The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-26
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
 STARTS TIE CEREMONIES
Eiuht Hundred Distinguished Guests Make the Trip Through the Tunnel With Railroad Magnates
 Hanging To Straps.

New York, February 2o.-Bearlng SOe distinguished guests, including Gov Charles E. Hughes and Gov. John F. Fort and their staffs. an official train of eight cars, marking the formal opening oi the $6O,0O0O00 tunnel and submarine sys- tenn linking New York and New Jersey, rolled out of the Manhattan terminal al 20 minutes to o'clock this afternoon, two minutes after President Roosevelt at the White House had flashed the start ing signal.
 Amid cheers from the throng assembled on the platform of the station at Nine teenth street and Sixth avenue, the train rushed away on it's journey underground beneath the hitherto unconquerable Hud- son to the Hoboken station, where there were for an hour much vocal fireworks and enthusiasm.
 10000 See the Start.
 Ten thousand persons, perhaps, wit messed the start. At 3:30 o'clock William McAdoo, president of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad company, sent the following message by 8 special wire to the White House;
 gro Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States:
 .sThe first official train of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad company awaits your signal and pleasure.
 Six minutes later the signal to start was received. Chief Motorman James Winkley had set his mechanism and as he felt the electric current flow into the controller, notched up the lever. Slowly at first. but gradually gaining momen- tun1, the train swept down the inland mile to Christopher street, where the plunge beneath the Hudson was made. As the train passed under the red, white and blue lighted signal, marking the di- viding line between New York and New Jersey the two governors rose and clasped hands while the railway officials who with the state executives, occupied the first car, shouted mutual congratulations On the crowded train was but one wom- an. Miss Grace Bigelow, who accompanied her father, John Bigelow, the publicist and former sambassador to Great Britain In spite of his S9 years, Mir. Bigelow ap- peared to hugely enjoy the occasion.
 Swinging on Straps.
 Men of millions and traction promoters themselves swung from straps as the train dipped deep at the center of the river. Among the number were E. H Harriman who chung gamely to strap and Cornelius Vanderbilt, who kept firm grasp on door jamb
 The inauguration of the system was made a holiday in Hoboken, where stores and industrial plants had closed to al low employees to attend the opening eX- ercises, while trains from all parts oi New Jersey brought excursion crowds Twenty thousand persons crowded about the new station of the Delaware, Lack awanna and Western railroad, where the formal exercises were held. The fea- ture was the reading of a letter from President Roosevelt, regretting that he could not attend the opening, and refer ring to the undertaking as the greatest subaqueous tunnel in the world.
 Governor Hughes Governor Fort Mayor Steil of Hoboken, Mayor Witt pen of Jersey City and Acting Mayor McGowan of New York spoke.
 Promptly at midnight train left the Nineteenth Street station in this city and at the same moment one left the Hoboken terminal and the use of the new system by the travelling public began.