News
The Day the President Came To Town
An old Engine and Depot. Trains like this carried Presidents on Whistle Stop tours. Clearmont Historical Group
On Oct 20, 1911, Sheridan was treated to a very special event, the arrival of the 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft, who was elected in 1908.
While he was campaigning in 1911, he made a stop in Sheridan, Wyoming. In 1910, Sheridan County had a population of 16,000, so Sheridan’s population was still fairly small. However, Wyoming has always been a republican state, so the visit was well received by the population. Newspapers headlined the event for months in advance, and in the Sept 1, 1911 Daily Enterprise there was this article:
President Taft In Sheridan Four Hours Friday, Oct. 20
Hon. William Howard Taft, president of the United States, next month will enter Wyoming from two different directions, entering the extreme southern part of the state from the east on Oct 4. and sixteen days later making his ingress to the northern part of the state from the west.…..(after traveling in the Pacific Northwest.)
Instead of arriving in Sheridan from Billings, Friday, October 20 at 10:00 o’clock a.m., as was first stated in the message received from Hon. Frank W, Mondell. of Newcastle, later arrangements have been perfected by our congressman whereby President Taft will be able to spend four hours in our city instead of two.
Mr. Mondell has secured these arrangements for Sheridan so that her well known hospitality may be extended to the president and no doubt she will do herself proud on this auspicious occasion. Today a second telegram from Mr. Mondell was received at this office as follows
Mondell’s Latest Message. Newcastle. Wyo., Sept. 1, 1911. Joe J Daly, Manager Dally Enterprise. Sheridan, Wyoming: The plans for President Taft’s visit to Sheridan have now been so changed so that he will be able to arrive there at 6:00 o’clock on October 10, and he will not leave until 10 o’clock a.m. the same day
The purpose of the above message is clear and means that the president will arrive at 6 o’clock a.m. instead of the former hour mentioned. He will be Sheridan’s guest for four hours…there will be no sleep for the president on his arrival in Sheridan regardless of the early hour. He will be greeted in the city with the blasts of all the steam whistles in the city and the exploding of track torpedoes at the Burlington Depot and the huzzahs of the hundreds of people who will arise early on that particular day to catch the first glimpse of one ol the greatest presidents of the greatest republic on earth. In all probability the Honorable Mondell will meet the president’s special (train) in Billings and accompany the distinguished guest on his trip through this section of Wyoming.
A trip to Fort Mackenzie is contemplated and would be made over the street car route. It is probable the president will review the eight companies of infantry stationed at the military post.
The police vigilance will be redoubled upon the occasion of the president’s visit….. Sheridan is more fortunate than Billings in the extent of time which the president will spend. At Billings his visit will be shortened to half an hour which will barely give him time to make a speech from the rear platform of his car. The railroad run from Billings to Sheridan will be made with a special train.
Frank W. Mondell was a Representative from Wyoming and one time mayor of Newcastle in 1888, He served in the US Congress from 1895 to 1897 and once again from 1899 to 1923.
The platform speech referred to in the article was a common way for politicians to campaign in the 19th century, when train travel was the most common means of transport. Politicians would charter special trains to travel from town to town. At each stop in a town along the rails, the candidate would make his speech from the rear platform the train, but rarely set foot on the ground. These were called “Whistle Stop” campaign speeches because as the engineer pulled up the depot, he would sound the train whistle.
So for Sheridan to actually give the President a tour of the town was a major event, and people came from all around the surrounding area to get a glimpse of the president, and, if extremely lucky, get to shake his hand.
The Daily Enterprise, Friday. October 20, 1911
Northern Wyoming Greets the National Executive. President Taft is Cheered by 20,000 Voices – Imposing Automobile Parade —Sheridan Was Never Happier The citizens of Sheridan, reinforced by many citizens of northern Wyoming Joined hands this morning to do honor to William Howard Taft, president of the United States. it was his first visit to Sheridan and everywhere he was received with a great ovation.
The weak voices of the old soldiers intermingled with the lustier cheers of the 2,000 school children at the reviewing station on Grinnell Avenue, and in acknowledging the president repeatedly bowed his acknowledgment, his proverbial smile that won’t come off being ever in evidence. The president was surprised and delighted with the imposing spectacle presented by the long line of automobiles, the hundreds of soldiers from Fort Mackenzie, the old soldiers of John Schuler Post, and the school children bedecked In their finery and enthusiastically waving their hundreds of flags.
Every detail of the arrangement had been carefully planned and was carried out without a hitch. Thousands of citizens of northern Wyoming and southern Montana lined the sidewalks on the line march. and at the tabernacle where the speech making occurred.
Every foot of space was filled and thousands who sought entrance were turned away. Not an untoward incident occurred to mar the plans for the reception of the president in Sheridan. The sheriff and chief of police, assisted by their deputies, guarded the president on the line of march and at the tabernacle where he delivered a brief address. And more than five or six secret service men were on hand to forestall anything that might have the semblance of danger.
Sheridan had been duly decorated for the occasion. Business houses were gay with flags and bunting, a few business buildings alone being conspicuous in their absence of decorations. Through the residence portion of the city many dwellings were finely decorated with the national colors.
The tabernacle was strung with bunting and flags. The main reception committee was resplendent with badges, while many smaller badges were distributed among the other committees. The automobiles which carried the distinguished party from the train through the business and residence districts were decked out gorgeously, as were also the machines which carried the local people. Even the Burlington locomotive which hauled the presidential train was decorated beyond belief.
President’s Train on Time. President Taft’s special train arrived in Sheridan on schedule time at 6 o’clock this morning. The early hour and the chilliness of the atmosphere prevented very many from coming out. An hour after the arrival of the train, however, the Sheridan Inn corner was crowded with people, and by 8 o’clock a good throng was present. Everywhere there were men clad in overcoats and gloves and mittens. Many of them were wearing some form of badge. The automobiles were only a comparatively few in number and only four or five were decorated to any extent, the remainder of the cars carrying flags only.
The temperature at 6 o’clock this morning registered 26 degrees above zero, but by 8:30 o’clock the mercury had risen to 30 degrees. The ground was frozen hard and to prevent skidding all automobiles were equipped with chains.
The special train of seven cars from Billings to Sheridan was in charge of Conductor J. E. Kelly and Engineer C. B. Goodwin. C. P. Story as grand marshal of the parade and his aides, W. H. Wallace, K. W. Gillings and James Jennings, were mounted, and before the parade started they arranged the automobiles in order, with the ten machines to carry the president and his party in advance. At 8:20 o’clock the president and his party of twenty people left the train and were lustily cheered, The president wore an overcoat and a derby hat. Seated with the president was Congressman Frank W. Mondell. then senator France E. Warren was introduced and extended greeting to the president on behalf of the state
Lieutenant Lonergan with a squad of mounted orderlies proceeded in advance of the presidents car. Upon arriving in front of the city hall the president’s car was stopped in front of the old soldiers, twenty-four in number, who were lined up along the curbing, and in command of captain Scott K. Snively. The president instantly recognized the grizzled warriors and greeted them with a broad smile. “You are the veterans, the old soldiers, and I am pleased to see you.”
Some of these soldiers, many veterans of the fighting in Cuba, asked Taft about Congress’ plans to close down Fort Mackenzie. President Taft promised the soldiers that as long as he was President, the fort would never be torn down. In 1912, Taft lost to Woodrow Wilson after Theodore Roosevelt split the republican party by running as a third party candidate.
The fort remained open until 1913, then it was closed and the troops were stationed elsewhere. In 1921, Taft was appointed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by President Harding, and he sent word to Sheridan that the fort would be used by the Veterans bureau as 122-bed hospital for veterans.
In 1972, the fort was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
No matter what went on in Washington, Sheridan can be proud that in 1911 they hosted the President of the United States.
