Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-04
Immense Crowd Greets Athletes
Who Line Rails of the
Liner Finland.
STOCKHOLM FLAG DECKED
Between 1000 and 5000 Contest
ants Have Arrived to Take
Part in the Olympic
Games.

stockholm, June 3O.-An immense
crowd of tnose Identified with the
Olympic games. including the princi-
pal members OF the Swe lish commit
tee and the entire track team. greeted
the steamer Finland when she locked
near the heart of the scandinavian
metropolis at nine o'clock this morn
ing. During the half hour in which
the steamer was tying up. tne Swedes
sang swedish and American songs.
The American contingent lining the
rails followed suit. AMI the ships band
PLAYED national airs.
Ernie Hjertberg. we'll known in
American athletics who is now the
trainer of the Swedish team. J. s. Ed
strom, vice-president of the Swedish
Olympic committee. and members of
the American legation hca led the dele
cation which boarded the Finland,
Mr. Edstrom made a speech of well
come In which he said that he expecte l
the Americans TO win the Olympiad,
but he added that the Swedes hoped to
teach them something
Col. Robert NJ. Thompson, president of
the New York Athletic club. replied that
the Americans hoped 10 win. He said
that the representation was sign OF
esteem for Sweden and a desire To gei
acquainted with the country
F1ELANl, OBJECT OF INTEREST
The Finland is said to be the largest
ship ever locked at Stockholm and the
Americans nre conceded to constitute
the star attraction of the Olympiad
Hence thousands of residents and mem
bers of rival teams in shifting groups
inspected the ship throughout the day
until late in the afternoon when sh,
moved into midstream. The Finland viii
remain there SO the athletes may hav,
the benefit of isolation and quiet Dressed
with the flags Of the American college!
and athletic clubs and swarning witt
stalwart athletes in neat uniforms. til,
steamer commanded great admiration.
| The ma iority of the American team
made no attempt at exercise to-da,
exc. pit to take long walks. The trainns
grounds are in the suburb of Rasunde
where football game was being played
this afternoon
The Swedish officers have EXTENDED
every facility to Col. Frederick S. Foltz
who Is in charge of the American arm,
officers. The horses We're immediatel.
disembaiked. The marathon runners hav
taken up quarters in n country inn wher
they will train along the course. Colone
Thompson has gone aboard yacht char
tered for the occasion where he is enter
tanning party. James f. Sullivan. specla
: American commissioner, has established
= an Office at hotel In the city. Will
: Mathew lialpin, manager of the America
team. and "a majority of the America
l committee will remain on shipboard.
STOCKHOLM IN GALA GARB
Stockholm presents a festive ap
pearance. The streets are decorate
with thousands of Swedish flags blu
with a yellow cross, on poles plante
n hundred feet apart. The flags o
other nationalities represented at Ia
=, Olympiad are interspersei Ia pro
fusion
The contestants from the variou
!, countries. all wearing distinctive uni
= forms and easily recognized by ma
tional devices on taeir hatbands, ar
seen everywhere. The open spaces ar
crowded with athletes practicin
every form of sports. Between 200
3 and 5000 OF them have arrived here.
Americans predominant among tn
': visitors at the hotels. The Russian
i. the only other contingent with quar-
; ters on shipboarl. the steamer Brine
= which appears an infant IN compariso
!. with the Finland. The weather, as
!, 1908. favors the Americans who al
= more accustomed to heat than the
= British rivals. The thermometer fc
the past four days has stood at abot
3 90 degrees.