Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-10-24
OVER 1000 PEOPLE
GREET JUDGE TAFT
Great Throng Waits an Hour in
Square to Hear Him.
HOT BOX ON THE ENGINE
CAUSES VExATiOUS DELAY

CAUSES VExATi0US DELAY
Crowd Rushes PeIl Nell to Railroad
When Belated Train Arrives-Judge
Taft Introduced to Multitude by
Senator Scott-Train Pulled Out
before He Had Spoken 10 Minutes.
From -he World of Tuesday:
A crowd of people estimated at over
1000 greeted Judge William H. Tart
when the special train from Baltimore
over the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
pulled up to the station at S:lo
o'clock this morning. The cheers OF
the pultitude had a fitting a~cconhpanl
ment in the strains Of America
played by Comrey's band.
The train was an hour and a qudf-
ter late according to the schedule an
nounced here last evening. The exa
perating delay was caused by a hot
box on the engine at Gaithersburg,
midway between Washington and
washington Junction. The train
moved slowly from there to Bruins
wick, where the passenger engine was
replaced by a freight engine which
pulled the special over the Cunber-
land division.
The train was scheduled to arrive
here at z O'Clock this morning, and
which was so announced in the local
papers, and that Judge Taft you'd
speak from the pavilion in the public
square The probable duration of his
speech was not mentioned, but it was
presumed that it would be at least
half an hour. With this in mind the
square was thronged with people a
few minutes after Z O'Clock, eagerly
watching for the arrival of Judge
Taft, hut he didn't come. Comrey';
band played several selections to keep
the people in good humor while they
stood there in the chilly air, but their
patience vas beginning to wear a lit
tie on the edge. Finally at ten min
utes of eight o'clock a committeeman
announced in a loud voice hat as
the train was late Judge Taft would
speak from his car. Then there was a
wild rush for the railroad and the
crowd in the square soon melted
away.
The train stopped a little distance
south Of the station ami there was a
mad rush for vantage ground at the
real platform of the last Ear so as to
see the distinguished visitor even il
he could not be heard. OF course
only a small portion of the immense
throng was able to hear him or wen
get a sight of him until the train
pulled out for Cumberland.
The appearance of United States
Senator Scott on the platform was the
signal tor hearty applause, but a mo-
ment later when Mr.. Taft stepped out
onto the platform a prolonged cheer
went up from the expectant people.
Senator Scott merely presented Judge
Taft in a word.
Judge Taft said that he was gald to
see so many West Virginians, esrec-
tally at such an early hour in the
morning. and that he appreciated the
compliment implied in the fact of
their having waited an hour for the
arrival of the train. Judge Taft at
once touched on the panic through
which the country has passed this
year. But, he said, this differs very
materially from the panic of 1893,
which was general all owe the coun-
try, while the panic. of 1908 is n
only in spots-there is none west of
the Mississippi river and none at all
what the country most wants along
this line is a restoration of confidence
and that. happily, is approaching.
Judge Taft took occasion to give
his democratic rival for the presiden-
cy a rap for his financial vagaries. He
said Bryan was FOR free silver in 1896,
again in 1900 and still again in 1904,
and that he is still for it.
Judge Taft was just commencing to
warm up to his subject when, to the
disappointment of the people. the
train pulled ava from the station, he