Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-19
CAPITAL AT OYSTER BAY
The Nations Summer White House
How Uncle Sans Affairs will Be
Managed This Summer.

NOW OnCle pam = Affairs will BE
Managed This Summer.
For the next three months the affairs
of S0,W0OO of people will be managed
in little fishing village on the north
shore of Long island known as Oyster
Bay.
During that period Washington ceases
to be the nations political hub IT is only
a hot, sleepy, wide paved southern town.
Senators, congressman. and Ambassadors
who have dealings with our country !
chief magistrate, must wend their way to
sycamore Hill, thick wooded and over
looking, for many miles. forest and mea
dow. hay and headlands, and the Jagged
coast Of Connecticut
Here, In the cool precincts of his coun-
try house whence he may look over the
glorious waters of Long Island sound
dotted with the myriad sails of cargo and
racing craft, President Roosevelt intends
combining business with pleasure. In his
picturesque library typcwriting machines
have already been installed, and from the
adjoining room is heard the busy clicking
of the Morse instrument.
Carpenters. painters and plumbers have
been hustling about for weeks Furnishing
up the nations summer white house FOL
the accommodation of guests, and the
whole neirhborhood Of Oyster Bay has
been revivined. 1t is expected that societ,
will besicge the place. and make it, wha
Oyster Bay has never before been, the
abode of fad and fashion.
This Transforming of Sycamore Hill
from quiet. unrretentious summer home
into national capital will undoubtedly b.
far from pleasing to Mr.. Roosevelt, whC
has always spent the hot months in re
tirement with his family. unhampered b,
social restrictions of dress or manners
He usually goes about bare headed. clat
in white fannels, and Joins frequently IL
playing with his bare-legged. sunburne(
children.
This place is associated with memorie.
dearest TO Mr.. Roosevelt's heart. and
popular as he may be elsewhere. it is or
the north shore of Long island, among tn,
hardy fishermen, that he is best loved
The natives there have kept n careful rec
ord of his career and will relate to the
visitor with great pride anecdotes o.
"Roosevelt's seven stages"
They mind how Teddy was a candi
date for assemblyman when just out o
Harvard in 1872: how he was defeated al
candidate for mayor when Roscoe Conk
ling called Mr. Roosevelt that denth
oial young man with more teeth thar
brains and how the Oyster Bay hero wa
finally made civil service commissions
In 1889.
The fourth stage was embraced in tn,
period when Roosevelt hunted big gam
out west. where he was known at first al
the "four-eyed tenderfoot" Most of tn
natives have pictures of Mr. Roosevelt al
he dressed then-!eather brooches will
fringe, blue flannel shirt, a scarlet hand
kerchief and ivory-handled revolNers stucl
in the belt. The young Roosevelts ant
their playmatcs still make the welkin rim:
about Oyster Bay with blood-curdin.
veins in imitation of their fathers COW
boy days.
| Oyster Bay is one-hour's ride from New
| York. on fast train. The place contain
about 5000 inhabitants, who are engage
principally in the shell-fshing industry
| Tho lofty Sycamore hill, on whose slope
Mr. Roosevelt owns 100 acres of land
within the radius of which are locate
the vast estates of w. c. Whitney. L. n
Morgan and others is 2i5 miles from tn
| station.
The Roosevelt homestead is an idea
country seat. The handsomest apartment
the library which contains 900 choice vol
umes and has an open fireplace exterdln'
entirely across ore end of the room
Above this is to be seen a wonderful dis
| play of heads Of horned animals dear
rams antelopes, mountain sheep Tn
! floor IS covered with rugs made from tn
skins Of lions, bears. buffaloes and pan
|
house is a sort of mute testimony to MI
Rooscvelt's proves in the chase.
| Conspicuous in the library is a portal
Of man whose strong bearded face on
would instantly recognize as the Presi
dents father, and that picture Mr. Roose
welt cherishes more highly than any uo
phy. however valuable. My father" h
told an intimate friend, was the fines
man I ever knew. He was a merchant
well-to-do, that drove his four-in-han
through the park and enjoyed life i'm
mensely.
"He had such a good time. and wit
cause, for he was n truly good man,
remember seeing him going down Broad
way, "A staid and respectable business ma
that he was. with q poor little sick kite
| in his coat pocket that he had picked u
on the street. He was tender hearted
courteous and brave. l have always hope
to be like him"
In the opinion of oyster Paw, Mr.. Roos7
Welt is like his father, for he is SO general
| ~ loved that he has not an enemy in tn
place, and every man, Of whatever ponti
cal party he may be, religiously votes 10
Roosevelt" This is ascribed to the presi
dents extremely democratic ideas and hi
plain method of life.
| When asked recently to tell somethin
about oyster Bay. he replied. Eood-na
turedy, 20, just say that we are simple
old-fashoncl people; that We have plent
Of books and open fires and some dea
children. We haven't II servant on III
place and would not tolerate one. TIL
men | employ are my hired men, ever
one OF them, and they have the sam
| right to live and be happy that I hav,
| The women are our helpers. I try I
live the way I preach, and we are haI
pv household in Oyster Bay.
MY children have always gone to tn