The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-03-29
ROOSEVELT
INAUCURATED
Thousands Cheer the Ex=
ecutiye Enroute From
White House to
Capitol.
TAKES OATH AS PRESIDENT

F~airbanks Sworn In Before q Gorgeous
MISUNDERSTANDING Marks the
Ceremonies in the Senate Chamber
All Adjourned 30 the East Front Of
the Capitol, Where Roosevelt Took
the Oath and Delivered His InauE-
ural-His Brief Address Cheered
observation-disclosures Favors the
Auspicious Occasion-ROugh Riders
in the Personal Escort-The Two
Trips Along Pennsylvania Avenue
Dissertation of the Procession.
Washington, D. C.-Theodore Roose-
Welt took the oath Of office as twenty
sixth President Of the United States
at 1881 O'Clock in the afternoon.
There have been better Inauguration
days in Washington than this, but they
were few and far between. The rain
which the Weather Bureau predicted
the night before with a safeguarding
probably" to prevent explanations af-
terward, materialized only in q few
light drops in the early morning. There
were clouds in the sky at times the
rest of the day, but most Of the time
the sun shone brightly.
Everybody was in good humor. Only
a hidebound pessimist would not nave
been. The people on the streets and
stands and up at the Capitol and on the
big covered structure in front OF the
White House, from which the Presl-
dent reviewed the parade, told one an
other that it was Roosevelt weather"
The effect Of the pleasant weather
was visible on the crowds that from
early in the morning until late at night
thronged the streets. Good nature pre-
vailed. Those who had no tickets for
the stands went early to points along
the route of the parade and got posi-
lions Of vantage close up against the
big wire cable that was stretched along
both sides of every street over which
the inaugural procession passed.
It was a tremendous crowd, a good,
sterling American crowd. 1t stretched
from Washington Circle. half a mile
west Of the White House, to the Capt.
tol, a mile east Of the Presidents a
zion, and up and around Capitol Hill
to the east front Of the Capitol. At
many places it was a dozen deep on
both sides of the street. How many
tens of thousands composed this great
swarm of standing humanity it would
be useless even to conjecture.
More tens Of thousands had better
places on the dozens of big stands and
little stands. all Of them decorated in
red, white and blue, while thousands
more viewed the parade from the win
dows Of houses along the way. Nearly
everybody had a flag or a stick tied
with red, white and blue ribbons, and
these were waved whenever there ap-
peared to be any call for enthusiasm.
Housetops were crowded, too. and the
many big trees with which Pennsylva-
mia avenue is lined were black with
delighted small boys.
Fairbanks Takes The Oath.
The inauguration& proper took place
at the Capitol. Here was the mecca of
those fortunate enough to secure the
necessary tickets which entitled the
holders to admission to the great old
building, whose massive dome is yisi-
Bile from every section Of the city.
The interest was in the Senate wing,
for it was in that part Of the building,
in tine famous chamber Of the upper
house, that the inaugural program was
to be begun.
The Senate galleries filled rapidly
when they were opened to ticket hold
ers.
Down on the floor the Senators sat
around and told stories while they
waited for the ceremonies to begin.
The hands of the clock under the dip
lomatic gallery and over the main
doorway indicated a quarter past IL.
There was a stir over in the executive
gallery. Its swinging doors opened
and Mrs. Roosevelt and her children
entered, followed by the relatives and
intimate friends whom the President
had asked to the ceremony.
With the exception of the Justices OF
the Supreme Court ana the memoefs
of the House and the President him.
self, all were in their seats by 11.30
o'clock. The Justices of the Supreme
Court entered in a body at 11.45 O'Clock
and were announced. The members
of the House of Representatives, head
ed by their officers, were announced at
11.5O. The Congressional Committee
on Arrangements then proceeded to
the Presidents room and notified Mr..
Roosevelt that all was in readiness.
The President, who had been escorted
to the Capitol from the White House
by a squadron Of Troop A, New York
National Guard, a portion of his vet
eran Rough Riders and the Congress
sional Committee, went at once to the
Senate chamber, and after being an
nounced by the sergeant-at-arms was
escorted to a seat directly in front of