Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-05-05
]. q. Meek Much Impressed by
Military Pageant at ST. Louis.
PRAISES THE TROOPS FROM IOWA
Tells Of the Notables Who Were With
President Roosevelt on the Review
ing stand-says Procession is the
Greatest He Has Ever Seen.

The dedication day parade at the
new Louisiana Purchase exposition
city on Thursday has been pronounced
by many the grandest military pageant
ever seen in America. Soldiers from
all over the country, regulars and
state troops, took part in the process
sion which was witnessed by citizens
coming from New York and San Fran
cisco and the intermediate points, and
reviewed by President Roosevelt j.
q. Meek, of Ottumwa, was among the
many people from this city who were
present to witness the celebration of
the real beginning of the work of
preparation for the worlds fair to be
held next year in the Missouri metrop-
oils, and in letter to the Courier re-
ceived today he gives some interesting
facts regarding the parade as he saw
it. His letter is as follows:
(. Dear Courier: l am sitting in the
press stand directly opposite the re-
viewing stand. President Roosevelt
and his cabinet are seated under a
beautiful canopy The various build
lngs in a partial state of completion
are grouped around. The varied indus
try building is completed as to the out
side and is pronounced more beautiful
than any building at the Chicago
worlds fair. The material is not white,
but is beautifully painted. Close to
this stand is remarkable figure.
1t represents the Indian territory,
and is large figure of an In
dian maiden. The guns are booming
and the grand procession is coming.
The carriage containing the President
stops, and he and ex-President Grover
Cleveland step out at once. He is sur
rounded by eight or ten men in silk
hats and is conducted to a seat, Gro
yer to the right. To the left sits a
young man, alert and keen of eye. No
one shakes his hand; he rises occa-
sionally and scans the crowd. A
Washington man says he is the dead
shot" man. 1t is chilly. General Miles
comes upon the stand. He does not
shake hands with the President. The
guests carriages approach, each car
rying a flag. The cabinet members
alight and bow to the President. The
bugle sounds the state governors ap-
proach Governor Odell of New York
is at the head of 1,400 troops. He
faces his horse to the President.
Major Generals Corbin and Bates
come up to the President and COM
ment upon the appearance of the New
| York troops. Roosevelt seemed to
study the men closely, not move
ment escaping his notice. But, here is
| General Fred Grant-nothing seems
| too good for him. He is the very pic
| ture of his father as he wheels his
horse and bows to the President. He
dismounts and stands beside Teddy"
/ The great dignitaries come to shake
his hand, Cardinal Gibbons and the
ambassadors. If he were only an ag-
gressive man he might count for more.
Now comes Governor Cummins at
! the head of the Iowa troops, makes a
graceful bow before the President, al
| lows an orderly to take his horse, and
! Iowa's governor stands beside the ma
tons chief executive. The Iowa
| troops look superb. | have seen mill
tary professions from California to
/ Washington but this one beats them
1 all. The regulars were nearly an hour
passing the reviewing stand. All the
bands were mounted. They came
from the various forts through the
country. The artillery made Won
derful appearance, as did also the New
| York crack cavalry, composed OF mil
llionaires' sons largely.
We passed through the grand stand
/ and entered beautiful tent where the
President and his party were beins
4 entertained after the procession. FREQ
Grant and General Fitzhugh Lee came
in together, recalling wildly tht
scenes of the great struggle OF 1S61-5
i The President ate while standing Neal
him was the colored man, Parker
. who had knocked down Mckinley''
assassin at Buffalo. He is in the gov
eminent secret service now.
Roosevelt and Cleveland spoke II
the liberal arts building, a chorus Q
5000 voices rendered song service
! and when | took seat in the parquet
| heard the minister from Japan tall
in the beautiful tones oil the Anglo
Saxon tongue.
4 Only hundred years ago this spo
was wilderness and in France wa
thought to be largely a desert. TIL
magic touch of freedom TRANSFORMS
this vast Louisiana purchase into tn
!. home of a proud and freedom loving
people, The men who Wer