The news & observer., 1905-10-24
Swarming Streets Echo
to National Songs.
BOYS IN GRAY MARCH
The Veterans Form a Guard of Honor
for the Nations Chief. The Gulf
City is All AgIoW With Decora.
tions in Red, White and
Blue.
Blue.
(By the Associated Press. J

(By the Associated PreSs.)
Mobile, Ala, Oct. 23.-All Mobile
tonight lent itself to the reception of
President Theodore Roosevelt. There
was general closing of all business
houses and along the route of the pro-
cession from the Union Station to the
stand on Bienville Square, where the
reception ceremonies took place, resi-
dences and stores were covered with
decorations of lights and bunting in
the National colors.
The route lay out Government
street, one of the most noted drives
in the South, for ten blocks, passing
the homes of some of Mobiles most
influential citizens, her chief educa-
tional institution and one of her his
toric churches. The sidewalks and
streets along Government street were
packed with humanity, and at McGill
Institute, Barton Academy, and one or
two other points, hundreds of school
children were massed, singing Ma
tional songs as the procession passed.
Cheer after cheer welcomed the
Nations chief.
The procession was headed by a
platoon of police, followed by Colonel
r. B. Dumont, of the First Regiment
Alabama National Guard, and his staff
with the Mobile battalion following.
Two companies of artillery from Fort
Morgan followed the National Guard
and then came the cadets of the Uni
versity Military School. BehiL~ the
boys came battle-scarred Confederate
Veterans as a guard of honor to the
President in whose carriage were seat
ed Judge Jules Afford, chairman of
the Committee on Arrangements,
Mayor p. j. Lyons, and Colonel Ed
ward Lafayette Russell. Following.
scanTe the 'rnembers of,.the President $;
.party and members of the arrange
sments and the reception committees
and members of the press in carriages.
A stand was erected in Bienville
Square, which when the President
arrived, was filled with 10000 citi-
zens. The area was brilliant WITH cleo
trio lights while live oaks formed
canopy Of green.
1he PresIoent reached the stand at
five o'clock wehere he was received by
a reception committee of five hundred
citizens. His seat was on an elevated
das in a chair which was built by the
students of a technical school in ia
pan. Back of the chair was a form
Gus stuffed bear, eight feet TALL bear
ing in its mouth a floral independence
bell and also over its head a White
dove holding a steamer, on which was
the inscription, BLESSED is the Peace
maker" The bear was killed in
hunting expedition by his majesty,
Alexander ii, of Russia, in 1857, ac-
cording to the inscription on a bronze
plate on the base of the mounting,
and was presented by Gar Alexander
to 1.-The Duke of Osuma, Comte fyn-
fantando, Duke De BUenevito and
L'Arcos Prince D'Ebodie." The house
- of Ebodie became extinct in the
eighties and the effects in the palace
of the Prince were disposed of by
public sale. The bear was purchased
by Hannis Taylor. then Minister of
the United States at Madrid.
Oliver j. Semmes. son of the Con-
federate Admiral Raphael Semmes,
then presented to the President and
pinnd on the lapel of his coat hand.
some souvenir badge as the gift of
the people of Mobile.
In delivering the badge, Judge
Semmes said:
MIR. President: l ask your atten-
tion for a moment. l have been dele
gated by the people of Nozzle to pre-
sent to you this token, a symbol OF
their fealty as citizens of the united
States. Though itself of little intrin-
sic value yet in sentiment in 1t rep
resents the loyalty. the worth and the
honor of as brave. chivalric and noble
people as is to be found on the face
of God Sgree n earth. We proud cltl-
zens of proud republic feel and be-
lleVe that you as the head or that
republic will by your broad views and
1udiclous actions so unite in bonds or
friendship, all sections of our loved
country. that Americans will advance
till they become the foremost of ma
uons of our loved country, that Amer
leans Will advance till they become the
foremost of nations and may without
a miSgiving defy the world in arms.
Should this awful necessity ever arise,
then the sons of the South will be
found mighty armed camp. Take
this little reminder and when YOU look
upon it amid your arduous and multi
farious duties. feel and know that the
people of Mobile have buried the past
and lok without fear to the future
recognizing that YOU as is shown by
dent of the North and South, our
whole country
The Presidents Speech.
The President was cheered as he
arose to speak He thanked the people
for the magnificent reception and
spoke a Special word of greeting to
the Confederate Veterans. who
formed a portion of his es-
cort. Referring to the Pana-
ma Canal. the President said he
did his best to bring about its COM
pletion for the benefit of the whole
people but particularly for the bene-
fit of the Gulf States Originally. he
said, he favored the Nicaragua route,
but when II was demonstrated that il