the countryside and
crOSs-road each had its little group of
watchers straining their eyes to catch
a glimpse of the chief magistrate as
the train whisked by. At CharlotteS-
Vile the students of the University of
Virginia turned out: at Lynchburg
Senator Daniel. Virginias crack ora
tor, made Il speech greeting the preSi-
dent, and at Roanoke two bands
crashed out their 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.
Trip Likely To BE TriumphaI
1t yesterdays reception through Nir-
ginia is an Indication of what is to
occur throughout the rest of the trip
the presidents tour across the CONT
nent will be a triumphal one. Some of
the people, in their eagernesS to grasp
the presidents hand. clambered up the
railing surrounding the platform. The
president received these demonStra-
smilingly to grasp the hand extended
to him. Mrs. Mcinley, sitting at the
window in the observation car. smiling
and waving her handkerchief in re-
sponse TO the greetings of the multi
tudeS. created no less enthusiasm than
the president.
Grants AppOintee Was Safe.
At Charlottesville. Va. Postmaster
General Smith. III the course of his
speech. said that when it was sug
gested 10 remove the pOstmistreSs
there Mckinley replied: NO. 1 will
remove no one appointed by General
Grant who preserves such memories
TGreat applause.I Smiths reference
was TO Mrs. Long, who was appointed
pOstmistresS of Charlottesville by Gen
eral Grant. She was the daughter of
General Sumner. of the Union army.
and widow of General Long, of the
Confederate army Mrs. Long died
some months ago.
In Close Youch with Washington
The president and his party will
keep in close touch with Washington
throughout the trip to California, and
every facility has been arranged to
transact such business as is necessary
from the train. The railroad officials
in charge of the train and the various
divisions over which it passed took
every precautiOn to guard against the
possibility of miShap of any charac-
ter. The track. switches and bridges
were all carefully inspected just be
fore the train reached given station,
everything on the road-passenger as
well as freight-waS side-tracked, and
over the Norfolk and Western railroad
yesterday pilot train ran ahead of
the presidential special
Train Crews Salute the President.
All the train crews on the side
tracks lined up and uncovered as the
chief magistrate went by All the
members of the party enjoyed the first
day of their trip, and the president
expressed his qualification over the
reception he had received. Mrs. Nc
Kinley. who was not feeling particu-
larly well when the train started be
came better as the day progressed.
and at night said she had enjoyed IT
n u1frfsi1