The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-21
Thousands Upon Thousands
Welcome Him TO Cincinnati
PANIC NARROWLY AVERTED
Fire Started In Building Adjoining
Music Hall and Crowd Started to
Leave-Band Struck Up Air
and Averted Trouble

/
ly successful celebration of Presidents
day" came very near being marred to-
night with a panic that would have
caused countless loss of life. 1t is estimat-
ed that there were over 1900 persons
packed into the music hall when Presi-
dent Roosevelt began speaking. At the
same time adjoining exposition halls were
crowded with people viewing the exhibits.
as they were unable to gain admittance
in the music hall
After the President had been speaking
about fifteen minutes there was great
commotion in Mechanical hall adjacent to
Music hall, on the north The sparks from
an electric wire had set a curtain on
fire and the fire department had been
called to the scene. The police and at
tendants of the exposition soon put out
the fire. but they had much more trouble
In controlling the alarmed crowd, and it
was with great difficulty that Capt j. B.
Foraker, son of the senator and one of
the officers of the day, headed off the
department from rushing into the build
ing. Happily one of the bands struck up
an air, and those who left the auditorium
/
band rather than to head off panic
Very few in the auditorium where the
President was speaking knew anything
about the incident and the President suf-
/ fered only a slight interruption without
knowing what caused it.
Aisles Were Packed.
The aisles of the auditorium and all the
| uRo
ed with people as well as the great bal
| cony and the gallery. Had there been a
cry of fire or any knowledge of what was
| going on in the auditorium the fatal re-
suits could not be estimated The infor-
nation regarding the incidents in tha
adjoining hall was carefully kept until
after han was cleared and even when it
causued a shuddering sensation about the
grounds and throughout the city. After
the meeting the Presidential party was
driven to the Cincinnati Hamilton and
Dayton depot direct. and their special
train left at midnight for Detroit.
| The President faced an audience of
enormous proportions at Music hall to-
night
After being welcomed officially by
| Mayor F1eischman and introduced he
was again greeted with such demon
stration that the bands broke in and Sc
Fleischmann and the officers of the festi-
val for their courtesies and the audience
for its hearty greeting. the President es
pecially requested attention, as he pro-
posed, as the chief executive of all the
people, without regard to party, to make
| an argument on a serious question. ST.
| lence prevailed until the first mention of
the trusts. when the applause broke out
| and continued at frequent intervals.
| While speaking about holding corpora
! tions to the same responsibility as indi-
! viduals he was interrupted by demon
/ stration of approval. There was another
demonstration when he advocated such
constitutional amendment as would
| give national control of such corporations
| as had outgrown the jurisdiction of the
state.
All Records Broken.
Roosevelt day" at the fall festivals
broke all records of attendance at these
annual carnivals. The weather was
threatening when the President arrived
but exceptionally pleasant for the after
noon and evening demonstrations The
Queen City never contained more vtsi-
tors in one day. President Roosevelt was
the attraction as we'll the guest of
honor and he served his hosts with un-
firing willingness continuously from 10
a. m. until 10 p. m. without consulting
his own convenience or comfort. The
directors of the fall festival had arranged
an elaborate programme for every hour
of the day and night, and the President
was always ready 80 that none OF the
events were behind time. Everywhere
the chief executive was the recipient OF
the widest enthuiasm.
| The President arrived to the minute on
| time and was on time at all his engage
ments Even the afternoon parade start
| ed on time to the minute from his hotel
| and arrived at the exposition grounds at
| the scheduled hour. The same precision
| characterized the evening demonstrations.
| The President was kept on his feet and
| busy for over twelve hours with the ex-
| ception of the time at the noon luncheon
and the evening banquet and even then
he was engaged In discussing matters of
public interests with the greatest of
honor at his table Among the indul-
gencies of the day was an hour or more
in the afternoon In sight seeing at the
fall festival including variety of side
shows. After this experience he was es-
corted into the auditorium of Music hall
which is on the exposition grounds and
delivered an address to an immense audi
ence, over 1000 business men and manu-
facturers being seated on the stage with
him.