The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-29
TAFT'S FLEET GOES TO PIECES Reaches Vicksburg Late at
 Night. PRESIDENT $ DISAPPOINTED Psrt of Psrb Leaves River and
 Takes Train. beats stick sn sand Bars and Faii to Keep Up Win FIstsiia--N.t- j oAes Iaeachea in the Early Mornins By
 Party.
PRESIDENT $ DISAPPOINTED

flckbDuIEp Miss.s Oct. zos--FTesiuoht Taft arrived here tonight at s:40 o'clock on the lighthouse tender Oleander.
 Of the proud fleet of gorgeousiy dec- orated vessels that pointed their prows out of St. Louis at 5 o'clock Monday afternoon, only two were in sight when the President landed and gave himself into the hands of an enthusiastic but sadly disappointed local committee. He received joyous welcome from sev- eral hundred faithful watchers at the water front.
 The steamer Erastus Wells. original 1y set apart for members of the Cab inet who are now on board the olean- der. and the Illinois. bearing Q delega- tfon from thatSta te. docked here to- night soon after the President had stepped ashore. The St. Paul, which started out with one half of the Gov ernors of the United States of board and the Quincy which started with Speaker Cannon and a large array of Senators and Representatives as pas sengers were among the slower yes- sells that were nowhere to be seen ddr- ing the Presidents stay here. The Governors and Congressmen debArked at Greenville today and came to vicks- burg this afternoon by train. They will board their boats again tonight Tor the run to Natchex.
 The schedule of the river trip has gone all to pieces and although 1t is planned now to have the President wait outside of New Orleans on Saturday until most of the boats can join him there. the chances are that this scheme will have to be abandoned if Mir. Taft is to set foot in the city during day. light,
 In making up the schedule of the Grip. it is said that the maximum speed of the fast boats and the slow boats were 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 river men say they tried to remain .witn the meet as fons as possible. On that account. he was three hours late at Memphis and two hours late at Helena.
 Boats Ge ft Alone.
 After a consultation at the latter place last night orders were issued an- nulling the alignment originally made out and each steamer was instructed to look out for herself and get to New Orleans as soon as possible, regardless of any other vessel. s
 Governors Noel Of Mississippi. and Sanders of Louisiana. were taken on board the Odeander in order that they might be with the President at his stops in those Staes and the little light house tender. one of the most modest but fleet boats on the river. set out. at full speed to permit the President to keep his engagements as nearly as pos- sible.
 The people of vicisburg. one of the great stronghoids of the Confederacy. made great plans. for entertaining the President The President has been looking forward with infinite pleasure to a three hours drive this afternoon over the famous battlehelds. The city had been elaborately decorated in his honor and all that was left of the pro- gram tonight was the buffet supper. which was held at the Elks' Club.
 The President made a speech in which he expressed his deep regret and cha grin that the schedule of the river trip had gone so far awry as to cut his visit to Vicksburg so short.
 The President has not yet caught up with the four torpedo boat destroyers that were to act as his escort down the river The grim little vessels were at St. Louis few days before his arr rival, but failing water in the river sent them scurrying over the sand bars just below the Missouri metropolis in search of deeper water. It was said they would join the waterways fleet at Hickman, but a further fall of wa ter sent them further down the river. Memphis was the next point assigned for a rendezvous for the escort, bus when tte President arrived there the destroyers had gone ahead. Just where they will join company with the Olean- der no one aboard the latter had any knowledge.
 Sicksburg Perpiexed.
 The first the people of Vicksburg knew of the nearly seven hours delay in the arrival of the President was when message was received from Greenville. Miss, shortly after noon This message along with several news dispatches was thrown overheard from the Oieander in a glass bottle and was picked up by a launch sent out by the telegraph company there.
 The President took advantage of his long day on the river to get rid of a lot of correspm mdence, keeping both of his assistant secretaries busy from early morning until just before the arrival here. He took occasion, too, to con- suit freely with the three members of his Cabinet on board the Oleander, the Secretary of War, the Postmaster Gen. eral and the Secretary of Commerce and Labor
 The Governors and Congressmen, when they found themselves getting further and further behind the Pres ident this morning decided to disem- bark at Greenville and make for Vicks- burg by special train. They hailed the steamer Alton as 1t passed the Quincy and the St. Paul and sent in instruc- tions ahead that a special be secured at any cost. Greenville was taken off its feet when the distinguished dele gation put ashore there and went sour rying three-quarters of a mile across the city to catch the train. Sand wiches and drinkables were hastily put aboard and the spectacle was pre- sented of a delegation which had come to see the river deserting the water way for the railroad.
 All the Governors got back aboard their steamers tonight. but say they will debark again when their boats get far behind.
 Speaks i'm Vfcksburg.
 From the Elks' Club porch, Mayor Hayes introduced President Taft to several thousand people, and the Chief Executive spoke for a few minutes.
 President Taft said he regretted his late arrival, but that fact only added emphasis to show the need of im- provement in the Mississippi River.