The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-28
THOUSANDS WITNESS PREsI-
DENT LAY CORNER STONE.
GAME OUT ON GRAY HORSE
President Energies from the Yellow
stone Park Mounted on Same
Horse He Rode In.

Gardiner, April 24.-The regular
train arrived at Gardiner about J
o'clock in the Afternoon, and a rusf
was made for the hotels and saloons
by the hungry and thirsty crowd. Coco
arrangements for handling and feed
ing the throng had been made by the
people of Gardiner, and none suffered
for the necessaries of life. At about
2 O'Clock a long line OF four-horse
coaches came out of the park and
were lined up to be photographed.
There were ten or more Of the
coaches and they made a fine appear.
ance. The arrangements for laying
the cornerstone were in the hands of
Captain Chittenden. A space around
the place had been roped of, the stone
being suspended from a crane. Guards
were posted around the spot at points
OF vantage on the closely surround
ing hil1sidcs, where they could over
look the crowd, and a roped pathway
from the road to the speakers stand
was lined with cavalry. 1t was ar
ranged that the exercises should be-
gin promptly at 4 o'clock and the wait
OF two hours was occupied in looking
over the work done so far on the arch,
and in listening to music by the band.
h second train from Livingston ar
rived at 3 o'clock.
There e several hundred Masons
on this train and they fell in line and.
headed by the band, marched up the
hill to the hotel where headquarters
for the day yer established. Short.
~ after Troop B, the gray troop of
the Third cavalry, reached the scene
and lined up in front of the pathway
to the arch.
Then tie Masons came forth from
their hall and, clad in their aprons
and headed by the band, marched to
the enclosure and took up their posi-
tons, the grand officers on a slightly
raised platform.
Greeted With Cheers.
For the next half hour every vehicle
that came out of the park was greeted /
with cheers, but it was 10 minutes al
ter 4 0 clock before the presidential
party made it's appearance around the |
bend half a mile distant. Besides
the president and Major Pitcher there
were a few army officers in the party. |
All We're splendidly mounted and the
cavalcade came down the road at a
sweeping gallop. The president was
mounted on the same gray horse
which he rode into the park 16 days
ago. He was clothed in black coat.
military trousers and a soft black
hat. He looked well and appeared to
be in the best of health.
AS he drew near the cavalry pre-
sented salutes and the band played
Hail Columbia" There we're fully
5000 people in and around the roped
enclosure. AS the president dis
mounted there was a mighty cheer
OF welcome.
Ceremony Is Begun.
The president seemed pleased and
repeatedly raised his hat to the cheer
ing multitude. He was Immediately
escorted to the place of the corner
stone laying, and the ceremony be-
gan at the proper moment. The pres
ident spread the cement and the stone
was lowered into place. The box plac-
in the stone contains a record of
the proceedings of the last meeting
OF the grand lodge, it's code OF laws,
several coins, a bible, articles written
many years ago by Cornelius Hedges
OF, Helena, advocating the creation of
the Yellowstone park, some park
a photograph of President
Roosevelt, a copy of the Montana Daily
Record. the Livingstone Enterprise,
the Livingston Post and the Gardiner
Wonderland.
At the conclusion of the ritualistic
work the president was escorted to
the speakers stand built eight feet
above the ground on the arch wall.
His appearance there was the signal
for more cheering. The president then
delivered his address,
Tribute to Old Soldiers.
The president held the manuscript
IL his address in his hand hut did not