Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-11
new ORLEANS IN CAY DRESS
Crescent City Ready to Give Taft
Royal Southern Welcome.
BANQUET DISHES A LA CREOLE
State Secured for Finest Fish and
Game and CelIars for Oldest
Wines to Delight Presi-
dentiaI Palate.

PORT EADS, La, Feb. 10.-A wireless
message from the batteship North Caro-
lima states that President-elect Taft has
declared the program outlined by the New
Orleans committee for his entertainment is
agreeable in every way and that he will
meet the committee eight miles below New
Orleans at o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
A northerly blow this morning was the
first heavy weather encountered by Presi-
dent-elect Taft and party while making the
trip from Colon to the Mississippi river
passes aboard the armored cruisers North
Carolina and Montana On the whole the
weather has been unusually pleasant.
NEW ORLEANS, La, Feb. 10.-Although
the time scheduled for the arrival of Presi-
| dent-elect Taft is several hours off, New
Orleans awoke today already prepared to
greet the distinguished visitor, who is ex-
pected at o'clock Thursday afternoon on
the return trip from Panama
Last night a wireless message bore the
news up to the city of the arrival at the
| mouth OF the river of the scout cruiser
Birmingham, which will lie in the offng
until the North Calolina and Montana are
sighted and will then prepare for the trans
fer of the president-elect who will leave
come up the river on the Birmingham. A
heavy thunderstorm late yesterday played
havoc with many OF the decorations which
had been placed In honor Of the president
elect and caused some anxiety on the part
OF those who imagined the storm was also
raging in the gulf. The decorations were
replaced early today, however. and marin
! ers gave assurances that the North Caro-
lima could not possibly have made such
good time as to have gotten within the
storm area.
| Already requests are reaching this city
| from towns along the route between New
| Orleans and Cincinnati asking that the
i president-elect be notified Of their desire
to have him make speeches and acknow-
ledge their welcome. While civic and
military parades, tours TO points of historic
interests and receptions are all to play a
prominent part in the entertainment during
| his two days stay in New Orleans, 1t is
very apparent that the $25-a-plate banquet
| on Friday night is to be made the princi-
| pal feature Of the visit 1t is planned to
bring the list of those subscribing to the
banquet up TO the 1000 mark. so cost will
not be a deterrent factor in the success OF
the feast.
Viands for Taft Palate.
The very finest fish and game which can
be procured within 100 miles of New
Orleans will be used I'm preparing the
dishes all Of which will be cooked a la
creole by the most skllful chefs.
Many imaginary menus have been made
up and circulated as the official bill of
fare, but the chefs and others are still
busy considering what will be best to
serve. Some insist upon "poulet creole, -
young chickens stuffed with fresh mush-
rooms, while others declared that teal duck
with a carefully prepared pecan nut butter
would be much more appeuzing. Many
favor crawfish bisque, but others hold out
for the old fashioned creole gumbo. The
fish will be either pornpano OF sheepshead
and will be cooked in wine. There will be
a fruit salad In which the principal ingre-
dents will be pineapples bananas oranges
grape fruit, celery and a rich creole dress.
ing Biscuit glace. pralines OF cocoanut
and other sweet things will be served fol
the last courses.
Old cellars have been ransacked and
wines OF rare vintage unearthed for the
occasion. There will be a montilado
chateau LaFette and many other fine Ole
wines. which, according to the chefs. have
been stored away for so many years tha
rakes will be required to separate then
from the eobwebs which have formed ovei
the bottles.
A feature OF the banquet is TO be tn,
serving OF the cafe Broulot Several hun
dred silver bowls have been secured anC
the coffee. rich with the aroma OF spices
and cognac. will be stirred with silver
ladies By barlies chanting old creole songi
while the alcohol is burning.
Cardinal Gibbons. who will pronounc,
the invocation at the banquet arrived las
night
Taft Party Heard From.
PORT EADS, via New Orleans. Feb TO-
Wireless communications received hert
today say that Presidens-elsct Taft AnC
party are reported 800 miles off the passe,
at the mouth OF the Mississippi river II,
is due to arrive at South Pass at mid
/ al