The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-25
IMMENSE THRONG
 VAS IN EVIDENCE E
 Grt It Multitude 1hrongcd the Union Passenger Station POLICE FORCE WAS TAXED Trains Filled With visitors-Police Subject to Hardships, and Force
 of 500 Would Have Been
 Kept Busy.
POLICE FORCE WAS TAXED

Amid the music of hundreds of whistles, the strains of several bands and the waving of flags and bunting, one hundred thousand or more people surged the streets of Birmingham yesterday eager in their endeavor to get glimpse of President Roosevelt
 Every available nook and corner along and cn Twentieth street from the union depot to Capitol park was literally packed with human beings long before Roose- veits train was due to arrive, and the buildings never before presented a more attractive appearance. All the windows of the big sky y-scrapers were filled with expectant faces. and in many cases the line was two and three deep in various offices. This was true of the. Woodward the First National bank the Lnn. Dos ter-Northington, Hood and other big structures.
 Many men sought the ladder leading through the skylights of smaller build ings, and crowds were on top of nearly every house on Twentieth street. Tele- graph poles were sought by those who had no fear of becoming entangled with live wires and the small boys sought
 
 would lift them up above the surging mass of humanity that lined the street and sidewalks along the presidential route.
 The Densest Crowd.
 Probably the densest crowd was at the union station. Every train that reached the city during the day had extra coaches and every coach was crowded to its ut most capacity. Besides the thousands of visitors, the station was the rendez- vous for thousands of negroes, who want ed to get first glimpse of the President They literally swarmed in the waiting rooms set aside for them and pressed their faces against the rails and walls or the station until they were blue in the face. Thousands of negroes were also in line on and along Twentieth street from the depot to First avenue.
 All of that portion of the passenger station used by the trains was set aside for the soldiers and the various commit tees. the largest of which was the re- ception committee. The railroads agreed to keep all trains out and after every person entitled to admission had been allowed to enter it presented an animated appear ance. There were old Confederate vet erans. members of the Grand Army of the Republic, boys from Howard college, various companies from the National Guard the cavalry troops, the artillery boys and several hundred citizens all ready to give one grand hurrah when the Presidents train pulled in from Mont" gomery.
 At Capitol Park.
 As early as 12 o'clock in the day peo- ple began to gather at Capitol park, and many thousand surrounded the sneakers stand long before the presiden- tiaI party arrived. So thick was the crowd that 1t was almost impossible for the parade to pass along the street, and the reception committee was never able 10 reach the stand. Ropes had been stretched from Sixth street to the park, but they were like so many frail needles of thread for the strong mass that pushed against them until they gave way. It was the intention of the committee in charge to keep the crowd out of the street until the members of the committee and others in the parade had passed through and se- cured their places near the stand. This was found to be impossible and the com mittee had to wedge its way through the crowd.
 The Police.
 The police department was subjected to many hardships. After 1t was all over there was much praise for the small band of bluecoats, who made their first ap- pearance in their new winter uniforms They did it is claimed, the best they could, considering the small number. and it was said that 300 policemen could not have handled the crowd that pushed and showed to get near the President when he reached the park.
 Lieutenant Hagood had charge of the policemen stationed at the stand, and the policemen stationed along Twentieth street were directed by Lieutenant Egan. Chief Wier and Captain Johnson directed the fifteen mounted men who rode abreast at the head of the procession Those on horses were: Policemen Nix, Givens, Todd Hickman, Bennett, Cole, Dickson. Armstrong, Stokes, Whitney, Cornett, Burson, Perieerson, Hawkins and Fully. During the entire parade there was no disorder of any kind, other than the con tinual jam and shove of the crowd, which was always attended with the best of humor.