The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-05-08
ESTABLISHED 1886.
ROOSEVELT AT SHARON SPRINGS
Sunday Was a Historic Day for the
People Of Wallace County.
The President Went to Church, Rode Horse
back, and Mixed With the People Like
an OId-Time Accommodated
land People Were There.

Sunday was no doubt the biggest day
in the history Of Wallace county, and its
county seat town-Sharon Springs.
President Roosevelt Sundayed there
He Is made of the old time Dutch stock
and took matters as easily AID informally
as one can imagine. AS soon as he
arrived there the evening of the day be-
fore, he set out with q few companions
for a walk over the prsiries and proved
to be the best pedestrian Of the company.
In the morning at IL O'Clock he attended
church, mixing with old and young Ia q
promiscuous manner, and in the after
noon he mounted a broncho and rode
thirty miles over the country 70 the
north Of the town.
At Sharon Springs perhaps 200 people
were waiting when the train pulled in at
= $50 o'clock. One small lamp shed its
feeble rays over the depot platform, but
the lights from the presidential train
did better.
The president told the people that he
had come to spend Sunday with them,
because he wanted a quiet day, and he
thanked them for their welcome.
The side track where the presidential
train stood over Sunday was roped of,
leaving about 40 feet Of space on each
side of the train. Local guards in charge
OF the sheriff of Wallace county, kept the
people outside the ropes. This gave the
secret service men in the presidents
party a chance to rest, although one Of
them stayed on guard at night.
About . people from GOOdIand were
in Sharon Springs Sunday and were not
disappointed in their visit. The presid-
ent proved to be "seeabIe" man. Nearly
all Of the GOOdlandites had the oppOr-
tunity Of shaking hands With the chief
executive, and a very few had the honor
of conversing briefly with him.
Sharon Springs did all in her power TO
take care of the people who iOurneyed
there on this great occasion. The peo-
pie OF the border counties will not soon
forget the events of May 3, 1908, now
gone into history with all its personal
recollectiOns.
Leaving out the trip made through
the west by Grant in 1874, it is only Of
recent years that the president Of this
country has showed himself to this stall
wsrt portion of his population. Most Of
the presidents could hardly be coaxed
west of the Mississippi river, and they
died in ignorance Of the magnitude OF
the country and the greatness Of its
people. The west is becoming more and
more a factor in the affairs of the nation
and Roosevelt is the first president to
sieze upon the opportunity and to declare
the greatness of the west.
The services in the little Methodist
church at Sharon Springs Sunday morn
ing could not have been more simple nol
scarcely more impressive. The spectac-
ular element was entirely lacking. There
was no attempt to do anything for show
The sermon by Rev. DR.. Carter, pastor
of the First Presbyterian church Of
Kansas City, was Of the solid, substan
tial variety, and the entire service
seemed to come direct from the heart
The Sharon Springs people some time
ago secured a large tent from Kansal
City with view to holding the services
in that in order to accommodate all the
people, but Mr.. Loeb, secretary Of thr
president, promptly vetoed the arrange
ment and the tent was shipped back tc
Kansas City.
1t is true that the little church would
not begin to hold the people who want
ed to attend the service, for it seats onl,
about 200, and not more than twice tina
number could crowd into it. The bal