The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-05-07
THE PRESIDENT IN ST. LOUIS
The Chief Executive Was Taken In
mediateIy to Good Roads fleet.

"euialciy W oooS NoS>oo IiSS'.
st. Louis. Special.-President Roose-
velt arrived "Wednesday afternoon to
participate in the dedication ceremo-
nies of the Louisiana Purchase Expo
sition. 1t was expected generally that
he would leave his train at the union
station and a dense throng had con-
gregated there. But to avoid such an
assemb.age there, arrangement were
made to have him leave the train at
Forsythe Junction. three miles from
tn @ centre of the city. Members OF the
national commission OF the Worlo S
Fair. a reception committee headed by
President Francis and crowd OF spec
tators were present to welcome the
President.
President Francis. CT the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition, seized the hand
Of the President and gave him an in
formal welcome to st. Louis. Mayor
Wells and others shook hands with the
President. who was at once driven OF
to the good roads convention. Just as
the carriage started. middle~aged wo-
man rushed through the line OF offl-
GERS, wildly waving her handkerchief
and vociferously cheering the Presi-
dent She attempted to reach in and
seize his hand, but the quichening pace
Of the horses prevented and although
she ran after the vehicle, still cheering
aid waving her handkerchief for the
distance of half block, she was final
ly distanced and lost in the crowd.
The military companies and pla-
toon of police had been waiting two
blocks away and as soon as the line OF
carriages appeared a slower march was
taken up to cover the three miles to
Oden Hall. People were congregated
along the streets and wildly cheering
as the President passed. He continually
doffed his hat in acknowledgment.
The hall was packed with crowd
which had been waiting patiently for
hours.
The President spoke of good roads
in tones which showed. as we'll as his
words, that he was thoroughly in SYM
pathy with the object of the assicia-
tions. Roads" he declared. "tell the
greatness OF nallon. The influence OF
the nations which have not been road
builders has been evanescent. Rome,
the most powerful Of the old civiliza-
tions, left her impress on literature and
speech; she changed the boundaries OF
nations. but palmer than anything
else lett to remind us of the Roman
civilization, are the Roman roads" At
this point in the Presidents speech the
crowd rose. cheerei and waved hats
and handkerchiefs. The President de-
%lared that good roads probably were
the greatest agency for regulating the
flow from the country to the city Of
young men and young women.
From OGeon Hall the President was
driven at a sharp trot to st. Louis Uni
vcrsity. \ few minutes were spent
here, after which the President and
Other guests repaired to the home Of
President Francis for dinner.
President Cleveland arrived over the
Baltimore G Ohio Southwestern at $50
o'clock. 25 minutes late, and large re-
ccption committee was waiting for him.
The members Of the diplomatic corps
arrived shortly before. AS Mr.. Cleve-
land alighted from the train. he was
warmly greeted by President Francis.
who had driven rapidly to the depot
after greeting President Roosevelt at
Forsythe Junction. The members of the
committee crowded around and Mr..
Cleveland was unable to proceed for
several minutes, so thick was the
throng about him. A passage was
finally cleared and with President
Francis he walked through the aisles
formed by the crowd and entering a
carriage was driven to the residence Of
President Francis. where President
Roosevelt is also a guest.