October 11, 1898

GOVERNOR'S DAY

The governors of all the Trans-Mississippi states had been invited to attend and participate in the exercises of this day, but few were present, as many of them had before participated in special exercises incident to the celebration of their state days. The exercises were held at the Auditorium at 11 o'clock A.M., with the following program:

Music . . . Omaha Concert Band
Invocation . . . Rev. S. Wright Butler
Welcome . . . . Gov. Silas A. Holcomb
Music . . . Omaha Concert Band
Address . . . . Governor Alva Adams, Colorado.
Address . . . . President Gurdon W. Wattles.
Music . . . Omaha Concert Band

After the exercises a luncheon was served to the invited guests at the Markel Cafe, and the afternoon was spent in the usual manner.

On the evening of October 11, two special trains bearing the President and other distinguished guests were due to arrive. A grand parade had been planned by the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, who had arranged to repeat their Carnival Parade on the streets of Omaha on that evening. President Wattles of the Exposition had designated the guests to be entertained by officers of the exposition, members of the executive committee and of the bureau of entertainment. Those selected met at the Omaha Club early in the evening and were conveyed in carriages to the depot to meet the incoming trains. The members of the executive committee met the President's train at Council Bluffs, Iowa, and briefly welcoming the President and his party to Omaha and the Exposition. The President's train arrived at Omaha at about 8 o'clock in the evening. The second train arrived soon after. The President of the Exposition was introduced to President McKinley, and all of the distinguished guests were conveyed in carriages to the City Hall in the following order:


Carriage No. 1- Gurdon W. Wattles, president of the Trans- Mississippi and International Exposition, and William McKinley, president of the United States of America.
No. 2- Vice-president Alvin Saunders of the Exposition and Mrs. Saunders and Dr. Garcia Meron.
No. 3- Mr. and Mrs. Z.T. Lindsay and Chinese Minister Wu Ting Fang and Mrs. Wu Ting Fang.
No. 4- Mr. and Mrs. E. Rosewater and Corean Minister Chin Pom Ye and Mrs. Chin Pom Ye.
No. 5- Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Kirkendall and Brazilian Minister Brasil and Gonsalo de Quesada, charge d'affaires of the Cuban junta.
No. 6- Treasurer Herman Kountze of the Exposition and Secretary of the Treasury Lyman J. Gage.
No. 8- E.E. Bruce and Secretary of the Interior Bliss.
No. 9- Mrs. E. E. Bruce and Secretary of Agriculture Wilson and Mrs. Wilson.
No. 10- A.L. Reed and Governor Alva Adams of Colorado, and Gov. Holcomb of Nebraska.
No. 11- Mrs. A.L. Reed and Senator and Mrs. Allen.
No. 12- Senator Thurston and Mrs. and Mrs. Dr. R. W. Baker and Mrs. J.V. Creighton.
No. 14- Mr. and Mrs. W.N. Babcock and Major General and Mrs. Miles.
No. 15- Congressman D.H. Mercer and Brigadier-General Sumner.
No. 16- Mr. and Mrs. C.S. Montgomery and General A.W. Greeley and Mrs. Greeley.
No. 17- Secretary John A. Wakefield of the Exposition and Mrs. Wakefield and General and Mrs. Charles F. Humphrey.
No. 18- Mr. and Mrs. John L. Webster and Major and Mrs. O.S. Heistand and Miss Martin.
No. 19- Major H.C. Ward, president of the government board of control; Assistant Secretary of War Meiklejohn and J. Addison Porter, private secretary to President McKinley.
No. 20- J.R. Dunn and Captain Arthur Paget.
No. 21- Mrs. J.R. Dunn, Colonel Francis Micheler and Colonel W.M. Black.
No. 22- Mrs. Major H.C. Ward, Colonel James Allen and Captain H.H. Whitney.
No. 23- President Bingham of the City Council and Secretaries A. Delviso of the Argentine minister, Tam E Ye of the Corean minister, and Leme of the Brazilian minister.
No. 24- Mrs. Congressman Mercer and Messrs. Chow Tsz Chi, Whang Chang Huli and Kwang Hany, secretaries to the Chinese minister.
No. 25- J.C. Wharton, Prof. W.L. Moore, chief of the United States weather service; Mrs. Moore.
No. 26- Mrs. John C. Wharton and United States Commissioner of Education W. T. Harris and Mrs. Harris.
No. 27- Mr. and Mrs. John C. Cowin and Captain McWilliams and Mrs. McWilliams.
No. 29- Mrs. W.A. Redick, Miss Greely, daughter of General Greely, and General Miles' Secretary.
No. 30- Mrs. G.M. Hitchcock, Mrs. Cortelyou.
No. 31- Mrs. J.E. Summers, Jr., and Mrs. Geo. A. Joslyn, Miss Humphrey and Mrs. Howland.
No. 32- Mrs. C.W. Lyman and George F. Bidwell and General and Mrs. John C. Black.
Nos. 33, 34, 35 and 36- G.M. Hitchcock and fifteen of the newspaper men accompanying the two trains.

The Board of Governors of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben in their gay uniforms, formed the escort of honor, and as the distinguished guests passed along the streets, tens of thousands of the citizens of Omaha and visitors at the exposition greeted the President and the other noted officials with great enthusiasm. Every available space along the streets was occupied, and in front of the City Hall, completely filling the street and the court-house square, the largest concourse of people ever gathered within our city awaited the arrival of the President of the United States and his party.

On the reviewing stand in front of the City Hall were gathered many representative citizens of Omaha and the west, and as President McKinley appeared, a great shout of welcome went up and it was with extreme difficulty that it was restored and a way cleared through the street for the passing pageant.

President McKinley paid his respects to the Mayor of the city by an official call at his office and after many compliments on the magnificent spectacle he had witnessed, he retired with the other members of his party, and was conveyed to the Omaha Club, which had been generously tendered by its members to the exclusive use of the president and his cabinet.

At the Club a magnificent banquet was served to the distinguished guests by the officers of the exposition, and it was a late hour when all retired to await the morning...[SR]

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Omaha must meet the emergency...Omaha Bee urges public halls to open to the public every available place to strangers unable to find lodging. [EB]

Cudahy is putting out a tablet bearing McKinley's likeness as a Peace Jubilee souvenir. [EB]

A Missourian is rescued in lagoon after his boat tips over. William Pettker fell into the water near the bridge and had to be rescued by the life saving crew. He said the boat was not like the ones he was used to. [EB]

Free lodging for visitors...County commissioners have decided to open the doors of the Court House...for those unable to secure places to sleep...Court rooms will be open and people may occupy benches...In addition 100 cots and mattresses, normally use d by jurors, will be available...The Knights of Aksarben will open the castle, which is the old coliseum building on north 20th, no beds or bunks, but shelter availbable. [EB]