The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-05-03
AUsPICIoUs START.
President Begins His Io,ooO-Mils
Journey Across the Country.
Great ThronEs at Depot in Wash
ingtOn to Cheer the Head OF the
Nation and His Wife-COach
Beautifully Decorated.

Washington, April 3O.-The train
which is to carry President and Mrs.
Mckinley and their party on their
long excursion across the continent
and back made its start Monday pre-
cisely on schedule time, over the
Southern road. Before ten o'clock
many people had congregated about
the station and when the president
and Mrs. Mckinley arrived, as they did
about 1920 o'clock, the building was
thronged and many persons were con-
gregated on the outside. There was
a cheer as the presidents immediate
party drove up to the station, and
general demonstration of affection
and regard as the head of the nation
and his wife made their way through
the crowd to their train. They were
accompanied to the train by numerous
friends and by many persons distin-
guished in the affairs of the nation.
The first day of the presidents long
tour TO the Pacific coast lay through
an 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,
so dear to the hearts of the Virginian,
into the picturesque Blue Ridge
mountains. The Tennessee line was
reached at 1885 last night with the
arrival of the train at Bristol. The
presidential party received a f1atter-
ing ovation from the time the train
left Washington. Large crowds as
sembled at every station, the coun-
try side and cross roads each had its
little group of waving 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, Virginia's crack ora
tor, made a speech greeting the presi-
dent, and at Roanoke two bands
crashed out their welcome. At each
OF these places the president respond
ed to the loud calls made upon him
and spoke briefly from the rear plat
form of his car.
Mckinley Reaches Memphis.
Memphis, Tenn, May 1.-The presi-
Dental party passed through the
heart of Dixie yesterday and at 4:30
In the afternoon reached Memphis,
on the banks of the Mississippi. This
was the first resting place of the
tour. After descending the noun
tains Monday night the train yester-
day skinned along through north
ern Alabama and the valley of the
Tennessee river and touched at Cor
inth, Miss, where Gen. Grant worsted
Forrest in his campaign to cut the
confederacy in two.
The fresh green southland, with
its fruit in full blossom and its inf
mite variety of wild flowers in the
fields and forest, was a great change
from the backward spring which the
party had left behind at Washington.
The heat was rather oppressive, but
the weather was not so warm as the
presidents welcome. The hearty
greetings extended to him along the
route testified how completely he had
captured the hearts of the people of
Dixie. Confederate veterans at all
the stopping places were among the
presidents most enthusiastic audi
tors.
All the steam whistles screamed a
greeting at Decatur, the home of Gen.
Joe Wheeler, as the presidents train
entered the city and the fellow-towns-
men of the redOubtable old veteran
gave the executive a particularly en-
thusiastic reception. The train passed
under two big American flags hung
above the track.