Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-10-08
PASSED THROUGH GRANTS PASS
MONDAY MORNING
CHIEF EXECUTIVES GUARD
There Were Six Cars all Told and
Thirty-siX Persons i'm
Party.

The train bearing President Taft |
and party reached Grants Pass at
5;10 Monday morning and 1t re-
mained in the yard only long enough |
to cut off the helper which came !
over the mountains with II from
West Fork. There was a stop of not
more than two minutes. The few
persons around the depot scarcely
noticed either the arrival or depart
Wre, The brass mountings around
the rear end of the Presidential car
We're the only noticeable features to
show that it was not an ordinary
passenger train
There is nothing striking or un-
usual in the external appearance of
President Taft's special train, made
up from cars belonging to the New
York Central Lines, in addition to
two cars from the Northern Pacific.
There are six cars in all told, and to
see the train passing one would
easily mistake 1t for an ordinary
passenger train, with the exception
that the two private cars, with their
brass ratings at the entrances, vary
a little from the ordinary Pullman
cars
The first car, numbered 1898, Is
an old-fashioned affair with small
windows. 1t has been converted in
to a general storage room, where the
provisions of the train are kept. Fol-
, lowing this is car No. 4, the private
car of II. G. Mutt, general manager
of the West End Division of the
Northern Pacific, and the back of
= this is car No. IL, a plain-looking
coach known as the private car Of
General Manager Slade of the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company, who,
however, was not with the Presiden-
tial party. In this car were railroad
officials and Secret Service men, and
Senator John H. Wilson, of Washing
ton.
Next came the baggage car, which
also served as a sleeping and living
place for some of the railroad men,
including Garrit Fort, assistant vice
president Of the New York Central
lines, who had official charge of the
train. In this car were scores of
band boxes, suit cases and few
5 trunks, which included some Of the
Presidents baggage,
Behind the baggage car is the
coach occupied by Secret Service
I men and a few others affiliated with
e the Presidential party.
Last in the train Is the Presidents
e car, the "Mayflower," which is es
: pecially fitted as the Presidents
g travelling home. 1t Is luxurously
II furnished and contains five state
x rooms. Three OF these have uppei
and lower berths, while the othe
d two, one of which Is reserved fo
the President, contain polished bras
bedsteads.
The Presidents stateroom is nea
a the rear of the car, but next TO tn
It extreme end is an observation com
n partment. where the President
< served his meals and where he |
" seated much Of his time while tn
=. train is in motion, observing tn
,. scenery through which the train
" passing
80 The locomotive and tender whic
brought the Presidential train frol
Tacoma are from the Northern Pac
tic Railroad, and are numbered 81
d, The most noticeable thing abol
nd the Presidential train is its lack
or decoration No flags or colors
th any kind are displayed on any pa
OF Of the train, which is IN accordan
nm with the general policy Of the Pre-
is dent, who objects to show
la- Presidents Bodyguard.
ia II IS said that three men alwa
hover near President Taft on !
trip through the west. They are O,
watchful and never for NONE
,so neglect duty They do not app,
,bo to belong to the Presidential par
ho stlll wherever the President g,
co they keep close 20 him watching
oo who come near him and frequen
.a, standing between the executive a
D.. his visitors. They are the PrSslder
,nd private bodyguard, and, having
.r,. mediate charge Of his person, It
their duty to see that the Natlo
... thief meets with no harm. II
,rai are medlum-slzed men, dres
uufptlv and Would uot hn ttnbtn IN