A photograph of former President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt seated in the back seat of a car at the Pottsville Reading Railroad Station in 1914. He had just arrived at the station and was preparing to go to the Hippodrome Theatre to deliver a political speech. Afterward, he returned to the train station and took the train through several Schuylkill County coal towns, including Ashland, then proceeding into Northumberland County to Shamokin and Sunbury stopping at each station along the route for a five minute address. He finished his tour in Williamsport with a set political speech.
The news article that appeared in the Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, newspaper follows:
GREAT CROWDS HEAR COLONEL ROOSEVELT
A large crowd of patriotic citizens, irrespective of political faith, greeted former President Theodore Roosevelt when his special train pulled into the [Shenandoah] Philadelphia and Reading Station this afternoon. The train was run above the the crossing on Centre Street and the Colonel spoke from the rear platform of the car to the audience on Centre Street.
When the former President appeared, he was given an ovation, but as his time here was limited to nine minutes the demonstration was quieted as the Colonel began to speak and broke out again after he had finished his address. Many in the crowd pressed forward and were given a hearty hand shake by the former president. After the speech a special engine was coupled to the train and the run was made to Mahanoy City, where a stop of five minutes was made.
This is the first time in the history of the town that a former president has visited us and the demonstration proves that the people are just as patriotic as in any other part of the country. Besides being a former President of the United States, Colonel Roosevelt has won distinction as an explorer in South America, and African hunter and Colonel of the famous regiment of Rough Riders. While may in the crowd this afternoon had never seen him before he was easily recognized from pictures published in magazines and newspapers all over the country.
The Colonel and his party left New York at 7:15 o’clock this morning in their own special trin and came into Pennsylvania at Easton on the Jersey Central at 9:35 this morning. After a five minutes stop at Easton the train was run to Bethlehem where another five minute stop was made. At Allentown the Colonel left the train and spoke for fifteen minutes in the public square when the train proceeded to Mauch Chunk where he spoke for six minutes. After a two-minute stop at Lansford and five minutes at Tamaqua the train proceeded to Pottsville where they arrived at 12:36. After spending an hour at the county seat the start for town was made arriving here [Shenandoah] via Frackville at 2:42. From here the train went to Mahanoy City where a stop of five minutes was made and then a stop of five minutes was made at Ashland, Mt. Carmel, Shamokin, Sunbury and other towns in that section. This evening the Colonel will deliver a set speech at Williamsport, his train being scheduled to arrive there at 7:10 o’clock.
Chief Cantlin had his full force of blue coats at the station to handle the crowd but they had very little to do in that line.
A committee from town met the party at Tamaqua and accompanied them from there.
At Tamaqua Colonel Roosevelt said he was there because Pennsylvania is fighting the mot important fight in history and spoke against Senator Penrose stating that he is responsible for the killing of all the workingmen’s bills introduced in the last legislature. He spoke strongly in favor of voting for McCormick for Governor, also stating that he was not in favor of Palmer for the United States Senate, stating that a vote for Palmer meant a half vote for Penrose. The main feature of his speech was in favor of Pinchot for United States Senate, claiming that Pinchot stands for all things which Penrose is against. He further said that a man should be judged by his vote.
At Pottsville he was given a big ovation and taken in a motor car to Hippodrome Theatre, where he addressed a crowd of 2,000 people. His speech like all others was an attack on Penrose and for Pinchot for senator. The streets were thronged with people and many were turned away from the theatre. The special train was ten minutes late leaving the county seat but the time was made up on the run to town.
The special train of the Roosevelt party arrived at the [Shenandoah] Reading station one-half hour late and was greeted by a throng estimated at over five thousand. The train pulled across Centre Street and was hardly stopped when Colonel Roosevelt made his address which was similar to those delivered by him at Tamaqua and Pottsville. At the time of going to press he was still talking.
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Photo: LOC. News article from Newspapers.com.
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