, 1905-03-09
R0oSEvELT'S INAUGURATION
Description Of that Imposing Event by
Our Washington cornes-
pendent
Washington, March 4, '05

u II ipStS- WI iN'hi
of cannon, and sounds of revelry
(at the inaugural ball) by night,
great crowds and much confusion.
But what a contrast to the tragedy
enacted on the plains of Manchur-
ia on the other side of our planet,
grown so small and neighbCrly
since the Harvesting of steam and
lightning.
| have Just returned from the
Capitol, where with due %formality
President Roosevelt has been in
augurated in the presence of a
greater mass of Americans than
ever before assembled for a like
event. The entire ceremony was
arranged and carried out with the
greatest precision.
The President left the White
House for the Capitol at III O'Clock
precisely. His carriage was sur
bounded by a group of his own
Rough Riders, those who had been
with him in Cuba and at San
Juan Hill. In about 20 minutes
thereafter he reached the Capitol
and went to the splendidly decor
ated Presidents room, where he
was engaged in signing bills as
fast as they were brought to him
from the Senate and the house.
At ten minutes before II, accom-
panied by the members of his
Cabinet, he entered the Senate
chamber, where at precisely II the
Vice resident-elect Senator Fair
banks, approached the presiding
officers desk and took the oath of
office, Then the President, arm
in-arm with the Chief Justice of
the United States Supreme Court,
and followed by the Nice-Presi-
dent, the Speaker OF the House,
the members of the diplomatic
corps, the accredited members of
the press, both Houses of Cong
ress, and finally by the occupants
of the reserved galleries of the
Senate, proceeded to the great
stand which had been erected in
the plaza east of the Capitol.
The President assembled the
platform in the center of the stand
the Chief Justice administered the
oath of office, and President
Roosevelt for the first time became
president by the direct choice of
the people of the United States.
His address was very short, not
occupying more than ten minutes,
and you have doubtless, ere this
received copies of it.
AS soon as the President was
sworn a telegram was sent to the
Navy Yard and the Monitor Puri-
tan, with its ten inch guns, sent
forth its laundering salute. The
Presidents salute is u guns, fired
at one minute intervals, and the
guns at Fort Myer, across the Po-
tomac, and at Fort Foote, seven
miles down the river, took up the
roaring refrain and answered each
with twenty-one guns.
From the inaugural stand the
President returned to the Presi-
dents room in the real OF the sem
ate chamber and held a PREF re-
ception, receiving the c%ongratula-
lations of those who had access to
to the room. He then drove rap
idly to the White Hoose. Sur
rounded by his Rough Riders and
Troop A, of the New York militia,
he reached the White House and
after a hurried luncheon, took his
place on the reviewing stand, fac
ing Layfaettte Square, and for
three hours the great procession,
civic and military, marched rapid
ly by, the officers saluting and be-
ing saluted in return by the Pres
ident.
Pennsylvania Avenue has been
the scene of many military pag.
eants since Sherman's war-worr