Arizona republican., 1909-10-26
Bearing The Presidential
 Party to New Orleans CATALOGUE OF THE SHIPS
The Start From St. Louis at 5 O'Clock Yesterday Ali ternoon-Program for the Four and a Half Days Journey

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- parked upon a river trip of nearly 1900 miles. Following the government steamer Oleander. on whose upper deck the resident stood, acknowledging the thunderous farewells of the crowds on the levees and bridges. came ten river packets carrying two cabinet officers, thirty governors, several diplomats, the representatives of eight South and Central American governments, at Washington; twenty United States senators, nearly two hundred members of congress and officials of every state on both sides of the river. besides hundreds of delegates from commercial bodies. bound for the con- vention of the Lakes-to- theGulf Deep Waterways association. at New Or leans.
 The flotilla was preceded down the river yesterday by the second division of the Atlantic torpedo boat flotilla of the United States navy. This squadron,  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 will be made before New Orleans is reached next Saturday morning. The squadron is under the command of Lieut.. Willis G. Mitchell, and has been in St. Louis since the celebration of this city's cen tennial early in october.
 The naval vessels will await the flo- tilla at Memphis and aim to keep well ahead of the presidential fleet so that the smoke from their tunnels will not obstruct the view of the deep waterway delegates and the government officials whom they seek to convert to the pro- ject of deepening the river. For sim liar reasons, a considerable distance was kept between the boats of the presidential flotilla. Strenuous rules were announced to the pilots and com- manders of the craft before their de- parture and every effort has been made to prevent either the grounding of any of the boats or the more dreaded pos sibility of a collision.
 The details of the journey have been worked out under the supervision of Commander E. H. Tillman of the United States navy and admiral of the fleet on board the Oleander In the upper reaches of the river. a speed of less than twelve 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 nd in, r,la ..-f1l 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 Mississippi river is being made to call the personal attention of the president of the United States, members of congress. army en- gineers and levee engineers of the va rious interested states. to the commer- cial necessit and possibilities of deep ening the river Federal cooperation is wanted by the states. and we hope to see a river and harbor bill passed at the next session of congress carry ing an appropriation sufficient to put the deep waterway on continuing basis, like the Panama canal
 The flotilla and its roster follows:
 Steamer Oleander, carrying the pres ident and his personal party
 Steamer Erastus Wells, carrying Frank 1T. Hitchcock, postmaster gen. eral; Charles Nagel. secretary of com merce and labor. and Mayor F. H. Kreisman of St. Louis. Secretary of War J. Nj. Dickinson will join the par ty at Memphis.
 Steamer Mississippi. carrying the members of the Mississippi River com mission and United States army and state engineers.
 Steamer St. Paul, carrying govern ors of states. newspaper men and spe- cial guests of the association.
 Steamer Lily. carrying foreign diplo- mats
 Steamer Quincy. carrying Speaker Joseph Cannon. John Barrett. director international bureau of American re- publics. and members of congress
 Steamer Saltiilo. carrying officials of the Lakes -the-Gulf Deep Water way association.
 Steamer Alton. carrying members of the St. Louis Business Mems League
 Steamer Cape Girardeau. carrying Missouri. East St Louis, Belleville and Alton deep waterway delegations and ladies.
 Steamer G. W. Hill, carrying mem Eaau-