The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-10-26
BY Associated Pres1,

st. Louis, Oct. 25.-When President
Taft left here at o'clock this after
noon. after a strenuous day Of speech
making, dining and riding, he en-
barked upon a river trip of nearly L.
300 miles. Following the government
steamer Oleander, on whose upper
deck the president stood, acknowledge
Ing the thunderous fareweIls of the
crowds on the levees and bridges.
came ten river packets carrying two
cabinet officers. 80 governors, several
representatives of South and Central
American governments, at Washing
ton; 20 United States senators, nearly
200 members of congress and officials
Of every state on both sides Of the
river, besides hundreds of delegates
from commercial bodies, bound for the
convention of the Lakes-to-the-Gulf
Deep Waterways Association, at New
Orleans.
PRECEDED BY TORPEDO BOATS.
The fotilla was preceded down the
river by the second division of the At
lantic torpedo, boat fiotilla of the
United States navy. This squadron,
consisting OF the destroyer Macdon-
ough and the torpedo boats Wilkes,
Thornton and Tingey, is charged with
the duty of preparing for the proper
reception Of the president at each OF
the eight cities where stops viii be
made before New Orleans is reached
next Saturday morning. The squad
ron is under command Of Lieut.. Willis
G. Mitchell, and has been in st. Louis
since the celebration Of this city's
centennial early in October.
TO KEEP WELL AHEAD.
The naval vessels aim to keep well
ahead OF the presidential fleet so that
=,
obstruct the view Of the deep water
way delegates and the government of
hcials whom they seek to convert to
the project of deepening the river.
For similar reasons. a considerable
distance was kept between the boats
Of the presidential fiotilla- Strenuous
rules were announced to the pilots
and commanders OF the craft before
their departure, and every effort has
been made to prevent either the
grounding OF any of the boats or the
more dreaded possibility of a collision.
The details of the journey have
been worked out under the supervis-
Ion Of q. II. Tillman, master of the
OleandeF. In the upper reaches of
the river a speed of less than IL
miles an hour is to be made. After
the mouth of the Ohio has been
passed, however, the vessels will be
asked to show a better pace, and, in
places, travel Is miles an hour.
The flotilla was organized TO boost"
the cause of deep waterways. This is
the frank declaration Of the officers
OF the association, its president, w. K.
Kavanaugh, saying:
'This personally conducted Journey
of President Taft down the Missis-
sippl river is being made to call the
personal attention of the president of
the United States, members OF con-
gress, army engineers and levee en-
giners of the various interested states
to the commercial necessity and pos
sibilities of deepening the river. Fed
eral cooperation is wanted by the
states, and we hope to see a river and
harbor bill passed at the next session
OF congress carrying an appropria
ton sufficient to put the deep water
way on a continuing basis, like the
Panama canal"
VESSELS IN FLOTILLA.
Steamer oleander. carrying the
president and his personal party.
Steamer Erastus Wells, carrying
Frank II. Hitchcock, postmaster gen.
eral; Charles Nagel, secretary OF
commerce and labor, and Mayor F.
II Kreisman, st. Louis. Secretary
Dickinson will join the party at Mem
phis.
Steamer Mississippi carrying the
members of the Mississippi River
Commission and United States army
and state engineers.
Steamer st. Paul, carrying govern
(continued on Page T~o.)