Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-10-31
THE PRESIDENT IN
THE SMOKY CITY.
Guest of Honor at the National
Safety Mine Demonstration
Greeted by Thousands OF
School Children.
SOAKED m TAFT SMILE,
r,ft watches Demonstration With Inter :
est Reviews Naval Parade-from
Elagship-Aiice Longworth Christens
Replica ofsleamer.

Pittsburgh, Pa, Oct. 31.-Presl-
dent Taft arrived here early today anu
was the guest Of honor at both the
national safety mine demonstration
and centennial celebration of steam
navigation on the Pittsburgh river,
and later at banquet.
Arriving at the shady side station
of the Pennsylvania railway station
,t 5.30 a. m, the Presidential party
was met by a reception committee
shortly before $3.50 o'clock, and es-
corted in automobiles to Forbes
Field.
Thousands of school children, stu
dents at the Carnegie Technical
School, boy scouts. and others eager
70 see the Executive, lined the thor
oughfares through which the Presi-
Dental automobile passed and soaked
in the Taft smile. Arriving at the
baseball field a great shout from the
throats of thousands of miners, VINO
crowded the grandstand greeted him.
The President closely watched the
"arst aid" teams under the auspices
Of the Red Cross society, demonstrate
the uses of the various life saving oe-
vices used to rescue miners, after ac-
cidents, and about noon, president
Taft presented medals to the teams
which a committee selected as oeng
the most perfect in the work.
Because of the fear that some accl-
dent might mar the demonstration
only one explosion was staged rms
occurred in a huge boiler plate cylln-
der placed in the outfieid. fihe
coal dust was sprinkled on shelves IN
The interior Of the tube and IN one
was fred a cannon loaded with
charge OF black powder. immediate
" afterwards a great roar followed
which set window glass in the neigh
horhood to vibrating, and caused all
bnt the miners in the audience 10
ouake. Following this parade OF
nearly 10000 miners was reviewed
by the President. ;,
President Taft was then escorted
70 the Hotel Schenly where ne at
tended a luncheon. From there ne
went direct to the wharf where he
smoke from the deck of the steam
boat Virginia, the flagship OF the
naval parade. Mrs. Alice Roosevelt
Iongworth christened the little Ne"
Orleans, a replica of the first steam
boat of the same name, to navigate
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. me
original New Orleans was Dulit IN
1871 by Nicholas J. Roosevelt, uncle
of former President Theodore Roose-
velt.
After a bottle of wine had been
smashed over her prov, the New Or
leans headed to midstream and led a
parade of about rs river craft down
the Ohio river some distance, thence
back, amid a noisy salute Of whistles
from other river craft and mills.
During the parade the President
was aboard the Virginia, the flagship
for the occasion.
Tonight a banquet will be given
the President in the soldiers ana
sailors memorial hall by the members
of the chamber of commerce. There
the Executive will again speak.
It had been originally planned to
serve wine at this affair but because
the local members of the G. A. H.
who have the control OF the memorial
refused to allow liquors to be brought
into the building, plans were changed
in order to hold the feast in that
building.
The President leaves tonight Tor
sIorgantown, w. Va, where ne VIII
spend tomorrow, and from there ne
will go to Washington, thence to New
York, where he will review the big
naval parade in the Hudson river.
The New Orleans leaves here on
Thursday morning en- route down the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New
Orleans. Many stops along the way
will be made by the little craft.
At the request of President Taft, Sec.
retary of State Knox will speak befor G