The Topeka state journal., 1903-04-25


Rutherford B. Hayes visited Topeka
September 26, 1879. and President Ben
Jamin Harrison visited Topeka October
10, 1890 President Mckinley was also
here but it was before his election to
the presidency.
When President Hayes was a guest
of Topeka. receptions were managed
differently than they are now. At four
O'Clock on the morning of the day Pres
lednt Hayes was to arrive a special
train consisting of baggage car and
three coaches, left the Santa Fe depot,
for Neosho, to meet the president and
his party Everyone and their wives,
children and friends went on that train
Governor John p. St John and family;
Treasurer Francis and family: Superin-
tendent Weleh and family; the judges
Of the supreme court, and their families
and so on down the line. There was a
train load The Capital city Guards
and a brass band We're among the 9TH
CT important features on the train The
party took breakfast at Emporia ullc-
ton. President Hayes spent the night
at Parsons.
The night before the presidents ar
rival Mayor NJ. H. Case called a meet
ing of the citizens of Topeka. to be held
at the council chamber. to form plans
for the reception. 1t was decided to
give President Hayes the biggest send
off, he got on the trip In that respect
citizens were the same then as they are
now.
The president and his party were late
in arriving The train was due in To-
peka at $50 o'clock at night but 1t did
not arrive until 1870 o clock. The crowd
waited patiently at the depot till the
train did come. Dad Griffith pulled
the presidents train from Emporia
west to Dodge City and back and the
dispatches stated that Griffith pulled
the train out of Dodge like streak or
creased tightening" The grease must
have given out. or the tightening must
8. sfr1< or, r three
hours late into Topeka In that re-
spect trains We're run much the same
ia those days as now except that SO faf
President Roosevelts train has been
on time
President Hayes was met by a crowd
of citizens and a parade. already 1ornl-
ed. to act as his escort The 1916 ram
beau club occupied a prominent posl.
ton The march was up Fourth street
to Madison street. The buildings on
Fourth street were Illuminated for the
occasion. The illumination was made
bv candles stuck on laths and nalieu
across the inside of the windows OF the
Governor St. John and his stan made
part of the trip with the president anu I
arrived in Topeka with him. George ".
Veale was marshal of the parade. Inc
line Of march was to Judge N G. Nc
Farland's residence on Harrison near
Ninth street
The papers stated that When EIest7
dent Hayes appeared on the steps Oh tns
car at the depot, cheer upon cheer rent
the midnight air, cannon DopHisu
hOarsely and innumerable skyrocketA
with their long fiery tails. traversed tha
heavens and made the scene one OF no
mean or small proportions"
Mayor Case accompanied the presl-
dent in his carriage. When the Mcr ar
land residence was reached the crowd
felt no respect for sleeping hours ana
demanded a speech. President Hayes
spoke briefly. General W. T. Sherman
was wanted for a speech. 'but he was
asleep in his car Mrs; Hayes was
called for, and bowed to the crowd.
Saturday morning reception was
held at the state house The governor
rooms, where the reception was held,
had been decorated by MaSor A. P.
Shreve. The reports were that fully
5000 people shook hands with President
Hayes" A banquet was served at noon
to President Hayes and his party at the
Palace hotel. now the Union Pacific
hotel. in North Topeka Louis Caspar,
the French chef at the hotel. was GER
tain that he gave the president the best
meal he ever ate.
Capt. Hood, Capt. Sperry and Capt
Ciugston, of Topeka, were accorded a
special interview by President Hayes.
They were captains in the Twenty
Ohio regiment, of which Colonel Hayes
was the commander.
During the reception, given President
Hayes, woman picked the pocket OF
some one in the crowd and got S100 In
those days it didn't make much differ
ence whose pocket was picked and MIS-
tory does not record the name of that
individual History does record that r.
E. Ward lost $65, by reason of the work
Of pickpoclets, and the next day the
empty pocketboOk was found in the
governors Office, but Governor St John
was not suspected of the theft.
On October 10. 1900. President Benja-
min Harrison came to Topeka, early in
Of the biggest crowds that ever assem-
bled in the city, was on hand to see
him. The state C. A. r. reunion was in
! progress at the fair grounds. The
crowd which welcomed home the Twen-
+ uerh Kansas may have been larger
than the one which saw President Har-
rison, but probably no other gathering
in Topeka could equal the crowd which
! greeted President Harrison.
The Seventh United States cavalry
and the First United States artillery
were here from Fort Riley. The presi-
/ dents carriage was drawn by four SCR
i rel horses and r. II. HOdgins was the
/ driver. The presidential train arrived
from ST. Joe at 1890 o'clock and the
/ president was welcomed by a salute Of
I "A guns. General Forsythe of the regu-
/ lar army was marshal of the parade
and J. w. F. Hughes was assistant
I marshal governor humphrey ana eX-
4 Governor Osborn, of Kansas, and Gov
ernor. Grosvenor. Of Ohio. rode in the
carriage with the president.
One Of the features Of the parade was
the Wizard Oil cornet band, which was
playing a season in Topeka and lent its
services to the reception committee.
Marshall band led the parade, which
was so minutes in passing d given
point
The presidents carriage passed be-
4 tween lines of school children and each
I of the 5000 children waved a tiny flag.
+ During the parade President Harrison
remained seated, until he reached the
children, and then he stood up. He was
I driven to the stand at Ninth and Van
/ Buren streets and reviewed the parade
! from that point.
A part Of the speakers stand at the fair
grounds collapsed before President Harri-