The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-03-12
BLIZZARD CAUSED THE ABANDON
MENT OF OUTDOOR
CEREMONIES.
T.R. FIRST TO CONGRATULATE
Weather Clears and For Three Hours
incoming President Reviews -
Parade--Announces for
Poosevelts Policies.

tive to take the oath OF office In the
chamber Of the senate in 76 years
william Howard Taft became presi-
dent Of the United States.
Accompanied to the capital by Pres.
ident Roosevelt and a guard Of honor
through the swirl of binding snow,
Taft returned to the White House just
as the sun began to force its way
through the clouds. sudden blizzard
sweeping In from the northwest set
awry the weather bureaus optimistic
promise of fair and somewhat cool.
err caused an abandonment of tho
Outdoor ceremonies on the famous east
front Of the capitol, much to Taft's
chagrin. and threatened for time to
stop the brilliant pageant of the after
noon.
A passagcway was cleared along the
center of Pennsylvania avenue, how.
ever, and for nearly three hours Pres
ident Taft and Vice.President Sher.
man reviewed passing columns
dor and picturesque with civic dis.
play.
/ Following the inaugural ceremonies
in the senate Theodore Roosevelt,
again a private citizen, babe an ailec-
| tionate adieu to his successor, while
! all In the historic chamber looked on
In silence, and then he hurried away
through side dor to take train for
New York. AS he passed out Of the
chamber Roosevelt was given an oya.
! ton quite the equal OF that rendered
the new president Outside the cap.
itol the retiring chief executive was
met by 500 members Of the New York
committee and under their escort was
driven to the union station, three
blocks away.
President and Mrs. Taft were the
contors of interest at the culminating
| feature of the day-the inaugural bal.
In the pension building. The scene in
the cayernous building. which hat
been transformed into a canopicl
court of ivory and white was another
Of the brilliant pictures which arr
uuadrcnnially painted here by IN,
gathering of vast and brilliant AS
scmblage from every section OF the
country.
With all the color and movement o
q military spectacle. with the soften
ing influence of delicately tinted gowns
and the interest of n personnel seldom
cuualed at social function, the In
augural ball holds a place unique II
the history making of the day.
While the ball was In progress in
doors, a display of fireworks on tn,
monument lot in the rear of the Whit
House marked the end of the outdoo
celebration. For hours the thinly
clouded heavens were alight with rock
cts. with sun clusters that challenged
the briliancies Of day, with fiery "coh
ras" and all the fantastic creation
Of modern pyrotechnlc skill.
Aerial salutes, floating festoons. .
umined balloons and scores Of othe
features made the display visible iron
ole eud of the Capital City to tn
other.
Prior to his visit to the ball. Pres
dent Taft had entertained at tea l.
the White House the members of tn
Yale club; had dined with Mrs. Tai
at !. o'clock, and had stopped In a
the Metropolitan club to say fey
words at the diner of the class c
rs at Vale.
Taft'G day was one OF continuin
cheers and plaudits from the momel
he first appeared on the White Hods
portico to go to his inauguration, unit
ee returned late at night, an unwil
Ing leave taker from the inauguri
ball.
Mr.. and Mrs. Taft were the guess
of the Rooseyelts at the White Hou3
, setting new precedent In the cou
tesles of the executive mansion, {
, they did again when Mrs Taft accor
| panied the new president and She
man, the new vice-president, from u
acpitol at the head of the imposir
parade to the white House.