Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-11-04
TAFT'S LATENESS
TRIES V|CKSBURC
Bunglers Arranged the Schedule
for Trip Of Fleet down the
Mississippi.
HAD AN ORIGINAL METHOD
Halvcd the Maximum Speed of All
Boats-Rivcrmen Are Wondering
How the slow Ones Were FIX
pected TO Keep Up-Wiikcs
on sand Dur.
HAD AN ORIGINAL METHOD

Vicksburg. Miss, Oct. .S-President
Taft arrived at Vicksburg tonight n. $40
O'Clock on the light house tender OIean-
der. or the proud fleet that pointed nrows
out Of 81. Louis Monday afternoon, ONLY
two were in sight when President Taft
landed and rave himself into the hands
of an enthusiastic but sadly disappointed
local committee He received ioyous
welcome from several hundred faithful
watchers at the water front
The steamer Erastus Wells. originally
set apart for members of tho cabinet.
who now are on board the Oleander, and
the Illinois hearing n delegation from
Illinois, locked soon after the President
had landed.
The st Paul which started out with half
OF the governors of the United Safes or
board and the Quincy, which started with
Speaker Cannon and n large array of sem
ators and representatives as passengers
were among the slower vessels that were
nowhere to DO seen during the Presidents
stay in VicksburE
The governors and congressman de-
parked at Greenville and came to Nicks-
burg this afternoon by train. They will
board their boats again tonight for the
run to Natchez
SCHEDULE rs FORGOTTEN.
The schedule of the river trip has
gone all to pieces; and although 1t Is
planned now TO have the President wait
outside or New Orleans on Saturday until
most OF the boats can Join him there.
the chances are that this scheme will
have to be abandoned, II Mr.. Taft Is to
set foot in the Crescent city during day.
light.
In making up the schedule Of the trip
II Is said that the maximum speed of the
fast boats and the slow boats was added
together and an average speed struck for
all. This was all right for the fast ones,
but how the slow ones were expected TO
keep up Is mystery that rivermen say
they are unable to solve
President Taft tried to remain with the
fleet as long as possible but after con-
sultation at Helena last night. orders
were issued annulllng the alignment
originally made and each steamer was IN
structed to look out for itself and 10
get to New Orleans as soon a s possible.
Governors Noel of Mississippi and
Sanders OF Louisiana were taken on
board the Oleander in order that they
might be with the President at his stops
In their States.
e,,r,p,,, 1,,o.,.e,.o
ne peop'e ol NcASpu's' one OF ,he
H'e"' '''o" e'''iu" vi t"e coricue'ac9'
,i'ue s'ea, P'ais LOT entertaining the
Ii-H''eh'' Mr. iait mao peeh 'ook'hS
,of"aro WIN ini'''e pleasure 10 three
hours urNe .nis afternoon over the
is'hoos oa'''e'e'oS ana the cry hao becn
e'"oora'e'E decorated III MS HoNor out
all mat was lett Oh me program to-
hieht was the pnr1e' supper at the EIks
c',Ip'
Inc fresident maze speech IN winch
ne expressed ms deep regret ana chaErln
mat the schedule or the river trip had
gone 70 var away as 10 cut MS v.sh
10 N'cKsnnrs snort
INC president mas not yet caught up
with -FOUR torpedo BOAT dcstroyers mat
were 10 act az ms escort down the
river me grim ltti' vessels were at
81 Louis Few days pefore his arrival
out railing water IN the river sent them
scurrying over the sandbars Just below