Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-06
Life o, tho Presidents Train.
washington Letter to Philadelphia
presSl

Telegraph force. and combination din
| ing and baggage car. The private car
used by the president has, of course,
every improvement and invention for
the comfort and convenience of the
travellers. The president has for his
use a handsome bedroom fitted up with
a bass bed, wardrobe and lavatOry,
while there are similar rooms for the
use of his personal guests. There is a
dining-rOom, which Is also a lOunging
room and library at will, and a pleas
| ant sitting room or observatory in the
rear of the car. There is a comfOrta-
BILE bathroom and barber-shop; also
writing tables, with desks and easy
chairs to invite rest.
While on az extended trip Mr. ROos-
evclt ordinarily rises about O'CLOCK,
| has morning bath and is shaved by his
valet, or at times shavcs himself He
is an expert il the use of a razor while
the train is running at 50 or GO miles
an hour. For shaving under these cir
cumstances. however, he usually pre-
fers a safety razor. At o'clock he has
breakfast served and has at table with
him his secretary. Mr.. Lceb, and the
guests who may be i'm the same car
per men who are on board the train
He is an entertaining host. and the
meal is always sure 10 be enlivened
with jokes and interesting conversation.
| The president never smokes, so that
soon after breakfast is finished he sits
down to his desk and goes over the
mall This mail reaches him at various
points, and is always expedited as
much as possible. so that he is kept in
close touch With the government offices
Ill Washington.
| Just as in the White House Offices
Mr.. Loeb first goes over the mail, and
refers that which needs the presidents
personal attention to the latter. Then
there are always number of kilograms
that have reached the train during the
might, and these are read and replies
dictated if necessary. The president
disposes of his correspondence, and
never fails to send q personal letter
each day to Mrs. Roosevelt and mes
sages to the children. The remainder
of the day is spent i'll conversation with
visitors OH board.
| AS the presidential train passes
through the various states. senators
and other prominent public men visit
lit and some of them ride through the
states with the president. These men
have to be entertained, and the presi-
dent devOtes considerable time to them
discussing local and rational affairs
| When the train leaves Washington it
carries a good-sized library of current
| Literature and the latest publications.
| for the president IS an omnivorOus
reader. Much of his time. when he can
get away from the public and public
men, on the train is given up to books
and magazines. His reading takes =
wide range. Many of the books, scen-
| tfic, philosophic. or works of fiction
the president reads in the original if
ltney be by French or German authors
Mr. Roosevelt would prefer lounginS
| in comfortable business suit while
spending his ftime on the railway train
but as he is compelled to show himself
at important towns and cities, he finds
| it necessary to keep dressed up He
appears in the same sort of clothes he
usually wears during business hours at
the White House. that Is, black frock
coat and vest, with light gray trousers.
| When he goes to the observation end Of
1.-THE car to make little speech or to
bow to the, crowds at the stations. he
| outs on his silk hat. but Cor most of the
| time he is bare headed or the train.
There is not great deal of variety in
his railway life. as much the same
character of crowds are met each day.
and he has to make much the same
kind of speeches at each stopping place.
| The newspaper men and others in the
party occupy the Pullman car and IN
less their duties demand it. or they are
Invited they do not visit the president s
private car. Mr.. Roosevelt is fOnd
however of calling in the newspaper
men and chatting with them on all
sorts of subjects. and many jolly hour
! is spent il. the diningroom of his car.
Surrounded by men whom he knows
he throws Off all restraint. and discus
|cs public men and measures frankly
and breeZily.
| When the public receptions are over
and the presidents special runs out to
the edge of the Texas hunting grounds.
then Mr.. Roosevelt will begin thorough
" to enjoy himself The high hat and
| formal frock coat will be discarded. and
ne will! leave the train dressed in
hunting suit of we'll worn khaki. with
CATERS and lessins. slouch hat. or
| sombrerO. on his head and an ample
handkerchief tied about his throat. he
will mount his horse and wave gOod-by
to the train and its occupants, and be
off with few guides for the game
fields. He will not cut himself loose
altogether from the itinerant White
House, for a relay of messengers will
be ready 10 follow him and keep up
communication with the outside world.
! HIS longest hunt on this trip will be
in Colorado, and there he viii live as
close to Nature as possible. He ex-
poets to sleep outdoors in sleeping
bag. with no other shelter over him. He
is impatient to get into the mountain
| wilds and breathe the exhilarating at
mCsphere of the Rockies. What ne
does and how he lives on one of these
hunting trips are never revealed, eX-
cept as he sees fit to relate his expert
ences. His hosts are always close
mouthed. and the hunting guides would
not gossip about the presidents ex-
ploitS for a good mine.
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