Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Homeward Bound.

Presidential party rolled into the ferry
building at San Francisco and were
driven slowly through the avenue
cleared by the police to the lower deck
of the Oakland, which was to convey
bay. Mayor Phelan, Henry J. Crocker
r. II. Warfield and others were already
at the boat, aud they gathered in
groups on the after deck while await
ing the arrival of the President and his
wife
A few moments later, preceded and
ianked by four mounted police and fol-
lowed by others on foot, a carriage was
driven quickly to the Oakland's deck,
every curtain except one closely drawn.
hush fell upon the little thrOng that
stood by, and heads were barred, as,
through the single uncurtained win
dow, glimpses were caught of President
Mckinley, on the farther side of the
rear seat, while beside him, pillowed in
soft cushions and hidden from the pub
lie gaze, reclined his wife. Opposite
them sat DIR. Rixey. The President S
face wore look of anxiety, but from
time to time it was lighted by cheer
ing smile as he turned with some re-
assuring word to the invalid by his side.
The wheels of the carriage were block
ed to prevent any mischance, and the
body guard and secret service officers
gathered closely about, while others
fell back 10 a little distance, their
silence showing the sympathy which
was felt by all.
Just as the Oakland was about to
leave the slip beautiful bouquet of
long-stemmed American Beauties was
brought on board for President and
Mrs. Mckinley, with the compliments
of Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. Fl. de Young and
with their good wishes for a safe and
pleasant journey. 1t was the last of
the many tokens Of affection and esteem
that have been given during the stay
of the Chief Executive in San Francisco
and it was conveyed at ouce to the
carriage.
II was silent farewell that was given
by the thrOngs on the dock as the deck
hands cast off and the Oakland moved
slowly from the slip. Silent, also, was
the farewell of the battle-ship Iowa as
the Oak land passed. The officers and
crew of the big war vessel stood group
ed upon her decks, but there was no
salute.
At Stockton fully 10000, old and
young. assembled at the Southern
Pacific passenger station to greet the
President on the arrival of the train at
1:30. The President did not speak as
was expected, but shook hands with
the members of the reception CON-
mittee and few others. In explana-
ton of his silence, President Mckinley
said to Rev. w. E. Evans, an old-time
friend: ''You can understand, Doctor,
hnf do nj fool M
Mckinley is not so well. The trip
across the ferry was a little hard on
her, and if [ were to go on that plat
form l wouldn't feel like speaking
AS the train pulled out the President
bow, while cheer after cheer greeted
him.
The train arrived at Sacramento at
1920, schedule time to a minute Fully
5000 people assembled at the depot
with the hope of getting a fleeting
glance at the nation Chief Executive.
AS the train slowed down President
Mckinley came out upon the platform,
hat in hand. He bowed and smiled
and waved his hand at the sea of faces,
and then as a hundred hands stretched
upward he unceremoniously set his silk
hat firmly on his head and stretched
out his hand to meet them. Hand
shaking. as viewed from the crowd,
while it may have been eXhilarating,
was not an ideal performance, but
President Mckinley went to the work
with will. He had quiet ''God
bless YOU for every person whose hand
he grasped, but the task was herculean.
After minute he disappeared within
the car, and the great crowd growled
its disappointment.
But the Presidents absence was tenn
pOrary only. He re-emerged from his
car, and as a half-dozen men in the
crowd called Speech! Speech!'' he
bent over the dashboard and allowed
his fingers to be wrung by another
hundred of fresh hands, the owners of
which had succeeded in replacing the
| first division. But there was no speech.
The President was going home. He
was not scheduled to make speech,
and he accepted the program.
About this time Mayor Clark, who
headed the Reception Committee, sue
ceeded in reaching the steps of the car,
and couple of policemen, who had
been struggling in the crush, Chamber
| ed up on the steps and were safe
From that vantage they told the crowd
to keep back, and the crowd needed
them as much as the zephyrs that come
with the springtime.
The President shook hands with the
Mayor, and then turned again to the
crowd. For a half-minute he perse-
yered, and then again his rotund figure
disappeared through the door of the
car. 1t was only a minute until he
| again reappeared, and there was more
handshaking.
These intermittent appearances and
exits on the part of the President we're
continued for probably ten minutes.
Once little girl was in danger of being
crushed against the buffers of the car.
This President Mckinley saw, and said
to those below: Hand her up here. "
Then with his own hands he helped to
| lift the little miss over the rail, and
when she stood alongside the first gen.
tleman in the land, she did foolish,
albeit feminine thing-she cried.
Then came an apparently long wait.
The President had again gone into the
car, and the crowd shuffied about to
get into comfortable shape to see it
through. A woman tainted and a
couple of little children who had no
business in the crush were carried out
by the police. Incidents of that char
acter. however, had only momentary
interest with the crowd. The Presi-
dent of the United States does not
come To Sacramento every day, and
those who assem- bled proposed to see as
much of him as possible.
The railroad shops were closed at
noon and the thousands of mechanics
who were given holiday to see Presi-
dent Mckinley made the most of the
chance.
In the meantime the other notables
of tho Iarty were holding side issue