Evening journal., 1902-09-16
PRESIDENT MBBTS
HIN Old FRIENDS
Shakes Hands With Thou
sands Of NeighbOrs
Greatly EDjOVed Reception and Meet
ing Persons Whom He Had Not
Seen for Thirty Years

Oyster Bay. N. Y, Sept 16. 6.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt yesterday received his
friends and neighbors Of Nassau coun-
ty. and between 6.O00 and 1908 people
shook his hand. The reception was
held at his country home. on Sycamore
Hill, and from 3 O'Clock until nearly
{ ne was busy shaking hands and re-
newing old acquaintance. he met
people yesterday whom he had not
seen for 80 years, and shook hands
with men who had known him when
he was a child. The president thor
oughly enjoyed the affair, and was
most as fresh when Il was over as
when he began. He expressed his
feelings to woman in the crowd, who
asked him II he was getting tired.
mot a bit" he replied 1T takes
more than trolley car TO knock me
out or a crowd to tire me-"
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 spe-
cial trains added their quota TO the
crowd. At ! o'clock the members of
the committee, headed by a band,
started for Sycamore HILL and they
were followed by vehicles Of all do
scriptions. filled with Long Islanders,
many of whom had come a consider
able distance TO greet the president
The precautions to guard the presi-
dent against any possible harm were
OF the most thorough character In
addition to Sheriff Johnsons 300 spe-
cial deputies. who had been sworn In
for duty yesterday, a large number OF
secret service men and policemen
from New York, In plain clothes, were
on the porch and about the grounds
No one was allowed 60 go past the
president with a camera or a stick OF
any description Cameras. valises
canes, umbrellas and in many cases
overcoats and women's wraps We're
taken from their owners and piled M
under a tree near the porch.
On the porch with the president
were Mrs Roosevelt. Mrs William
Roosevelt. Miss Christine Roosevelt
Miss Lorraine Roosevelt. Miss E
Reed Merritt. Frank b. Travis, AS
sistant Secretary Loeb. Father Powers
and Rev. Henry Homer Washburn.
All sorts Of people, in all conditions
Of life. fled by the president Whit,
and black, poor and well.to-do. women
with babies in arms, and several Will
dogs, small boys and little girls, al
got a pleasant smile and a shake ol
the hand. Many were in line who had
known the president most Of his life
and their delight in renewing an old
acquaintance was apparent but none
gave the president more pleasure thar
the greeting Of two old family ser
wants, Maggie and Bridget Mitchell
who had been servants in his fathers
family. They came from New York
where they now live. to greet the
president and TO show him photo
graph of his father and one of himself
when he was 4 years of age. The
president was delighted to see the pic
lures and the old servants. and pre-
sented the sisters TO Mrs. Roosevelt.
During the reception a number ol
bands stationed on the lawn in front
OF the porch discoursed music Garry
Owen, " There will be a hot time in
the old town tonight" and America
seemed to be the favorites, for they
were repeated number of times. The
Hicksville Battery, at the foot Of ths
hill. also did its share to make the
affair a success. and fired a continu
GUS salute.