Omaha daily bee., 1907-10-03
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PRESIDENT ~ AIN
Heavy Downpour Drenches ~, 70
During st. Louis ParadtE
TUMULTUoUs WELCOME is CIV. i.
Fifteen Governors Greet Executive
When He Lands.
SPEAKS ON WATERWAYS PROBLEM
Says Government Must Take Hand
in Deepening Mississippi.
GROWTH OF NATIONAL POWER
Increase in Commerce of All Kinds
brings Up Many New Questions
that Require Careful
Treatment.
Says Government Must Take Han!
in Deepening Mississippi.
GROWTH OF NATIONAL POWER

ST LOUIS oct. 2-Welcomed by
screaming whistles, changing bells. thun-
dering intonations of bursting bombs and
the huzzahs from thousands of human
throats, President Roosevelt landed at 81.
Louis at 9.47 O'Clock this morning mark
ing the first stop on his voyage down the
Mississippi river from Keokuk Ia, to
Memphis, Tel where he win attend the
Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways asso-
citation convention Friday. The cruise Is
the presidents active response to gen
eral Invitation from the governors Of the
states along the Mississippi river, given
in the belief that he will be so impressed
with the enormous waste Of freight-carry-
ing energy that he will exert powerful in
huence in favor of committing the gov
ernment to act with definite and larger
spirit toward deepening the great inland
channels for navigation by ocean-going
craft.
The entrance Of the steamer Mississippi.
bearing the president into the harbor Of
st. Louis was announced by the firing of
bombs and blowing of whistles. Tens of
thousands of persons lined both shores of
the river, and across Eads bridge the
main viewpoint, stretched a chain of hu-
manity, solldly packed from the Illinois to
the Missouri side.
Fifteen Governors welcome Him.
with the stateliness OF a naval review.
the escortng steamboats, maintained their
line OF procession and swept along to the
point of landing, at the foot Of Olive
street. where they halted The Miss.s-
sippi steamed on down to the end OF the
course and then returned, plowing slowly
up stream to effect landing. AS Presi-
dent Roosevelt stepped ashore he was
welcomed by fifteen governors from varl-
Gus states, congressman and city digni-
taries.
The morning had dawned bright and
clear. but by o'clock clouds began to
gather. Efforts were made to rush the
program along because OF the threatening
weather. The line of procession wac
quickly formed for the drive to the Jai
Alai building. in the western portion of the
city, FIVE miles from the river, where the
president was to deliver his speech
Gordon OF mounted police led the way,
then company OF United States cavalry
and the presidents carriage, containing
also Mayor Wells and three secret service
men. Following came twenty-five car
riages bearing the visiting governors and
other dignitaries, with a military band
and two companies of infantry from JEFF
ferson barracks bringing up the rear.
President IL Drenched.
BY the time the procession had proceeded
eight blocks the skies opened and the
president and his welcoming hosts were
instantly drenched. The horses were
whipped up and, regardless of professional
formation, the president was hurried to
the Jai Alai building.
The president began speaking at 11:2O
a. m.
President Roosevelt concluded speaking
at 12:23 p. m. The weather had cleared
and the sun was shining brightly as he
again entered his carriage and drove off
to the jefferson hotel. amid cheering of
the multitude. He was oflcially enter
tanned at luncheon at the Jefferson hotel.