President Harrison started on his memorable journey to Texas and the Pacific Coast States at 12:15 o'clock Tuesday morning, April 14, 1891. The party consisted of the President and Mrs. Harrison, Postmaster-General John Wanamaker, Secretary of Agriculture J. M. Rusk, Mr. and Mrs. Russell B. Harrison, Mrs. J. R. McKee, Mrs. Dimmick, Maj. J. P. Sanger, Military Aid to the President, Marshal Daniel M. Ransdell, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Boyd, Mr. E. F. Tibbott, stenographer to the President, and Alfred J. Clark, O. P. Austin, and R. Y. Oulahan, press representatives. At Chattanooga the party was joined by the President's younger brother, Mr. Carter B. Harrison, and wife, and at Los Angeles by Mr. C. L. Saunders.
The train that safely carried the head of the Nation on this great tour was a marvel of mechanical perfection unrivalled in equipment. Mr. Geo. W. Boyd, General Assistant Passenger Agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad, prepared the schedule and had charge of the train throughout.
No predecessor of President Harrison ever attempted the great task of travelling 10,000 miles, or delivering 140 impromptu addresses within the limit of 30 days—an achievement remarkable in many respects. His long-extended itinerary was an almost continuous series of receptions and responses, and there is no instance where any man in public life, subjected to the requirements of a similar hospitable ordeal, has acquitted himself with greater dignity, tact, and good sense both as to the matter and manner of his utterances. This series of speeches is in marked contrast with his incisive utterances during the campaign of 1888, and disclose General Harrison's ability to seize the vital topic of the moment and present it to a mixed audience in such a way that while consistent with his own record he yet raises no antagonisms.
[ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, APRIL 14.]
Leaving Washington shortly after midnight, the train passed through Lynchburg at an early hour and arrived at Roanoke, its first stopping-point, at 8:50 A.M. Seemingly the entire population of the enterprising city was out to welcome the President to Old Virginia. Prominent among those who greeted the party were Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Eddy, W. B. Bevill, John A. Pack, Allen Hull, A. S. Asberry, and John D. Smith.
After shaking hands with several hundred, President Harrison, in response to repeated calls, spoke as follows:
My Fellow-citizens—I desire to thank you very sincerely for this friendly greeting. The State of Virginia is entitled, I think, to high estimation among the States for its great history—for the contribution it has made to the great story of our common country. This fact you discovered, I think, long ago. For personal reasons I have great affection for Virginia. It is the State of my fathers. I am glad this morning to congratulate you upon the marvellous development which has come, and the greater which is coming, to your commonwealth.
You not only have an illustrious story behind you, but before you prospects of development in wealth and prosperity, in all that makes a great State, such as never entered into the imagination of those who laid the foundation of the commonwealth. [Cheers.] You are arousing now to a realization of the benefits of diversity of industries.
In the olden time Virginia was a plantation State. I hope she may never cease to have large agricultural interests. It is the foundation of stable society, but I rejoice with you that she has added to agriculture the mining of coal and iron, and, bringing these from their beds, is producing all the products that enter into the uses of life.