The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-15
THE PRESIDENT At HOME
Oyster Bay Citizens Give Him a
Rousing Welcome.
UNVEILS A TROPHY CANNON

The Warm Welcome Made More Demon
st1ative by Rival Committees-Roose-
Nslt, In . Speech, Says Ne 10 just .
NsixEb,r, and AIIudes to His Trip
Across tho Continent.
Oyster Bay, N. Y.-President Roese-
velt returned to Oyster Bay, amid in
taense enthusiasm, and the Summer
capital" of the United.States is now es-
tablished at Sycamore Hill.
Two rival sets Of citizens of this
ordinarily quiet village Wed for the
honor Of first greeting him. There were
two bands, which sometimes played
different tunes at the same time; two
marshals, two well-de6ned parts in the
parade. and two baseball games.
The Presidential special got in at
4.30 o'clock, five minutes late. The
station platform and the space for a
considerable distance near 1t We're
packed with people. When Secret
Service men and detectives piled of
and got busy with the crowd, the
President, accompanied by Secretary
Loeb, appeared on the rear platform
Of the train. A mighty shout went up
and the air was filed with futtering
handkerchiefs and swinging hats
More than 600~children from the Cove
school, which President Roosevelt's
children attend, and from the High
School here were drawn up before the
train arrived in two lines along the ave.
nue.. The girls were all dressed In
white and each carried an American
flag. The two brass bands also were
there. One in military uniform played
for the Board Of Trade, the school
teachers and the school trustees. The
other band belonged to Maurice E.
Townsends staff.
Townsend announced few days ago
that the Board Of Trade committee
for the celebration did not contain rep
resentative men. He proposed, he said
to get up celebration that would be
Of the people. He had seven colored
veterans of the Civil War and about
as many old white soldiers, besides
himself, backed up in front of his band
at the entrance to the station as the
President, fanked by the Secret Ser-
vice men and the detectives, started
off on foot through sand several inches
deep up Andria avenue. Townsend's
tooters didn't toot, and the Board OF
Trades uniformed musicians fell in
behind the President in the place Of
honor.
p,1f T,10
was said that this was a part Of the
compromise effected between the fac
tions-that the Board of Trades band
should lead the way up to the Town.
Clerks office, but that neither should
play during the trip up, and that Town.
sends band should furnish the music
on the march toward Sycamore Hill
after the exercises.
The President and his escort had not
gone far between the lines OF cheering
school children when short, thickset
man, without hat or coat, rushed out
and made for the President with out
stretched arms. The Secret Service
men sprang at him. One landed with
his fist on the mans jaw and knocked
him completely over the rope at the
side Of the road. AS the intruder fell
his shoulder struck a little girl in the
chest and she went down, too. The
breath was knocked out Of her, and it
took several minutes to bring her
around. The man who ran into the
road said he only wanted to shake
hands with the President.
Mrs. Roosevelt and five Of her chill
dren, Quentin, Kermit, Archie, Ethel
and Theodore, Jr, with Mrs. J. West
Roosevelt, were at the Town Clerks
Office waiting for the President. The
President waved to them as he came
up. There he stepped ever quickly to
the old Civil War cannon which the
Navy Department recently presented to
the Oyster Bay Board Of Education
and unveiled it. Turning. he greeted
his family and then called loudly for a
chair to stand on. Everybody was
cheering when he began to speak and
he had to make two or three starts be-
fore he could make himself heard.
President Roosevelt began by saying
that he thanked his friends and neigh
bors more heartily than he could e1-
press for coming out to greet him. He
ferred to his recent trip across the con-
tinent, and what impressed him most
on that journey, he said, was the es-
sential unity Of the American people.
He was glad to be back among those
whom he knew so we'll, and to- whom
he Is not the President, but their cid
neighbor and friend. He was particu-
larly pleased to see the children, in
whom he believes, and those of Oyster
Bay seemed to be all right in both
quality and quantity. In closing he
said he was deeply touched by the
warm greeting which he had received.
The President and his family started
for Sycamore Hill in two open car
riages. Immediately after the exer-
cises Townsend and his band started
right in behind the Presidents car
riage. MARTY" tried to shake hands
with the President over the carriage
wheel. A Secret. Service man connect
ed with him and Townsend went to the
roadside. The President saw him.
beckoned to him and Marty" got his
shake
On Sunday the President and his
family attended the Christ Episcopal
Church, of which the Rev. DR.. Wash
burn is pastor. The President spent
the greater part of the afternoon stroll
ing about the grounds Of his home. He
sat on the piazza and later took short
drive. The President will spend much
of his time driving with his family.
BIG IRRIGATION SCHEME.