Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-06
INAUGURATION IS
WITHOUT A HITCH
Continued From Page -

riding on lQe OUTSIDE OF inc uOllOW
square and moving between the caval
irymen and the New York troops. which
lined the streets, was body of police
The guard of the president was extra
ordinary. On the tops of buildings
along the line and scattered through
the crowd were large numbers of pc
lice, detective and secret service men
i The sun broke out while the presi
Dental party was on the way to the
capitol. The troops along the line
came to attention as the president
passed. There were cheers from the
crowds and some waving of hats and
handkerchiefs
The sun kept on playing hide and
seek with the clouds as the ceremonies
moved to the open air, sometimes
flooding the scene with brilliant
light.
The party took places on the inaugu-
raj stand according to program, with
the president seated at the left of the
chief Justice and to the right of the
congressional arrangements commit
tee.
Crowd Near Stand.
A noticeable change in the usual in
augural arrangements was the prox-
unity Of the crowd to the presidents
stand. Formerly cadets from West
Point and Annapolis have formed a
guard line across the plaza between
the crowd and the stand. Today the
place Of the cadets was taken by a
thin line of boy and girl scouts and the
crowd was permitted to come within
twenty feet of the stand. Directly in
front of the president, however, was
a Gordon of mounted police. The cad
cts stood some distance away.
Some one in the crowd began sing
ing America The strains were taken
up in mighty chorus and resounded
over the assemblage The president
with barred head smiled at the demon
crowd as he faced them. The presi-
dent wore no overcoat and Chief JUS
tice White asked him If he did not fear
he might take cold. The president
smilingly responded he did not
! Although the sun again came
through the clouds, the whistling wind
caused the president to change his
mind and he took an overcoat carried
to the stand by his naval aide, DR.. Car
ey T. Grayson. The crowd cheered as
the president put 1t on.
Cheers Are Frequent.
Continued cheers for the president
came from the throng while waiting
for him to take the oath. 'Hurrah for
Woodrow Wilson," was repeatedly
shouted The president and also Mrs.
Wilson smilingly acknowledged the
plaudits of the multitude.
In the white house party were Mrs.
Sayre, Miss Margaret Wilson, Mrs.
Boiling, Vance Mccormick and Fran
els B. Sayre.
The president took the oath stand
ing bareheaded, Mrs. Wilson standing
Just few feet away. He shook
hands Immediately with the chief JUS
tice and with the vice president.
| He lifted his hat to the crowd and
began at once to deliver his address
while the crowd leaned forward, but
the high wind made it impossible for
Sc more than a few feet away to
hear and many of them began to leave.
The crowd was more orderly than
usual at inaugurations and made little
effort to push forward to the stand.
The wind died down slightly when
the president was half way through
on the platform and in the front ranks
Of the crowd. Many took OF their hats
and listened intently.
The president took off his hat at the
first cheers but the wind was SO cold
he soon put it on again.
The president concluded his ad-
dress at 1903 and prolonged cheering
followed. Immediately the space in
front of the stand was cleared to make
way for the presidents carriage. The
surging crowd was being pushed back
to make way for the beginning Of the
procession back to the white house. |
There were many demonstrations
for the president on the march back
to the white house. At some of the
reviewing stands everybody rose and
cheered like fans roofing at a baseball
game, The president acknowledged
all the cheers and applause by raising
his hat and sometimes waving 1t at
the crowd.
Wilson Reviews Parade.
The head Of the procession reached
the white house at 1:47 p. nj.
AS the party drew into the court of
honor the escorting troops came 10
pets The president waved his hat as
II to thank the escort and then drove
into the white house grounds. The
procession halted while the president
and his party took bite OF luncheon.
Then at 2:15 p. m, when the pres!-
dent took his place In the glass en-
closed reviewing stand before the
white house and in the center of the !;
court Of honor, the column began to
Ale by in review, to disband a short !
distance further on. Members of the |
cabinet, government officials and q |,
few invited guests were at the presi- |
dents side.
A brisk breeze sprung up which soon !
freshened almost into gale. The |
sand covering Pennsylvania avenue, |
dried out by the sun, began to take to |!
the air as the gusts whipped the !
marchers.
Color bearers found themselves un- !
able to go ahead in the face Of the near !
gale and were forced to furl their flags. |
Bandsmen had to turn their horns up
side down to get the sand out so they