Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-04
Visited Their Homes and Talked
with Them about Their Man
ner Of Living.
MANY DIDN'T RECOGNIZE Him
"Well ! Swan Said Farmer, Of
Whom Ex-President Had In
quired the Way-Will Write
Mining Story.

Scranton, Pa, Aug. 2-Theodore Roose-
welt spent the day among the workers in
| the heart of the Pennsylvania anthra-
cite region.
He talked with the men who dig the
coal as they came from the mines. black
with CRIME He talked with them about
| their homes, their children and their man
ner of living He talked with their wives
| and their children and learned from their
own lips how they look at life. He climb
| ed to the top OF n coal breaker and spent
half an hour there, in the sitting coal
dust. so that he might see what the boys
| who work there have to do.
| He spent another half hour in a silk |
! mill talking with the girl workers. He
| visited the people in their homes and saw
| how they lived, FTe returned to Scranton
as evening was drawing near. black with
CRIME but smiling with delight at his ex-
periences. The best part Of 1t all, he
said, was that he was able to meet the
people as private citizen and talk with
them as man to man.
Many of the toilers had no idea Of the
ex-presidents identity until after he had
finished his talk. Others, who knew who
he was treated him. he said. not as
former president. but as a plain man,
who had come to see them. to talk and
learn their condition.
LOST IN THE DARK.
Mr. Roosevelts new experiences began
last night when he was on hts way by
automobile from New York to Delaware
Water Gap. The automobilsts came to a
cross roads and had no idea which way
to go. 1t was dark and Mr.. Roosevelt
appealed for help to a farmer, who was
walking along the road
Thank you." he said. after he had
| obtained the information. ~ am MIR.
Roosevelt"
who" the farmer shouted in amaze
ment.
Theodore Roosevelt, former Presi-
dent"
The farmer threw up his hands. well.
I I swan" they heard him say as the auto
j mobile whsked away.
1t was close to noon to-day when Mr..
] Roosevelt. Lawrence Abbott and Miss
Fannie Cochrane and Miss Florence
Lucas Sanville of the Consumers League
OF Philadelphia started from Scranton.
The party went up the Lackawanna
J. valley road until the village Of Dickson
City borough was reached 1t is a typical
Flooded UNDER HOT SUN.
The automobile labored until 1t could
go no further In the hills and the party
stepped out and walked. There was no
sidewalk and Colonel Roosevelt began
Y, plodding through the dust. in a broiling
n sun. No one had recognized him. He
at walked pass two small hotels each OF
le which has a group Of idlers on the porch
= h,,H
m former president was in town.
lie But he was almost detected when he
passed to the grocery store. which was
n, the headquarters Of another group of
OF men. After he had passed, one Of the
men called out to member-~of the
l. party
Say, that's Teddy Roosevelt amt
'" it?" but the others wouldn't believe it,
- Mr.. Roosevelt walked on in the dust
~ until he met dimnutive girl He
~ stopped her and asked her who she
- was.
- I'm Annie Trykowski." she said
" land I'm ten years old"
~ What DO YOU do?"
II work in silk mill. I'm n wind
err" she said proudly. "Before you
~ can be winder you have to be a bob
-, bin girl I'm past that"
~ The ex-president asked her how lon,
:" each day she worked, how she liked
and what she had in the way OF amuse
ments After answering more questions
. the little silk winder walked on home
without the least idea with whom sh
rd had been talking
WENT HOME WITH MINER
:" Jake Kavanagh. a miner. was walkin
" down the street Just then. He had Jus
~ emerged from the shaft, and ne was a
black as man could be. He had on tn
full regalia of a miner with big boots,
lamp in his hat. dinner pail in his hand
~, Colonel Roosevelt stopped him. Kav
a.- anaRh didn't know who he was but h
was willing to talk He talked so inter
,.,, estingly Of life in Dickson City boroug
W. as viewed by miner that the ex-pres
,x,. dent took him by the arm and the
~. walked down the street.
'ry Il want TO go home and talk with you.
me- said he, and Kavanagh agreed. The
ou walked up side street to small fran
my. house with most of the paint worn of
,ne Kavanngh led Colonel Roosevelt in an
Let w '''" uo"' vi '''' po''n' "'n
lila went inside and brought out Mrs. KAY
anaeh and the two little Kavanaghs,
1t was Mt the noon hour 80 Kavanag
\ had time to talk with the former pres
- dent. who spent half an hour there. n
went inside the house. looked M I'll
small neat rooms and complimented Mr.
Kavanagh on her proficiency as house
In keeper Then all hands went back
i'd the porch where the talk concerned IL
ing amusements which Dickson City borous
md provided for the young folks. Ever!
ent body agreed that dance halls run In col
are junction with saloons are bad thin
uc- But 1t is important that the young PEI
are pie be allowed to dance, under prop
conditions" said Col Roosevelt.
Iws Sure, sure 1t is said kavanag
re- you're right.
will Col. Roosevelt nodded his approval an
ons still unrecognized walked back up II
Main street.