The Mena weekly star., 1907-05-02
THE EXPOSITION OPENED
Grand Naval Display of American and Foreign Warships was the
 Opening Feature.
MAYFLOWER ARRIVED AHEAD OF TIME
The Arrival of the President and Party SignaIed by the Booming of Guns From the Assembled Vessels Exposition Not Nearly Ready for Visitors.


 Norfolk, Va, April 27-The trim Mayflower, bearing the president and Mrs. Roosevelt. Secretary Loeb and a few invited guests, approaching from the eastward arrived at the head If the column of war vessels Friday morning almost an hour before the usual call for quarters is sounded aboard man-of-war As the May flower approached with rainbow flags aflutter, the American flagship boomed out the first guns of the presidential salute, In a flash the other American ships and the foreign vessels had manned their cannon and roar of 21 guns fired from each ves- sel of the fleet sounded almost simultaneously.
 The Mayflower pointed her way up the roads toward Norfolk, passing along the outer line of foreign ships, Close aboard ]" As she cleared the first of these, the visiting vessel opened fire with new series of salutes repeated in turn by every bat tleship and cruiser of the big fleet.
 Leaving the British ships astern the Mayflower was greeted with the boom- ing cannon of the German squadron, and President Roosevelt was treated to a genuine surprise The Room and the Bremen came into American waters wearing the dark gray coats of the German squadrons. As a mark of respect to the American ships, both cruisers appeared Friday in brand new coats of white paint as spick and span as the United States vessels themselves The Roon fired the first dent just as the echoes of the Good Hopes saluting cannon had died away
 The foreign flag and commanding officers were received on board from 9:S0 to 10 o'clock and they and the flag officers of the Atlantic fleet exposition grounds The president in a small launch which danced and bob bed over the waves, followed them fin a few minutes. his boat being guarded off either bow by two launches espee- tally assigned for the honor and service by Admiral Evans.
 A distinguished gathering received the president and his party at Discov- cry landing It included President Tucker and all of the general officers of the exposition. Rear Admiral P. F. Harrington, in charge of the naval programme and Maj. Cen. Fred D. Grant who arranged the military at fractions. After an exchange of greetings during which the bands played patriotic selections, the party proceeded in carriages to the grand stand The cheering crowd pressed the outsiders and surged after the line of carriages which took the most direct route around the main auditor ium building to the scene of the in- augural. The procession was triumphal one for the president but it was equalled later by the welcome given him as he entered the reviewing stand Rowing to the right and to the left his acknowledgements of the great public acclaim spurred the crowd ro renewed efforts.
 The formal programme opened with an overture by the bands Jamestown Dixie which was composed especial " for the occasion, followed by a selection by the exposition chorus and prayer by the Right Rev. Alfred Magill Randolph, bishop of the diocese of south Virginia
 After the chorus had sung the of ficial opening hymn--a beautiful and appropriate work by Wilberforce c. Owst--President Tucker faced the multitude. Mir. Fuckers address was of historical and chronological character, and at its conclusion, ns introduced President Roosevelt.
 When the president of the exposi- ton concluded 1t was some minutes before President Roosevelt could pro- ceed with his address The people enthusiasm. As he pressed the gold button which formally opened the eN- position 1t was the signal for the unfurling of a thousand or more flags on the various buildings At the same time a signal was given to the United States and foreign warships and to the garrison at Fort Monroe and all fired a salute to the Union When the echoes of the last gun died away. all of the bands on the ex- position grounds played the Star Spangled Banner" and the troops saluted the national anthem by pres enting arms and all persons present barred heads
 President Roosevelt began his ad- dress at 12;06 o'clock. That he might better be seen and heard, he mounted a table which raised him high above the heads of his audience, He was greatly concerned by the danger in the crowd to women and children To discourage enthusiasm he said at the outset that he should ask the audience to make the speech as much a monologue as pos slble
 Speaking directly to the crowd which stretched across the parade grounds. the president at the top of his voice earnestly requested that the people refrain from erowding. He called attention to the fact that there were women and children in front and said
 "lf there is one thing that marks