New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-25
PRESIDENT AT GROTON.
BRIEF YISIT TO SON.
Starts Back to Washington-Ba6i
Weatker for Trip.
IBy telegraph to The Tribune. ]

II
O'Clock this evening in heavy snowstorm-
The weather clerk evidently misplaced some OF
his switches. for the weather here since yester-
day morning has been decidedly bad When
the President reached Boston on Saturday morn
ing from Washington. hour and quarter
behind time account of the bad weather. the
mercury registered degrees below zero. and an
the rest of the day it remained low down in the
bulb. The wind blew with great sharpness. and
during all the Presidents journeyings about
Boston and Cambridge winter made things as
disagreeable as possible.
The north wind reented somewhat this morn-
ing in Boston, but up at Aver and Groton. whers
the President went visit his son Kermit In
the forenoon, the thermometer had another drop
and the residents of the two little towns proved
their loyalty when they turned out I'm goodly
numbers 10 cheer for him. The President and
Mrs. Longworth made the trip to Groton. Mrs
Roosevelt and Miss Ethel went up the day be-
fore and remained night at the house Oe
DR.. William II. Gardner. brother of Congress-
man Gardner. Dr. Gardner is an instructor at
the Groton school. where Kermit is being pre-
pared for Harvard At Groton there were a
family reunion and luncheon and in the after
noon the President went for long walk with
Kermit over the snow-covered country roads
The Presidents special train left Aver for
Boston shortly after 6, and reached South sta
ton before I. There his private Magnet was
run in Track 16 to wait for the making up OF
the Federal Express, to which tt was attached
for the trip to Washington. Owing to the heavy
travel the express cut in two before leav-
ing Boston. and the Magnet and the through
sleepers were run Section l. The day coaches
followed a few minutes later.
Shortly before the Presidents departure FROM
Boston Representative Longworth who had
spent the day with friends. joined the party in
the Magnet.
HAS BREAKFAST WITH FRIENDS.
As the train moved from the South terminal
crowd Of people who had assembled gave a
series Of cheers for the President who acknowI-
edged the demonstration by waving his arms
and bowling.
President Roosevelt slept last night at tha
home of his friend. Dr.. William Sturgis Bigelow,
and there this morning he had breakfast to-
gether with few personal friends. These in
cuded Governor Curtis Guild. jr.. George H I4y-
man. collector of the port of Boston; Judge
Francis c. Lowell. of the United States Circuit
Court and Major W Austin Wadsworth. who
was formerly staff officer in the PHILIPPINES
Islands. The early morning was spent quietly
at the Bigelow home. and about 10: 80 o'clock
Mr.. Roosevelt was driven to the North terminal,
where special train waiting to take him
to Groton. Mrs. Longworth arrived before her
ciaI car, which, with two coaches, made up the
train Several hundred people we're grouped
along the approaches to the tracks when the
President and Dr. Bigelow appeared. and tho
President was given a cordial greeting as hs
passed through the station 10 his car. As the
train pulled about II o'clock Mr.. Roosevelt
stood upon the platform and waved a friendly
goodby to the spectators who cheered repeat
edIy until the train lost 10 view.
was one incident which plainly aroused the fears
of the two Secret Service men who stood at
either side of the President, and at the same time
alarmed many OF the people who chanced to sea
It. A middle aged man ran quickly down the
platform behind the Presidents car and. when
within a few feet of II. threw a paper parcel to-
ward the Presidents feet one of the detectives
tried to ward Off the parcel before 1t struck the
car but failed, The missile proved to be silk
flag inclosed in paper bag, the gift of ad-
mirer.
SPEAKS To SCHOOLBOYS.
The train reached Ayre Junction shortly be-
fore noon. Professor Gardner was at the station
with big siX-seated Russian sleigh drawn by
two horses. The first thing the President did
after alighting from the train was to shake
hands with the engineer and fireman. and then
he responded to the cheers Of people who had
assembled In his honor at the station. Ths
slelghIng is excellent in the country, and tha
President and his daughter had ride OF about
three miles to Professor Gardners home
As soon as the dinner eaten at Professors
Gardeners home the President and the others
went 20 the Hundred House of the school
buildings where Mr.. Roosevelt was introduced
from the platform to an audience made up oe
about one hundred and nifty students and
parents and friends of the pupils The President
gave what he pleased to call short ser
mon to the boys"
1T always seems good TO me to visit Groton''
he remarked in opening. and I intend IN ths
future years to make many trips here I am
the boys now here. and also Of two other boys
who will attend here later"
Mr.. Roosevelt continued by saying that when
he finished his college course his friends advised
him not to enter the governing class. as it con-
sisted mostly of an undesirable type OF persons.
but he had told them that he had fully made up
his mind take part in the work of govern
ment He resolved also. he said. TO enter tha
cavalry service so that in case of trouble ha
could do his own fighting. and not depend
others to do IT for him.
The President talked a little on the subject OF
football. and told the boys to take advantage OF
their education rightly and always play the
game of football fairly. He expressed the opin-
ion vigorously that intercollegiate football
should by no means be abolished.
"I have given sermon. though a short one"
concluded the President, "and wish good
luck to all of you
Then came a reception for all the boys OF the
school at Professor Gardner's home. where chOc-