The evening Republican., 1902-09-16
PRESIDENT RECEIVES
Many Thousands Shake ths
Hand of Mr.. Roosevelt.
NEICHBOR DAY At OYSTER BAY
For Three Hours the Steady Stream
of Friends and Acquaintances
Filed Past the Porch at
SasamOre Hill.

OYSTER BAY, N. Y, Sept. 1G-Pres
ident Roosevelt yesterday received hi
friends and neighbors of Nassau cour
ty, and between 5000 and 1000 peopl
shook his hand. The reception wa
held at his country home, on Sagamor
hill, and from 3 o'clock until nearly
he was busy shaking hands and re
newing old acquaintance. He me
people whom he had not seen for thir
ty years and shook hands with mel
who had known him when he was 6
child. The president thoroughly en-
joyed the affair and was as fresh wheI
it was over as when he began. He ex
pressed his feelings to a woman in the
crowd who asked him if he was getting
tired.
Not a Bit" he replied at takes
more than trolley car to knock me
out or a crowd to tire me-"
The weather could not have been
more delightful. The day was just cool
enough to make walking pleasant, and
there was not cloud in the sky. The
decorators did their work thoroughly,
and when the sun rose it shone upon a
village resplendent with color Nearly
all of the business houses and many Of
the private dwellings were adorned
with flags and bunting. The most ef-
fectiye decoration was along the road
leading from the center Of the town to
the road that winds up Sycamore hill.
Here at distance Of every hundred
feet were hung large American flags
which formed canopy Of stars and
stripes, under which the people rode on
their way to Sycamore hill. Where the
private road leaves the main thorough
fare large arch of flowers and flags
had been erected, with the word "Wel-
come" in the center. The presidents
residence was handsomely decorated
with large flags.
The event, which passed off so sue
cessfully, was in the hands Of gen.
eral committee, of which Frank G.
Travis was chairman, and number
Of other committees, of which the fol-
lowing were the chairmen: Executive,
w. Emlen Roosevelt; reception, A. l..
Cheney; decoration, Julius Blum; trans
portation, Maurice Townsend; finance,
Franklin Hall.
The crowds began to arrive early
from points on Long Island and by
noon the village streets were crowded.
Delegations came in from many Of the
places near here, and several special
trains added their quota to the crowd.
At l o'clock the members of the COM
mttees, headed by band, started for
Sycamore hill, and they were followed
by vehicles of all descriptions filled
with Long Islanders, many of whom
had come a considerable distance to
greet the president.
The precautions to guard the presf-
dent against any possible harm were -
of the most thorough character. In ad-
dition to Sheriff Johnson's 300 special
deputies who had been sworn in for
the day, large number Of secret serv-
ice men and policemen from New York
in plain clothes were on the porch and
about the grounds. No one was al
lowed to go past the president with s
camera or stick Of any description.
Cameras, valises, canes, umbrellas and
in many cases OvercOatS and wOmen'S
wraps were taken from their owners
and piled up under a tree near the
porch until the space around looked
like secondhand clothing store.
1t was 2:45 o'clock when the recep-
tion began. President Roosevelt stood
)n his porch and shook hands with all.
After passing him the visitors passed
off the porch, along a road leading to
he side of the house, where lemonade
was served and thence by another
'oad out of the grounds. The lemon
,de was served in small glass cups on
which was inscribed president Roose-
Telt, 1902, Oyster Bay The cups were
'etained as souvenirs.
On the porch with the president We're
Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs. w. Emlen Roose.
1elt, Miss Christine Roosevelt. Miss
lorraine Roosevelt, Mrs. l.. Reed Mer-
lit, Frank e. Travis, Gerard Beck
nan, W. Elnlen Roosevelt, A. L. Che
ley, Assistant Secretary Loeb, Father
Powers, Rev. Henry Homer Wash
,urn. Rev. Mr.. Russell. Hon. August
Aontant and Commandant Snyman,
ate of the Boer army.
All sorts of people in all conditions
# life filed by the president-white
nd black, poor and well to do, women
With babies in arms and several with
logs, small bots and little girls. All
ot a pleasant smile and shake of the
and. Many We're in line who had
nown the president most of his life.
nd their delight in renewing an old
cquaintance was apparent. but none
ave the president more pleasure than
he greeting of the two old family
prvants Maggie and Bridget Mitchell,
Tho had been servants in his fathers
lmily. They came from New York.
here they now live, to greet the presi-
ent and to show him photograph Of
Is father and one of himself when he
as four years of age. The president
as delighted to see the pictures and
le old servants and presented the Sis
,rs to Mrs. Roosevelt.
Mrs. Roosevelt was dressed in a Par.
gown OF cream broadcloth elaborate
: trimmed in applique lace, chiffon
nd heavy silk cord. She also wore a
ainty garden hat covered with pink
nd white roses.
None OF the visitors was introduced
, the president. but when he recog-
lied an old acquaintance Mr.. Roose-
1T generally called him by name and
some pleasant remark to
IN.
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