The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-11-18
GOV. PRQuTYs TRIP
How Vermont Is Interested In Deep
Observation-Disclosures Of Southern
LOynlty--New Spirit Of Activity
Found.

Found.
Newport, Nov. 15.-When asked by
Journal representative to tell some
thing regarding his recent trip down
the Mississippi River with President
Taft's party, Governor George II.
Prouty gave the following interesting
description:
Leaving Boston at 1880 on October
22d, in company with Gov. Quinby, of
New Hampshire, we reached Buffalo
the next morning and were there for
three hours. Senator Henry w. Hill
kindly took us around the city and
showed us great many interesting
things. From there we went directly
to st. Louis, reaching there at 1880
Sunday morning, where we were
received by two old Vermonters, the
Whitelaw brothers, who went there
from Ryegate in 1866 and have be-
come very prominent in city affairs,
one of them being Assistant United
States Treasurer at that point and
the other being on a committee to
provide a new charter for the city,
most important task. On Monday we
attended a great meeting in the Au-
ditorium and the luncheon given to
the President in the afternoon and
left st. Louis at o'clock that after
hn cfn o,1
"The fleet of steamers consisted Of
eleven as l remember it and the Off
cial party were the President and
three members of his Cabinet, twen-
ty-six Governors and one hundred
and eight Congressman and Senators.
The distance from st. Louis to New
The first stop which we made was
at Cape Giradeau, which we reached
at o'clock in the morning and the
President was on hand to make an
address at that time from the steps
of the Normal School building, very
fine building and delightfully."- located.
phis, Helena, yicksburg, Natchez and
Baton Rouge at all of which places
we were very pleasantly entertained
for from one to seven hours.
Vicksburg Visited.
Before reaching Vicksburg we
found ourselves very much in the
rear of the President and fully unable
to reach there on time and as we
were all extremely anxious to visit
the National Park at that place we
stopped at Greenville and secured a
special train to take us to Vicksburg
Which we reached at $50 p. m. Car
riagos were in waiting and we were
| tax IN over the battle fields around
Nicksburg and as the carriage which
| was in was in charge of the super
intendent we received great deal of
| information as to the operations dur
ing the siege. There must have been
some very severe work as in many
places the trenches of the opposing
forces were not over fifty feet apart
and everywhere we saw evidences of
the most bitter struggle. Fortunately
all feeling of animosity seems to have
died out and every one simply desires
to make this great National Park as
notable as possible and as representa-
tive of each side as is proper. Our
stop at Natchez was a particularly
| pleasant one because of the arrange
ments made for us. The Court OF
Honor, so called, was surrounded by
boxes over which was the name Of
each State represented and in which
were three ladies from Vicksburg to
welcome the representative of that
State. 1t was a most delightful way
to greet us and / can assure you was
fully appreciated by all. We did not
reach Baton Rouge until almost Il
o'clock at night, but in spite of that
the city was brilliantly illuminated
and the program was carried out in
full. In fact, at all points where we
stopped the greatest enthusiasm was
manifest toward the Presidetn and the
party.
Arrival mt New Orleans.
1--WE reached New Orleans onl,
about two hours late, which, consid
ering the distance and the various
stops made, was a wonderful record
We were met there by committed
who escorted us to our hotels ant
showed us every attention during oul
stay. OF course the all absorbing
topic during the trip was the deel
waterways project, and think almos
without exception that every one fel
that it was work which must b,
undertaken at some time and that be
fore very long. At the present tim,
the Mississippi River is PRACTICAL,
carrying no freight whatever. TIL,
railroads have by various means man
aged to absorb all the traffic and nov
there are no steamboat lines to carr!
the freight, even II anybody wished
to send 1t that way. At present tim'
the river is in such condition that /
| 10. ID, IN f,xt q,