News Items from The Kansas City Journal ~ Old News That's New to You from Vintage Kansas City.com

January 30, 1910

USE OF AEROPLANE IN WAR.

Taft Will Be Asked to Urge Devel-

opment of Craft.

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 29. -- Congress is to be petitioned, according to a resolution passed at a conference of the aero clubs here today to determine the value of aerial craft in warfare.

A committee from the aero clubs is to call on President Taft and ask him to undertake steps to insure the development of aerial craft.

The conference, which was presided over by Cortlandt F. Bishop, president of the Aero Club of America, represented clubs from thirteen cities and states. Mr. Bishop represents by proxy the aero clubs of New England, California and Colorado. Dayton, O., Kansas City, Peoria, Ill., Rochester, N. Y., Indianapolis, Des Moines, Baltimore and Washington had representatives here.

Applications for the international aviation and balloon races were announced from Kansas City, Peoria, Indianapolis and Philadelphia. Baltimore and Washington entered a joint application for College Park, Md.

The place for holding the international aviation and balloon contests will be decided on by the Aero Club of America within thirty days.

Kansas City delegates tonight told of the advantages of their city for the meet, particularly because the winds in the fall blow east and Kansas City is centrally located.

Labels: aeroplanes, conventions, President Taft, St Louis

November 4, 1909

$1,000 FOR MISSOURI SONG.

Verses and Music, to Be Dedicated

to State, Will Be Decided Upon

by Governor and Committee.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO., Nov. 3. -- Governor Hadley wants a song dedicated to the state of Missouri that will be noted far and wide for its soul stirring melody, as well as its force of poetry descriptive of the past history of Missouri and the good things that are in store for the state.

During his trip down the Mississippi river with President Taft and party, he listened to songs dedicated to other states and became so impressed therewith that he induced Cyrus P. Walbridge, David R. Francis, Charles Huttig, James H. Smith and Harry B. Hawes, of St. Louis, to put up $50 each. The parties on the steamboat Alton, Gray Eagle and Wells each chipped in and raised $250.

This makes $1,000, which will be paid to the person or persons composing verses and music that will meet with the approval of the governor and a special committee composed of the following:

David R. Francis, Captain Henry King, managing editor of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat; Henry N. Cary, general manager of the St. Louis Republic, Walter S. Dickey, of Kansas City, and Hal Gaylord, of The Kansas City Journal.

Only Missourians who can compose a beautiful song melody, with words telling of the past glories of Missouri and her future prospects need apply. In a few days the governor will write to the members of the committee, telling them his ideas in general terms regarding the kind of song that should be dedicated to this state.

Labels: boats, Herbert Hadley, music, President Taft, St Louis, The Journal

October 31, 1909

GREY EAGLE INJURED IN RACE.

Steamer Quincy Smashes Paddle

Wheel of Kansas City Boat.

NATCHEZ, MISS., Oct. 29. -- With Speaker Joe Cannon, two score congressmen and several senators leaning over the railing waving their hats and cheering like a crowd of college boys at a football game, the steamers Quincy and Grey Eagle of the Taft flotilla raced for more than a mile coming out of Vicksburg last night.

The contest ended when the Quincy crashed into the Grey Eagle, crushing the wheel. The damaged boat managed to make her way to Natchez, where carpenters made the necessary repairs.

The Grey Eagle is carrying the Kansas City, Mo., river boomers to the New Orleans convention.

When the boats crashed, passengers on both were hurled to the deck. No one was injured, however. The Quincy and Grey Eagle have been speed rivals during the entire trip.

Labels: accident, boats, President Taft

October 29, 1909

CAN'T KEEP UP WITH TAFT

BOAT OLEANDER.

Gray Eagle Passengers Temporarily

Board Unidentified Steamer.

HELENA, ARK., Oct. 28. -- The steamer Gray Eagle, of the fleet accompanying President Taft down the Mississippi, and which was run on a sandbar last night to prevent a possible conflagration, was not seriously delayed. Repairs to the boiler grates were made in an hour and the steamer set out after her sister craft. Her passengers, including several governors, were transferred to another steamer after the accident and later reboarded the Gray Eagle.

Labels: boats, President Taft

October 25, 1909

OFF FOR TAFT RIVER TRIP.

Deep Waterways Cheered as Party of

Kansas City Men Leave for Alton

and St. Louis.

More than a half hundred prominent Kansas City men, comprising the delegation that is to go down the river on the steamboat Gray Eagle in the presidential party, departed last night over the Chicago & Alton railroad on a special train consisting of five sleepers and a baggage car for Alton, Ill., where they will arrive this morning.

Decorators who were sent to Alton in advance, reported last evening to Secretary Cledening of the Commercial Club that the boat will be one of the handsomest in appearance in the big fleet.

It was a merry party which met at the Union depot last evening and as the train pulled out cheer after cheer was heard for the deep waterways convention which will be held in New Orleans Saturday of this week and Monday and Tuesday of next week.

The delegates expect that President Taft will breakfast with them on their boat Tuesday morning either at Cape Girardeau, which will be the first stop after the fleet leaves St. Louis, or between the Cape and Cairo.

The Kansas Cityans will arrive in Alton this morning in time to board the Grey Eagle and be landed at the levee in St. Louis at 9 a. m. They will go to the Coliseum, where President Taft will speak at 11 a. m. The trip down the river will begin at 5 p. m.

Labels: boats, Commercial Club, Edwin Clendening, New Orleans, President Taft, railroad, St Louis, Union depot

October 24, 1909

FOR TAFT BOAT TRIP

DOWN MISSISSIPPI.

KANSAS CITY DELEGATION

WILL LEAVE TONIGHT.

Will Travel to Alton on Four Spe-

cial Cars -- Decorations for the

"Gray Eagle" Sent

Ahead.

Imbued with the "Kansas City Spirit" and a determination to impress upon the big waterways convention at New Orleans the need of improving the Missouri river, the Kansas City delegation will leave for Alton, Ill., at 9 o'clock tonight on four special Pullman cars by way of the Chicago & Alton railway. Decorators were sent to Alton Friday night and by the time the Kansas City delegation arrives tomorrow morning the Gray Eagle, the boat on which the Kansas City delegation will ride, will be one of the gayest in the fleet. At least that was the declaration last night of E. M. Clendening, secretary of the Commercial Club, who has made all of the arrangements for the trip.

Yesterday it seemed very unlikely that President Taft would be able to accept the invitation of the Kansas City delegation to ride at least part of the way down the river on the Gray Eagle. More than a dozen telegrams were exchanged with the management of President Taft's itinerary, but late last night Secretary Clendening was informed that it would be practically impossible. He still hopes that the president will find time to visit the Kansas City boat and take breakfast on the steamer Tuesday morning.

LEAVE ST. LOUIS MONDAY.

The "Gray Eagle" will reach St. Louis at 9 o'clock Monday morning. President Taft will speak in the Coliseum at 11 o'clock. The party will embark at 4 o'clock in the afternoon for the great trip down the river. The fleet arrives at Cape Girardeau at 6 o'clock Tuesday morning, Cairo, Ill., at noon, and Hickman, Ky., at 4 o'clock. Memphis, Tenn., and Helena, Ark., will be the principal stops on Wednesday. Vicksburg will be the only stop of importance on Thursday with Natchez and Baton Rouge on Friday.

The fleet will arrive in New Orleans early Saturday morning and until the following Tuesday night there will be a continuous round of convention work and receptions in the southern city. Grand opera, addresses by the governors of the different states, inspection of the city, and attendance at the convention will take up about all of the time of the Kansas City delegation. The party will leave New Orleans at 6:20 o'clock Tuesday night.

Besides Secretary Clendening, members of the delegation of seventy include Jerome Twitchell, J. H. Neff, Hon. Edgar C. Ellis, C. S. Jobes, H. F. Lang, W. B. C. Brown, C. D. Carlisle, W. G. Mellier and Hon. W. P. Borland.

Labels: boats, Commercial Club, Congressman Borland, Congressman Ellis, conventions, Edwin Clendening, Missouri river, New Orleans, President Taft, railroad, St Louis

October 22, 1909

MEXICANS SEE KANSAS CITY.

On Way to Chicago "Paying Back

Visits of American Travelers."

Dr. M. Hernandez, of the City of Mexico, was in Kansas City on his way to Chicago. With him was a party of business and professional men, of the Mexican capital.

"We're just paying back the many visits Americans make us in the winter," Dr. Hernandez said. "We waited in El Paso to see President Taft and President Diaz meet. From the cordiality displayed, we think the United States is friendly with Mexico.

"The increasing investments made in our country by Americans cause us to believe that the two nations will have much in common in the future."

Labels: Mexico, President Taft, visitors

August 28, 1909

DOWN THE RIVER WITH TAFT.

Steamboat Chester Will Carry Kan-

sas Cityans to New Orleans.

At a meeting held yesterday afternoon the directors of the Commercial Club enthusiastically accepted the invitation from St. Louis to send a steamboat representing Kansas City with the flotilla which will escort President Taft down the Mississippi river from St. Louis to the big waterways convention at New Orleans in October. Secretary E. M. Clendening was instructed to send notification of Kansas City's acceptance and to ask that the Kansas City boat be assigned a good place in the formation of the down-river fleet.

The steamboat Chester will carry the Kansas Cityans to New Orleans. It is the intention to begin the trip at the home dock, make stops at the towns down the Missouri river as far as Jefferson City and join the flotilla at St. Louis. This scheme, it is thought, is preferable to making the start at St. Louis and besides it will afford the Kansas Cityans an excellent opportunity to campaign for river improvement at Lexington, Glasgow, Boonville, Jefferson City and the other towns down the Missouri between here and the state capital.

The Chester has capacity for sixty passengers, and from the way applications for berths are coming in it is probable that they will be engaged long before the trip is to be taken. A band will be on board the boat, which will be gaily decorated. H. G. Wilson, transportation commissioner of the Commercial Club, will be in charge of the arrangements.

The boat will probably leave Kansas City on the afternoon of October 21, will reach St. Louis October 25 and will arrive at New Orleans October 31. It will be used as a floating hotel for the Kansas Cityans while at St. Louis and New Orleans.

Labels: boats, Commercial Club, conventions, Jefferson City, Lexington, Missouri river, New Orleans, President Taft, St Louis, Steamboat Chester

August 23, 1909

BOUQUET FROM A STRANGER.

Kansas City's Boulevards and Parks

Accorded High Praise.

"In ten year's time Kansas City will not have a peer in the world as a residence city," declared W. C. Dufour, city councilor of New Orleans, La., who with a party of delegates from that city passed through the Union depot last night on their way home from the Trans-Mississippi Commercial congress which was held at Denver. The party made the trip in A. J. Davidson's private car "Frisco No. 100." After the congress they visited the various points of interest in Colorado.

"Here in Kansas City your park and boulevards boards have taken care of the future. They have planted these long rows of trees on your boulevards, so that in some ten year's time you will have drives which will rival any tropical city for shade.

"Then, too, it is generally admitted that there is not a much finer boulevard system in the world than now exists in Kansas City. You have the hills and the flats, the straight lines and the curves and everywhere there is something that attracts and holds the eye."

In the party besides Mr. Dufour were Beverly Myles, John Phillips, George Janvier, George Lhot and Judge I. O. Moore. All of the party were enthusiastic on the subject of the big river convention which will be attended in New Orleans by President Taft.

Labels: Denver, New Orleans, President Taft, railroad, Union depot, visitors

May 17, 1909

SOUVENIR PICTURE OF TAFT.

Autographed Photo of President for

Fresh Air Fund.

Mrs. Edith Greene of 6009 East Tenth street, who is interested in raising money for the juvenile fresh air fund, wrote Mrs. William Howard Taft at the White House some time ago, asking for some souvenir to auction off in the good cause. Saturday she received a letter from Mrs. Taft, together with an autographed photograph of the president:

"Mrs Taft acknowledges the receipt of Mrs. Greene's letter, and as it is not possible for her to send a souvenir from the White House, she is sending an autograph picture of the president with best wishes for the fresh air fund. White House, May 11."

Labels: auction, charity, President Taft, Tenth street, women

April 27, 1909

TAFT NOW IS AN EXCELSIOR.

William Jewell Society, Nearly 70

Years Old, Frames Acceptance.

LIBERTY, MO., April 26. -- President William Howard Taft today accepted honorary membership in the Excelsior Literary Society of William Jewell College. His letter of acceptance is framed and hung in the society hall, together with one of Robert E. Lee, who was made an honorary member in 1868. The society was founded in 1940, and has turned out many noted men.

Labels: Liberty, organizations, President Taft

April 9, 1909

MEET AFTER TEN YEARS.

Navy Yeomen Were Former School-

mates in Minnesota Town.

Ten years ago John R. Rose and Leo A. Ketterer were classmates in the little town of Shakopee, Minn. Rose became afflicted with sea fever, so one day he enlisted in the United States navy. A year later Ketterer also joined the navy.

Yesterday the former schoolmates met in the navy recruiting office in the federal building for the first time since their enlistment. Rose had been chief yeoman at the station here since November, 1908. Ketterer, also chief yeoman, arrived to relieve him, as Rose has been ordered to duty on board the battleship New Jersey of the North Atlantic fleet.

"Hello, Johnny," said Ketterer, as he came into the office to begin work.

"Why, hello," said Rose. "I had almost forgotten you were in the navy. Where have you been the last ten years? I had lost track of you."

Both men have been around the world a time or two and crossed the equator several times. Ketterer has been in the Far East almost constantly since his first enlistment, and was on the Flagship Rainbow when it carried President Taft, then secretary of war, from Manila to Vladivostok.

Yeoman Rose left for the East at 11 o'clock last night.

Labels: federal building, military, President Taft

March 15, 1909

GERMANS LIKE "TEDDY."

Are Also Pleased That Taft Is His

Successor.

"Germans in Germany think that Theodore Roosevelt, former president of the United States, is about 'it,' with a capital 'I,' and that the people of the U. S. A. could not have chosen a better man to fill his place than William H. Taft," said Edward Husch, a lieutenant in the German army, who is in Kansas City.

Lieutenant Husch is touring the United States for pleasure and will visit all of the principal cities.

Labels: President Roosevelt, President Taft, visitors

March 5, 1909

MISSOURI SHOWED THEM.

Governor Hadley With His Gaily

Caparisoned Staff Attracted the

Attention of Thousands.

WASHINGTON, March 4. -- Governor Herbert S. Hadley admirably performed the duty of putting Republican Missouri well to the fore in the inaugural ceremonies today. After President Taft and Governor Hughes of New York, the Missouri Republican governor and his richly caparisoned staff occupied public attention on the line of march, and received the plaudits of thousands who faced the March blizzard of cold wind and snow to witness the great events.

It was evident all along the line of march from the capital to the White House that the people realized that distinctive honor was due Missouri's representation in the inaugural festivities, and great was the applause Governor Hadley and his escort received.

The governor attended the exercises in the senate chamber, where he witnessed the first indoor installation of a president in seventy-six years. As he took his place at the head of his staff with Adjutant General Rumbold, he was given command of a regiment of cadets at the reviewing stand facing White House. Governor Hadley and staff were given distinctive salutations by President Taft. The dinner given the governor and Mrs. Hadley at the Shoreham tonight was a splendid success. After the dinner the governor and party attended the inaugural ball.

Labels: Herbert Hadley, politics, President Taft

February 25, 1909

THIRD REGIMENT BAND TO GO.

Hiner's Organization of Thirty-Five

Will Go to Washington.

Hiner's Third Regiment band of thirty-five musicians will accompany the Missouri and Kansas Taft inaugural special train, which will leave Kansas City next Tuesday night for Washington. Yesterday Walter S. Dickey sent his personal check for $200 to Roy S. Davis, treasurer of the train, as Mr. Dickey's contribution towards the engagement of the band, and Mr. Davis says that he promises of equal amounts from many leading Republicans to defray the cost of the musicians.

The train will be composed of six Pullmans, a dining car and a commissary car. Two of the Pullmans will be occupied by Kansas City, Kas., and Kansas state representative men with their wives, and one by citizens of St. Joseph. Three cars have been reserved for Kansas City and people and those living out of state, and the reservations have been about all taken. The cars will be appropriately decorated and the expense for the round trip, including Pullman berths going and coming and while in Washington, is but $48.50.

The train will go over the Alton to St. Louis, and from St. Louis to Washington over the Baltimore & Ohio, reaching Washington at 6:30 on the morning of March 4. Returning, the train leaves Washington at 12:30 a. m. March 6 and reaches Kansas City at 5 p. m. the following day. Tickets are good for side trips to New York and Annapolis.

Labels: music, politics, President Taft, railroad

November 8, 1908

PAID A FREAK BET.

H. D. Gibson Pushed E. L Yeat

Through Streets in a Wheelbarrow.

Amid the shouts and laughter of a big crowd, H. D. Gibson, a traveling salesman for a wholesale jewelry house, last night paid off an election bet by wheeling the winner in a wheelbarrow from Twelfth street and Forest avenue to Twelfth and Harrison streets and back. The bet was made with E. L. Yeat of Twelfth street and Forest avenue, and Mr. Gibson wagered that Taft would carry Nebraska. Friends of the two men had been informed that the ride would come off last night and had gathered to witness the humiliation of the loser. A whellbarrow festooned with flags and a large banner on which was printed "I bet Taft would carry Nebraska" was teh paraphernalia used. At the starting point at Twelfth street and Forest avenue nearly 500 people had congregated. The crowd followed the principals over the coucrse. Mr. Gibson lives at 1211 Virginia avenue and tips the scales at 240 pounds. Mr. Yeat, the winner, weighs 180 pounds. Both men have red hair and the friendly crowd took advantage of that circumstance to poke fun at them.

Labels: Forest avenue, gambling, Harrison street, politics, President Taft, salesmen, Twelfth street, Virginia avenue, wheelbarrows

November 6, 1908

BUSINESS MEN ARE

CONFIDENT OF FUTURE.

TAFT'S ELECTION MEANS BRISK

TIMES AGAIN, THEY SAY.

Already Business Is Beginning to

Strike Its Old Gait -- Big

Orders, and Plenty

of Them.

Business men in Kansas City feel confident that the election of Taft as president means an increase in their profits by the end of the year. Some of the larger business houses have had heavy orders for their goods, subject to the election of the Republican candidate. While some houses have received such orders ot hers have felt the unrest due to the election by the falling off of orders. Many of the large wholesale houses handling commodities such as groceries, boots, shoes and dry goods said that the result of the election would not have affected their trade one way or the other.

Rollins M. Hockaday of the Burnham-Hanna Dry Goods Company said that the election of Taft would give trade confidence, and that he had reason to believe that there would be a general wave of prosperity following the late election. "Business has been very good, and with the restoring of confidence I expect to see a large increase," he said. "There is no doubt that the election of Mr. Taft will mean that the entire country will forge ahead and that business of all kinds will push along. While the election of Mr. Bryan might not have caused hard times it would have retarded business to a certain degree."

The greatest activity shown by any line of business since the election of Mr. Taft has been in the iron and steel industry. Reports from the mills in the East are to the effect that numerous orders which have been hanging fire for the last few months are being filled. Charles E. Faeth of the Faeth Iron Company said that his company felt that the election of Mr. Taft meant a future prosperity in the country. He said that numerous concerns had held back in their business fearful of the outcome and that they would now forge ahead.

Colonel John Conover of the Richards-Conover Hardware Company was jubilant yesterday over the election of Mr. Taft because he believed that it meant a continuance of the prosperous condition of the country. He said the business men believe that the policies which have governed the country the last years spells large dividends.

Labels: business, President Taft

November 2, 1908

ODDS ON DEMOCRATIC TICKET.

Bettors Favor County and State Can-

didates - National Choice is Taft.

Local betting in the pool rooms on the result of the election favors the success of the whole Democratic state and county ticket. As between Taft and Bryan, in the national, the former is a strong favorite, bets of three to one on the Republican candidate going without any takers. In one pool room an untaken bet of $3,000 to $1,000 on Taft has been posted so long on the blackboard that it is becoming dim.

So confident of success are the Democrats in the state and county that they are offering bets of two to one on Cowherd.

Labels: billiards, gambling, politics, President Taft, William Jennings Bryan

October 6, 1907

TAFT SCORNED AT ARMORY.

3,000 Listen to Democratic Speakers.

Enthusiasm reached a high state at the opening of the Democratic campaign in Kansas City last night. Four thousand people crowded into the Armory at Fourteenth street and Michgan avenue to hear the issues and principles of the Democratic platform discussed by Ward Headley of Kentucky; Frank S. Monnett of Ohio, and James A. Reed and William P. Borland.

William T. Kemper acted as chairman of the meeting. At 8 o'clock the speakers had not arrived and he introduced William P. Borland.

"The Democratic party is the only party which is running its own candidate and he is running against two men," he said. "Taft is the proxy of Roosevelt; Higsen the proxy of Hearst. The antics of the Republican campaign would be good food for the humorists."

Ward Headley of Kentucky made good with the crowd. He is an interesting talker. He articulates well, speaks fluently and mixed just enough humor with his talk to keep the closest attention of his audience.

"There is only one great issue in this campaign," he began. "That is whether the Americans shall control their government or whether the trusts and corporations shall govern it. The Democracy is united this year for the first time in many campaigns. It isn't harmony from inactivity, but it is the desire to again gain control of our government."

Frank S. Monnett of Ohio, who led the oil fight in that state on the Standard Oil company, used many figures in his speech. He confined himself mostly to the various monopolies with which he had dealt and produced figures to show the falsity of Taft's statements in Kansas last week when Taft said that the price of corn was higher during Republican administrations than during the Democratic administrations.

The speech of James A. Reed brought cheer after cheer. The crowd had listened to other orators for two hours, but they were as eager to hear the Kansas City man as they were the first speaker. His speech was confined mostly to state politics. He also took a gentle jab at Taft's religious zeal.

"So Taft came to town Sunday and went to church three times?" he asked, beginning his talk. "And to think that he never was in a church in his life until he entered this campaign. They told us he was Unitarian and that he believed in neither hell nor heaven. Why, he hadn't been in town fifteen minutes until he began to feel the holy thrill of religion. Who knew our atmosphere affected strangers so queerly?

"Then he went to church looking for salvation. It was only the religious fervor and zeal which took him there. Nothing else could have induced him to go. Once wasn't enough so he tried it twice more in the same day. Then, in order that he could be baptized in every kind of religion he went to the church of the colored brethren to be anointed therein. Let us rise in prayer with Mr. Taft."

Labels: Armory, Congressman Borland, Fourteenth street, James A. Reed, Michigan avenue, politics, President Roosevelt, President Taft, visitors

October 5, 1908

TAFT GIVES SPEECH TO

"NEGROES ONLY."

Pays Surprise Visit to

Allen Chapel.

William Taft, Republican candidate for President, while in Kansas City yesterday could not resist the impulse to show his love for the negro race by making unto them a speech. When the presidential nominee was scheduled to speak here it was understood that he was coming only to address the Y. M. C. A. at the Independence Avenue M. E. church.

No one seemed willing in Republican circles this morning to say much regarding the Taft negro meeting which was held in Allen chapel at Tenth and Charlotte street yesterday afternoon. It was said that it was not known that Taft was to speak at the church until a few moments before he arrived there. Despite this fact that it was a non-advertised meeting, there were fully 1,500 negroes gathered to hear the candidate.

Mr. Taft's address to the negroes was presided over by the former mayor of the city, Henry M. Beardsley, under whose administration so many negroes held positions on the city working force.

Labels: churches, Mayor Beardsley, politics, President Taft, race

October 5, 1908

TAFT GETS COLD RECEPTION

IN KANSAS CITY, KAS.

Speech at Huron Park Said to be

More Help for Democrats.

It was a frost, a fizzle, a fiasco. There never was a political gathering in Kansas City, Kas., that showed less enthusiasm than the crowd of 3,000 people which turned out this morning to hear Taft. The Republican presidential candidate was escorted from the Baltimore hotel to Huron park in Kansas City, Kas., by a long train of automobiles amid great pomp and with marked precision and ceremony. He arrived on time -- 8:30 o'clock.

From the north steps of the Carnegie library, the big chief addressed the Wyandotte Indians. The audience was already there -- 3,000 strong. There was no demonstration until some one yelled: "Three cheers for Bill."

Then there was a feeble effort to applaud, but it lasted less than a minute. After a speech lasting about fifteen minutes Taft retired from the stone pedestal upon which he had been standing, and the "effort" was over.

In his speech the presidential nominee took to the defensive entirely. He undertook to defend his attitude in labor injunction decisions, which were rendered years ago; injunctions which union labor has never forgotten.

During the course of his speech, the presidential candidate was almost wholly denied applause or encouragement. His audience was composed of 1,500 school children, 300 students from the Kansas State Blind Institute, located in the west suburbs of Kansas City, Kas., and about 1,200 adults, mostly women.

And it was evident that Taft's pleasure over the occasion was not of the most exultant variety. No sooner had he stopped speaking than the crowd began to disperse. He was not fatigued by a siege of long and vigorous hand-shaking. Here is the way the followers of Democracy in Kansas City, Kas., speak of the meeting: "It was the best Democratic meeting we ever had!"

Labels: Hotel Baltimore, hotels, Kansas City Kas, libraries, politics, President Taft

October 5, 1908

CURIOUS CROWD HEARS TAFT.

Persons Disperse as Soon as Roosevelt's

Candidate Appears.

William H. Taft may have saved his voice, as he planned to do, by refusing to speak in Convention hall yesterday afternoon, and choosing a church which would seat 1,200 persons instead, but he caused much discomfort to hundreds who heard him and disappointment to others who stood for several hours only to be finally refused admittance altogether.

Mr. Taft spoke from the pulpit of the Independence avenue Methodist church, under the auspices of the local Y. M. C. A. Before the doors were opened a patient crowd had assembled, a majority of whom, to judge from the good natured raillery with which they wiled the time away, were actuated by curiosity.

The crowd, like Mary's little lamb, still lingered near and when, a few minutes later, Mr. Taft appeared in a red automobile, accompanied by former Mayor Henry M. Beardsley and one or two other local celebrities of like political faith, the consuming curiosity was evidently appeased and it thinned rapidly.

Labels: churches, Independence avenue, Mayor Beardsley, politics, President Taft, YMCA

October 3, 1908

TAFT TO BE HERE TOMORROW.

Republican Presidential Candidate Will

Spend Sunday in City.

The train bearing William H. Taft from Topeka to Kansas City is expected to arrive tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock where a reception committee consisting of Senator William Warner, Congressman E. C. Ellis and W. S. Dickey will meet the presidential candidate and escort him to the Baltimore hotel.

In the morning Mr. Taft will attend the Beacon Hill Congregational church and will then lunch at the home of W. S. Dickey. In the afternoon he will go to the Independence Avenue M. E. church, where he will address the Y. M. C. A. at 3:30 o'clock. His subject will be "The Foreign Work of the Association."

Monday morning Mr. Taft will be taken over the intercity viaduct to Kansas City, Kas., where he will address the populace from the steps of the public library.

Labels: churches, Congressman Ellis, Hotel Baltimore, hotels, intercity viaduct, Kansas City Kas, politics, President Taft, railroad, Senator Warner, YMCA