New-York tribune., 1909-11-06
TAFT In AUTO DASH
ALSO SEES TWO MEN
BLOUN Up.
Fast Ride OJ6r SaTanndh Race
Course Meets TiUmaR an
Charleston.

hau one on tae most picturesque receptions
Of his trip.
He had a busy day IN Savannah before
leaving there Al go p. IN. for this city.
ON a sail down the river TO Fort ScreVen
m tho morning he Witnessed an accident,
90 which IL WAS at first thought that Two
mon had been killed. As it turned out
negro lost his arm and = white man his
CSC. The two men were hrin- a salute to
the President from a small cannon drawn
up NJ the water front \ premature OK
llosion occurred as the negro was ramming
home a charge OF powder. and IN the
cloud Of smoke which followed the repor:
OF the cannon the President saw a man
flying through The air. The man fell into
The river. The ramrod he had held shot
across the bow cf the revenue cutter
Namacraw. on the deck Of which the Iresi-
dent was standing Mr.. Taft called atten-
tion TO the accident at once. The man
struggling I'm the water was rescued, how
ever. and when the President landed and
made inquiries as TO the result of the &c
cident, he was relieved 10 ind there had
been 10 loss Of life
The river trip ended the President took
part In a parade through the streets and
parks of Savannah On which ne must have
been greeted by practically the entire popu-
latipn of the city. He then went for a fast
spin on the automobile course over which
the Grand Prize race of 80 miles was run
last fall. In many ways il was the mPst
spectacular ride the President has ever had.
The average speed FOR the twenty-five
miles was forty miles an hour, and on the
Straightaway stretches the speed of the
Presidents car was forty-eight miles an
hour Returning 10 his train from luncheon
at the Thunderbolt Casino the President
made q short dash ~ the ~ e Of hfty-two
miles an hour. lie was accompanied by
Governor Brown. Mayor Tiedeman OF Sa-
vannah and Captain Butt, and. with his
gray automobile cap pulled well down on
his head. he seemed 10 enjoy the ride i'm
mensely The chauffeur reduced speed only
a little I'm taking the sharply banked turn
RECEPTION IL CHARLESTON
The Presidents train reached Charleston
~ s.Sa - M. and ne was escorted 10 citadel
Green. the old parade ground Of the South
Carolina Military Academy. where the
greater portion Of the military escort was
drawn up. The President stopped for few
minutes at the Charleston Orphans Home
and then proceeded 10 Mayor Rhetts house
where he held an informal reception
At the head Of a procession Of automo-
biles. and escorted BY an imposing array or
military organizations, he passed through
tho principal business streets of the CITY
under arches Of brilliant electric lights.
The sidewalks held throng which al
places overlowed into the street and the
Presidents progress from the Union STA
ton 70 tie home Of Mayor Rhett was
marked by cheers Mr. Taft has been here
five times in recent wears. and he said to-
Hro MA sfgOinZ home
70 Charleston" His reception tonight was
a repetition Of the cordial welcomes he has
received throughout the South
To-nisht the President was tho guest of
honor al "a dinner rendered him by the CITY
of Charleston at the Charleston Hotel II
was arranged with especial regard 10 the
Presidents comfort, and tho only set
speeches were the introduction Of the Presi-
cent by Mayor Rhett and the response bT
Mr Taft in which lie expressed his graft
fcstion az being i'm Charleston, and his re-
gret that De could rot make a longer stay.
The President win leave tomorrow morn
iuC al S O'Clock for Columbia. and will
reach Augusta. Ga, tomorrow night for a
stay Of two days.
Governor Ausel and Senator'S Tillman
and Smith arrived in Charleston this after
noon 10 assist IN tie welcome, and were
among the guests of honor al The dinner
tonight This is the first Presidential re
c.ution in which Senator Tillman has taken
part in years. Until Mr.. Taft was inaugU-
rated Ar TiUmau had not called at the
White House for long time.
-FOUR YEARS MORE"
~. Taft made happy speech At the
dinner carly tins morning He Was the
f-.-- I,- Z
one time there were cries OF second term
and -four years more The President
said lac had heard tho same friendly oX-
nressious from an audience IN the District
of Columbia.
Therefore" ne added amid laughter II
ACCEPT such a demonstration as an evidence
II profound good fellowship, and welcome
and appreciate IL. and pass over the mat
ter Of Judgment and power
The President made 4 hit with his su-
dience by referring 10 "r5" Cobb the noted
batsmau of tho Detroit American League
baseball team. as one of tho distinguished
citizens of Georgia. lie paid a tribute 10
the army and navy, and agreed with Rear
Admiral Spsrry. who had responded TO a
toast TO the navy. thnt Here was no act
'iu tho wonderfully useful and inspiring
administration of Theodore Roosevelt to
which ve are more indebted than the send
ing of the sixteen battleships around the
world"
Referring to tho Panama canal The
President repeated The promise that il viii
be completed bv January ]. 1915 lie said
IL took O. strong man 20 supervise the
work as Secretary Of War. so he chose
q Southerner. Judge Dickinson. 4 man Of
wonderful inCenuit- ana = steam engine
fu breeches" u Was when the President
said De hoped the Panama canal could be
hurried 90 completion in his term Of office
that the cIy Of -four years more" was
heard.
Your city Of savannah. said the Pres
ident has a hstcr~ and traditions Of
which sou may weH he proud ! don't
wonder that every smile I see in Georgia
IS broader than when ! was here IN Janu-
arr. With l5-cent cotton you can be en-
thusiselic 10 the point Of excberance aud
/ have people understand why.
u want 20 express 10 the people II
Savannah and 10 the people ot Georgia
my heartfelt appreciation Of the cordial
welcome that have received since /
entered the state aud all throughout my
tourney down 10 this beautiful city.
cannot help feeling Uerhaps my head IS a
little hit snslled ana 1 too prone 10
that sort 81 thinEl there n something
personal IN the reception, and that II grows
out os Inv expressed wish 10 do what little
I can, as tho Chief Magistrate OF this ma