The President’s Day: 10,000 Strong Cheer Teddy in Walla Walla

A more fitting climax to weeks of anticipation and a perfect day could not have been planned than the reception President Roosevelt received in Walla Walla yesterday afternoon. From the time he stepped from his magnificent special train at the O.R.N. depot, smiling and acknowledging the ovation tendered him by waiting thousands, to the time he took his train at 6 o'clock in the evening to be whisked on to other cities eagerly waiting his coming, the president was welcomed and applauded as only a president of the United States should be.

That he appreciated the efforts of the people to pay him homage he acknowledged from the steps of Whitman College, where for an half hour he moved the thousands crowded about the big building, sometimes in laughter, sometimes in serious thought. The big crowd might have been more generous in its applause at times but it was evidently fearful of losing a single utterance the president made, and refrained.

Ever since it was first announced that the president in his western trip would visit Walla Walla people of the Inland Empire had planned to be here that day and yesterday in accordance with those plans it is estimated fully 10,000 people from out side towns in the Inland Empire flocked to the city to meet and see the president. Excursion trains from every point within 100 miles of the city commenced dumping their human freight into the various railway yards as early as 10 o'clock and from then on until 4 o'clock, nearly the time for the president's train to arrive, trains pulled into the city loaded down with happy throngs.

As early as 3 o'clock hundreds wended their way to the O.R.N. depot to select points of vantage that they might catch a glimpse of the man who rules the United States as he walked from his car to the waiting carriage. At the time the train pulled into the depot there were probably 3,000 people lining the sidewalks and open space about the yards. The arrangement of the parade was carried out without a hitch with a slight exception. The 30th battery was stationed to the west of the depot and fired the president's salute of 21 guns as the train came swiftly up the track.

It was really an awesome occasion as the president's handsomely appointed train drew into the depot and the roar and the salute kept booming away and the thousands that stood within earshot of the train sent up hearty applause. Major Hunt, Dr. Morse and Thomas Brents, members of the reception committee hesitated a moment and disappeared behind the heavy suspense, but only in reality a very few minutes the favor was seen coming down the steps smiling and then everyone knew the president was about to make his appearance.

He stepped lightly from the steps and as a wild cheer broke on the air he doffed his tile and smiling and acknowledging the applause, made his way to his carriage, a spotless white equipage drawn by two pure white steeds. The president took his seat with the three members of the reception committee and waited for the procession to move on.

The military part of the parade consisting of the Ninth cavalry band, the Ninth cavalry troops, the 30th battery was soon under way, the president's carriage following close behind. As the pageant moved on its way up Kirn street the thousands of people lining the sidewalks on both sides set up hearty applause and the president was kept continually bowing and smiling in acknowledgment of the salutes. The march clear to the college was a continual ovation.