Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-20
Burial Coolidge Today
Continued from Page One)

return journey to Washington, arriv-
| ing there Sunday. The special train
| which brought them to Woodstock.
16 miles from here, is being held for
the return trip.
| The President and his wife are
passing tonight in Woodstock. On
their arrival there shortly after sun
rise this morning they went to the
inn for breakfast, then set out for
Plymouth, travelling for 10 miles to
Bridgwater Corners In a closed au-
tomobile and the remaining six miles
in an open horse-drawn sleigh.
After spending an hour at the FAM
lily farmhouse, where Colonel Coolidge
lay in death, they returned to Wood
stock for the remainder of the day
and night. They are making their
headquarters at the inn. John. their
son, student at Amherst College, is
| with them.
The presidential party detrained at
| Woodstock to find the tempera ture 10
degrees above zero and three feet of
snow on the ground. drifted IN places
as nigh as mans head. The sun
shone brightly throughout the day and
the temperature rose until by mid
afternoon 1t was just above the freez-
Ing point. Tonight, however, It be-
came colder again.
| Snowplows and gangs Of workmen
had worked far into the night to clear
the road from Woodstock to Plymouth.
and although it might have been trav-
ersed by automobiles it was decided to
use sle1ghs and bobsleds for the last
SIX miles. Stepping out of a limou-
SINE at BridgewateI Corners, the pres
! ldent and Mrs Coolidge climbed into
a three-seated sleigh, their son John,
ana Attorney General Sargent. who
came with them from Washington. rid
ing with them.
| Behind trailed other members Of the
party. including secret service men,
newspaper reporters and photograph
ers, who had made the trip from
| Washington.
Al 1910 O'Clock. nearly IL hours
AFTER his father had passed away. the
pesident arrived at Plymouth. A de-
tachment of Vermont national guards
men were on duty here, as at Wood.
stock and Bridgewater Corners.
! The president and Mrs. Coolidge
| ana their son, on entering the farm
| mouse, went into the room in which
| rested the coloners casket. They re-
NAMED there several minutes. then
called for the attorney general to Join
| them. While they were in the house
the Rev. White called and the presi-
| dent discussed funeral ARRANGEMENTS
| with him. When the presidential
! party returned to Woodstock Mr.,
| sargent remained behind to see thai
| everything would be in readiness for
! the funeral services and burial to-
! morrow.
A rotary snowplow and a score OF
| men with snow shovels were pressed
| iHlo service TO creal a path for the
| iuneral party to the cemetery which
| Is quarter OF mile from the family
| homestead. In the cemetery another
sroup was at work digging the
| grave. already marked by a head :
| stone. which is in a plot adioinino
| that in which the presidents mother
| sister and son. Calvin, who died in
| the summer of 1924 were buried
keeping vigil tonight over Colone1
| Coolldge's body, were three friends
who cared for him during the CLOSING
! Gays of his life. They are Mrs Nav
| Johnson, nurse, Miss Aurora Pierce
| ana deputy Sheriff Angus MacAulav.
| II had been expected that funeral
| services would be held in the little
| church across the road from the
coolidge home, where the colonel
worshipped for years, but in accord
with the wishes of the president II
was decided to have them in tbe
| farmhouse parlor. Folding doors.
separating IT from the sitting room
Wnere by lamplight the colonel ad-
| ,lilnlsterea the oath as president to
| MS son In August, 1923, have been
| opened, and 1t Is in this enlarged
enclosure that tomorrow's services
Will be, held.
From the Woodstock Inn. where
the president is staying, 1t was an
nounced tonight that Mr.. Coolidge
probably would leave for Plymouth
al ten o'clock tomorrow morning, ar
irving about noon at the farmhouse
| mere where he would remain until
the funeral services at o'clock,
| After the interment it was said.
the president would leave immed-
! lately for Woodstock where he would
go at once on board his special train
FOR the return trip to WASHINGTON.
me party expected to arrive at the
Capitol early Sunday.
Inc nrst spring thaw today
wrought havoc with the roads be-
tween Woodstock and Plymouth. The
hard base of packed snow was soft
! ened by the warm weather and
heavy automobiles cut deep ruts
making it difficult for meeting ve-
hlcles to pass each other. To obviate
| the possibility of danger to the pres
| Ident traffic will be outed one way
| only. as Mr.. Coolidge is coming to
plymouth and returning.
The president and Mrs. Coolidge
and their son John take their meals
IN the public dining room at the
Woodstock Inn. Mr.. Coolidge this
afternoon followed his daily custom
OF taking walk, trudging several
| miles through snow and slush. Gov
ernor and Mrs. Billings Of Vermont
paid a call of courtesy at the hotel.
One telegraph wire at the hotel
was kept busy today with messages
of coincidence addressed to the pres
ident. They came from members of
the cabinet and congress. diplomats,
close personal friends and organiza-
tons throughout the country.
There will be no pail bearers at
the funeral of Colonel Coolidge, it
was decided tonight. Instead there
will be six body bearers, national
guardsmen designated by their Of
fcers to carry the casket to its final
resting place.