The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-18
SYCAMORE HILL GOSSIP.
Wood Invited To visit the
President-Senator Spooner Calls.
Secretary Root I'm Consultation.

Oyster Bay, July 1.-THE president
has invited General Leonard Wood to
visit him at Sycamore Hill early in Au-
gust. General Wood is mentioned as
probable member of the Isthmian ANAL
commission TO have general charge Of
h canal construction. II is understood
tonight that it is not unlikely that he
may be appointed as the head OF the
commission.
The visit of Senator John c. Spooner
to Sycamore Hill excites much interest
here. Mr.. Spooner came up the sound
on a yacht. arriving at the bay shortly
after 6 o'clock last night. He sent a
note to the President and after coming
ashore a Dol IL conference with
President Roosevelt and Secretary OF
War Root.
The conference lasted until almost
midnight.
The title to the Panama Canal Com
pdny s property was under discussion.
Under the provisions Of the
canal. measure recently enacted by
congress and which bears Mr.. Spooner's
name, the president is authorized to ac-
quire the Panama canal property for
$40, 0O0, 600 provided that he sha be
satisfied that the new Panama Canal
Company can pass to the United States
a clear title TO its property. Senator
Spooner has been invited by the depart
ment of justice to assist in the ~investi-
cation of the title. This investigation
Will necessitate a trip to Paris by those
making it. senator Spooner is reason
ably certain that this country can &C
quire title to the property and some of
mis- nCnnc for hIc hnlinf
last night. Although Senator S~pooner's
term in the enate does not expire until
1905 a contest against him already has
been inaugurated and it is said that the
matter was adverted to briefly. After
the conference Senator Spooner return
ed to the yacht.
President Roosevelt and Secretary of
War Root spent the greater part of to-
day in considering matters of impor-
lance which reached them from Wash
ington. Architect McKim of New York
who prepared the plans for and is su-
pervising the work of the reconstfuc-
ton Of the interior Of the white house
at Washington had a consultation with
the president and Mrs. Roosevelt con-
corning the repairs in progress.
AT 4 o'clock the president, Mrs. Roose-
welt, Secretary Root, Miss Alice Roose-
welt, DR.. Lambert, the presidents ply
stefan, Mr.. McKim n the Roosevelt
children went a the official yacht
"Maylower," which lies about eight
miles from Sycamore Hill. The trip to
the yacht was made in one of the May
flowers" launches. Secretary Root
boarded the government yacht Kama
wha which had been awaiting him n
in the early evening left for New York.
He expects to reach Washington to-
morrow morning. After carefully in
speeding the "Mayf1ower' the president
and his party returned to Sycamore
Hill.
Charles r. Miller, editor of the New
York Times, called on the president to-
night.
The itineraries of the president on
his trips to New England and to the
Northwestern States have been COM
pleted and Secretary Cortelyou expects
to. go to Washington tomorrow to COM
plete the final arrangements for both
trips. No deviation will De made from
the schedule of stops already prepared.
Mr.. Cortelyou will take a well deserved
rest and it may be a month before he
returnS here.
Tomorrow afternoon Mrs. Roosevelt
will give a reception on board the
"Mayflower" to the members of the
ladies' auxiliary of Christ Episcopal
church, of which she is a member The
party will be taken on board the yacht
in launches at 4 o'clock. A three hours
sail will be a pleasant incident of the
reception.