Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-15
PRESIDENTTAEES LONG RIDE
Executive Makes Trip of Ninety
Eight Miles on Horseback.
FOUR RELAYS OF ANIMALS USED
Purpose of journey is 90 Demonstrate
that Physical Tests for Army
Omcers Are Not Unreal
sOnable.

WASHINGTON, Jan. IA. President
Roosevelt rode inety eight miles on
horseback today, and when he dismounted
tonight at the White House door, more
than seventeen hours after having de-
parted therefrom, he did not show any
marked signs of WEAKNESS.
The object of his long day in the sad
die, he explained to a representative of
the Associated Press after his return,
was to prove to the critics who have
found fault with the recent order reouir-
ing all army and navy officers to take a
physical test, that If a president, who Is
not ia training, can ride ninety miles plus
in one day without being laid up in bed
thereby. it should not be too much to ask
the men who are supposed to be in the
best physical training all the time to rid
ninety miles in three days.
Mounting his faithful rider and jumper.
Roswell, IN front of the White House
door at $3.50 o'clock this morning, he dis
mounted at the same place at $40 o'clock
tonight. The journey was to Warrenton,
Va, and back.
And Virginia roads in the winter time
said the president, ARE not usually in the
best condition"
With the president were DR.. Rixey, SUI
geon genera OF the navy; DR.. Carey Gray
son and Captain Archibald Butt, one OF
the presidents aides,
Last Thirty Miles in sIeet.
on the return trip the last thirty miles
OF the journey were made in sleet and rain
while the last fifteen miles were in almost
pitch darkness. Arriving at the Aqueduc'
bridge across the Potomac, the president
refused to take the carriage which was
waiting there for him. When he dismounted
his coat and hat were frozen stiff with
sleet and ice. There were four relays OF
horses, the first stage of the journey out
snd the last enc being made by the presi-
dent on Roswell" the second out and
third in being on Georgia." while the
other two were on army horses which the
president had never before mounted.
As the four horseback riders, followed
by two policemen on wheels and the car
rage, came into the grounds surrounding
the executive mansion the president, II
trent with his broad-brimmed black sloucl
hat drawn over his face, presented 6
striking picture.
Lunch at W~arrenton.
Eoth the outward and the return trip la!
through Fairfax Court House to Warren
ton. Arriving at the latter place about l
o'clock. where the presidents coming ha,
been heralded an hour or so before hi
arrival, he was greeted by a gathering o
citizens and children to whom he spoke
few words Of greeting. They took l-=cheo
ct the Warren Green hotel. When the
started to return, after a short rest. tn
master of the hum Ct the Warrenton Hun
club accompanied them for a few miles.
In less than an hour after returning I
the White House the president ha
changed his ice coated clothing for evenin
dress and appeared in the lining room
ready for as hearty a meal as he has cate
for a long time.
If any of the critics of his, army ridin
order had dropped in about that time the
would have been sadly disappointed, for II
president did not show in the least by h
walk that he had been sitting for near
seventeen hours in a hard saddle.