The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-23
kUUNEvELI SAILS
Former President Begins His
Long Journey to Africa.
Thousands COngregate at Wharf
to See Him Start.
MUSIC AND CHEERS
Mingle With Wishes for His
Safe Return.
What He May Shoot and Ex-
pense of the Trip.

steamer Hamburg on the first stage of
his journey to the wilds of East Afri-
ca in search of big game. From his
country home at Oyster Bay to the
steamship dock in Hoboken the ex-
presidents route resembled a trium-
phal march, the greetings of the crowds
which had gathered to wish him
good luck being expressed all along
the way in enthusiastic cheers A
feature of the trip was that Mr..
Roosevelt rode for the first time in
the tunnel under the Hudson from
New York to Jersey City. One of the
last things Mr.. Roosevelt did before
the steamer left the dock was to send
telegram to President Taft acknow-
Lodging the receipts of several fine
pictures and a message of good cheer.
The telegram read:
Parting thanks. love and sincerity"
When he arrived at the Hamburg
American line pier. where he boarded
the steamship Hamburg, the express
ident found a densely packed throng
of his fellow countrymen gathered,
and as he appeared loud cheers
greeted him. He smiled and bowed
rlght and left in cordial acknowledge
ment of the salutations of the as
semblage and evidently was much
pleased at the warmth and sincerity
OF the demonstration in his honor
Talks to Reporters
Mr. Roosevelt gave a short talk to
the newspaper men on board the
Ham burg He greeted them at the
doorway of his suite. Nov, gentle
men / am glad to see you" he said,
what can I tell you? O, Yes, there is
that picture pointing to q portrait
of Mr.. Taft, sit is very interesting and
very fine. don't you think SO ? o, gen
tlemen, there is one thing that L de-
sire very much to have you say for
me. There is an immense mass of
mail on board this ship which has
come to me and which I have not been |
able to open and much of which I |
will not be able to open for sometime. /
have no stenograp apher with me. Since |
] left the White House I hs4ve re- I
ceived about 5000 or 5000 letters. |
Four-f1fths of these I have not even |
seen. MY thanks to the people who |
sent them is, however, none the less |
Now 1 wish that you would say for |
me that it will be only waste of time |
for any one to write to me while 1 m |
in Africa Again I will say that I |
deeply appreciate the courtesy of those |
who have written me and take this |
occasion to give them my thanks
One of the reporters in the party |
broke into the conversation with the |
interjection;
Some one told me. colonel. that |
you were going to be our next presf- |
Mr. Roosevelt Immediately threw
up both his hands and exclaimed:
"Good-bye. gentlemen, goodbye" |
But he was still smiling when the in
terview closed.
French Ambassador Goes Aboard.
N. Jusserand. the French ambassa-
dor. and Mrs. Jusserand. went ABOARD |
the steamer shortly after Mr. Roose-
velt's party arrived and were escorted |
to the Roosevelt quarters. They con- |
versed with Mr.. Roosevelt for some
time
A notable feature of the reception on !
the steamer was a tribute to the ex-
president by the Italian chamber of
body presented a bronze tablet bearing
on one side a portrait of the ex-presi-
dent and on the other the scene of the |
Sicilian earthquake and a representa-
tion of the Goddess of Peace placing a
wreath on Roosevelt's head. The tab |
let was inscribed:
ITO Theodore Roosevelt, to you and /
the United States. a tribute of thanks
giving from Italo-Americans for gen.
erous help to their stricken brethren
of Calabria and Sicily
Several delegations from italian So
cieties were present bringing a band
a floral offering and a large banner
which was erected on the pier. It bore |
the inscription:
''Italo-Americans let us shout Long
live President Roosevelt and the United |
States A tribute of thanksgiving on
behalf of our brethren of Sicily and |
Calabria. Let us solemly condemn any !
crime staining Italy's name. Let us
here pledge our loyalty to American
institutions. Long live America"
Caught in Crush
Shortly before the steamer sailed Mr..
Roosevelt. escorted by a detachment of
local police, appeared at the after
gangway, which led to the pier. The
police had cleared an open space across
the pier to the point where the Italian
American organization had a bronze
tablet in readiness to present him. The
appearance of Mr.. Roosevelt was the
signal for tremendous cheering by the
crowds on the pier and on the steam
er's deck AS he came down the gang
plank the cheering continued and i
party of college boys from Stevens in
stitute in Hoboken let loose their COL
the lines of police escorting Mr. Roose-
welt were broken through by the pres
sure of the eager crowd and the ex-
president was swept toward the tablet
bv the rush. The crowd closed I'm
solfdlv behind him. and while the police
rush they asked the speakers to make
the presentation ceremony very brief.
The italian orator cut short his lengthy |
address. briefly saying the tablet was
presented by the Italians in apprecia-
ton of what Mr.. Roosevelt had caused
10 be done for the suffering people of
southern Italy and Calabria. Mr..
Roosevelt said in reply:
u appreciate this very much. L
want to thank you all. 1 cannot tell
YOU how deeply touched I am
Mr.. Roosevelt, seeing that the crowd |
VAS becoming unmanageable gave di-
rections that the tablet be sent to Mrs.
and turned back toward the
gangplank of the steamer. The police
did their best to clear . way for him,