The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-09
PRESIDENTS FIRST
DAY At CHARLESTON
CI0udIess Skies Contribute
to His Pleasure.
HIS TRIP OVER THE BAY
All Charleston Up and Out to Do
Him Honor
HIS TRIP OVER THE BAY
GUNS IN THE HARBOH THUNDER WELCOME
A Bar quat at the Charleston Hotel Follows a
Day OF Pleasure Spent for the
Nest Part in Sight
Seeing.
CBy the Associated Press.)

Charleston, S. c., April S.-The hope
Of President Roosevelt last night that
ne might see sunshine in the morning
was fully realized. The downpOur of
rain which had marked the trip almost
from the moment of departure had ceas-
ed, the heavy black clouds disappeared
and the day broke with a cloudless sky.
The journey to Charleston was made
entirely without accident. To guard
against any possibility of this nature
the Southern Railway officials sent a
pilot engine ahead of the Presidents s
special. Every detail of the trip was
carried out under the direction of Col
onel l.. s. Brown, General Agent, who
accompanied the party from Washing
ton. The President and Mrs. Roosevelt
were early risers and welcomed the sun
shine as it made it possible to cary out
the program which had been arranged
for the entertainment of the visitors.
The President retired last night be-
fore the State line of North Carolina
was reached
At Summerville, twenty-five miles
from Charleston, the party was met by
a special committee, headed by Mayor
Smyth, Captain F. w. Wagener, Pres
dent of the Exposition. and J. J. Hemp
hill, who accompanied the President on
the remainder of the journey.
All Charleston was up and out this
morning to do honor to the President
and from the time of arrival within the
corporate limits of the city to boarding
the steamer it was a continuous ovation.
The Presidents train reached Charles
ton at $50 a. m., on time The party
did not come into the city, but left the
train five miles out where trolley cars
were awaiting to convey them to the
naval station, to take the revenue cutter
for q tour Of the harbor. The Presi-
dents immediate party went directly to
the naval station, where they were join
ed in a few moments by members of the
Reception Committee and invited guests
from the city.
A guard of thirty militiamen was sta
toned about the approaches to the train
and stood at present arms as the Presi-
dent landed. At the naval station fifty
men of the militia were posted, main
tanning picket lines about the reserva-
tion and none was allowed within the
lines except such as had specific passes.
The President and his party were shown
about the station and were then conduct
ed to the pier, where the revenue cut
ter Algonquin was in waiting. AS the
President set foot on the deck the flag
of the commander in chief of the army
and navy was raised and the jackies
We're paraded while a salute of twenty
one guns was fired.
In the stream the cutters Forward
and Hamilton We're lying and further
down toward the city were the cruiser
Cincinnati and the training ships To-
peka and Lancaster.
After the committee and guests had
gone aboard the Algonquin started on Il
tour of the harbor Passing down
Cooper River a fine view of the city
and the opening of the bay was present
ed. The weather was perfect. There
was not a cloud in the sky and a gentle
breeze blew from the ocean with just
a bracing touch in it, not chilly enough
to require overcoats
Passing into the bay the Algonquin
came abreast of the cruiser Cincinnati,
whose decks were manned with her crew
as we'll as the Topeka and Lancaster.
AS the Presidents vessel passed, each
ship salute of twenty-one guns was
fired. Off the fortifications of Sullivan
Island the Algonquin was greeted with
the same welcome and she passed out
to the ocean with gay streamers amid
a chorus of guns.
Just little run to the sea and the Al
gonquin turned about and re-entered the
harbor, passing around historic Fort
Sumter.
While steaming up the bay luncheon
was served in the cabin of the cutter a
short run was made up the Ashley
river, giving a view of the city's west
ern water front and then the ship was
headed back for the landing, where a
troop of the Charleston Light Dragons
was in waiting to escort the President
to his headquarters at the st. John Ho-
tel. All the ARRANGEMENTS were excel
lent and there was not a break in the
program The President seemed in high
spirits and entered with keen zest into
all the features of the occasion.
The President, accompanied by a Few
of his party and members of the Recep-
tion Committee, boarded a small steamer
which came alongside the revenue cutter
and were taken over to Fort sumter.