The Washington herald., 1913-03-05
CROWDSDELAY
WILSON'S
Dense Gathering at Capitol In
terferes with the Inau-
guration Address
THRONG is FAVORED
President-elect Asks that Assemblage
Move Closer to the Speakers
Stand.
THRONG is FAVORED

The dense crowd that gathered at the
Capitol slightly delayed and dfsarranged
the plans for the inaugural address When,
at the orders of President Wilson, the
press of people was allowed to move for
ward and take up the space around the
speakers stand.
Grouped about the stand there were the
battalions of the West Point cadets and
the Annapolis mddies Gordon of cav
alrymen held the crowds in inaugural
visitors in check a hundred yards away.
When the President took in this situa-
ton he turned to Maj. Gen. Wood and
asked that some arrangement be made
that the general crowd be let in nearer
the staid. The order about face was
given and the cadets and middies marched
of TO a distance. The police lines were
relaxed and the crowds Swarmed In
around the rostrum and stood fairly in
its shadow. The President also was
taken by storm as he prepared to enter
the carriage with Mr.. Taft to be driven
to the White House.
Even the trees were overCrowded with
spectators of the inaugural parade at
the Capitol grounds yesterday. whole
army corps of people gathered around
tine Peace Monument early in the morn
ing to secure places for the great spec
taCe.
The crowd was a sombre one. Fa-
whatever high spirits they may have
brought with them for the occasion.
AS section after section of the inter
minably long parade swept by. the eX-
haustion and detection of the front
rank OF Cablc-leaners grew. Cheers
grew fainter and finally ceased. and
ihe crowd watched the last division
with apathy.
jam About Capitol.
So great was the jam around the
Capitol grounds that many men and
women tainted under the pressure Of
the crush. The Maryland Boy Scouts.
under the leadership of II. l.. Eddy,
scout commissioner. and Mr.. Matthews
did valiant service. More than fifty
persons were removed from the crush
in this section of the route by the
scouts" and placed in the ambu-
lanCes. Several hundred others were
given temporary assistance by the
boys. who We're constantly enga ged by
their duties. which they performed
unusually well.
As the Chief of Staff and his mounted
aids came into sight of the long-ex-
pectant watchers around the Monu-
ment, mighty cheer of satisfaction
split the air. This burst of applause
was only equaled once afterward. and
that was when the West Point boys,
marching with the precision of a great
machine. doubled their ranks with a
magnificent exhibition of perfect drill
Just before sweeping into the broad
Avenue. At the word OF command
very other rank took its position with
he rank ahead a. double-Guick time
md so perfect was this evolution per
formed that the very irregularities in
tie ranks wer" "xactlv repeated by
each succeeding rank. The spectators
went wild with enthusiasm and gave
~" West Point bows what probably
was th" noisicst round of cheering
which murdered forth during all the
long afternoon.
The difference in the perfection Of
drill was clearly seen at the Peace Mon
unent. whcr" tn" marChers had to de-
ploy to widen their ranks Those com
panieS "videnCiHg tho greatest harmony
Of movement We're singled out by the
spectators. and rewarded with cheers
Long before the Maryland division had
marched by, word was passing through
the crowd that Gov. Suzer of New
York would shortly appear. BY the time
he wheeled his horse into the circle |
every one of the JcGOl watchers knew
the figure on the horse. and he was
checred aS long as he and his aids re-
manned in sight.
ROusing cheers greeted the new Pres
ident, and. II possible, the cheering
which greeted the Commoner as he
rode by was even greater.
The various companies of cadets also
caught the fancy of tn" crowds at the |
monument. who appla uded them noisily. |
The Washington High School Cadets |
swept into the. Avenue and widrn"d !
their ranks at tho circle with precision |
of drill. which called forth enthusiastic |
recognition.
After tn" passing Of the first division |
the crowds around the Capitol began to |
slowly dlShand BY twOs and thre,.s |
they forced their way to adjoining |
streets. which were also crowded and |
through which they also had to fight |
their way. Those around tn" monument |
had to remain in the tedious line until |,
nearly the last body of marChers had |
passed. 81 dense were the crowds around |
them.