Smyrna times., 1907-05-01
THE JAMESTOWN
FAIR OPENED
President Roosevelt Delivered Ad-
dress and Pressed Button.
PRESIDENT AVERTED A 7 4NIC

Norfolk, Va, April 26..-With Presi-
dent Roosevelt as the guest, and with
representatives of all of the important
1ations of the world and thousands of
seople in attendance, the jamestown
Ter-Centennial Exposition was thrown
open to the public.
The city is decorated as seldom be-
fore, and the governor of Virginia has
proclaimed holiday in this vicinity.
President Roosevelt, who left Wash
ington on board the Mayfiower, arrived
off Fort Monroe He Immediately pro-
ceeded to review the magnificent fleet
Of foreign and American warships now
at anchor in Hampton Roads. This i'm
posing ceremony and brief reception
to the flag officers on board the May
flower ended, the president set out for
the shore, landing on the exposition
grounds. He was driven at once to the
reviewing stand on Lee parade-a
magnificent drill ground skirted by
blossoming apple trees, and there de-
livered the opening and dedicatOry ad-
dress of the exposition. President
Roosevelt concluded by pressing gold
button as a signal for the formal open
ing of all the finished departments of
the enterprise. The president and his
immediate party then received several
hundred invited guests in the audi
torium building and after this func-
ton were entertained at luncheon. He
returned to the reviewing stand to re-
view the land parade of soldiers and
sailors, several companies of the latter
being landed from the foreign vessels.
This concluded the opening cere-
monies.
Not the least impressive incidents of
the days events was the quick action
of the president in assuming command
of the situation in front of the crowded
grandstand from which he spoke when
panic seized the surging throng of
spectators. Pressed against the guard
ropes by thousands of eager persons
in the rear of the gathering who were
forcing their way forward, the safety
of life and limb of those who had the
more favored positions were endan-
gered. President Roosevelt had just
been introduced by Harry st. George
Tucker. the head of the jamestown
Exposition company, when the disorder
and unrest in the crowd reached its
height and the civil guards in front of
the grandstand seemed about to be
swept from their posts. With the
agility of a schoolbOy, the president
jumped upon the table which had been
placed in the speakers balcony and
waving his arms, cried out to the men
of Virginia to live up to their tradi
tions of gallantry and cease the push
ing and crowding which was threat
ening the lives of the women and chill
dren in the assemblage, throng which
all but blocked the big grass-covereC
plaza known as Lees parade.
The crowd needed the PRESIDENT
warning at first, but when he had set
tied down into his speech and thu
words were fairly blown from hi
mouth by the southeasterly gale whicl
was sweeping the great parade, tn
immense audience became uneas
again and those on the outskirts begal
to press forward once more in thei
anxiety to catch the words which wer
being borne away in the blusterin
summer wind. The president was il
terrupted, and mounted officers an
men of the United States cavalry wer
called in to take charge. They rode u
and down along the front of the crow
and gradually opened it up and r.
lieved the pressure, which at one tim
threatened to hurl an avalanche {
humanity against the presidents stan
and the boxes occupied by the distil
guished members of the diplomat
corps. A detachment of artilleryme
on foot also was called into servic
and the thousands who came to Sc
and hear the president at last settle
down into a peaceful assemblage.