CLINTON VISITS MICHIGAN CITY

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This edition of the Michigan City EveningDispatch told of the 1899 visit to the city of President William McKinley.

McKinley softened stern image in 1899 visitto city

By Henry Lange

News-Dispatch staff writer

Photographs show him as a stern man, made even more stern by an artist'sembellishment, the bushy eyebrows in particular.

However, while a stern facade might be in keeping with the presidentialdemeanor of 1899, William McKinley came across as a mixture of the seriousas well as a caring president when he arrived in Michigan City on Oct. 17-- 97 years ago this year.

McKinley was the only president in history to visit Michigan City andspeak to its people until Aug. 28, 1996, when President Clinton picked thecommunity as his final stop on a whirlwind train tour on the way to renominationat the Democratic National Convention.

Michigan City had gone all out to welcome Clinton just as it did on amuch smaller scale in 1899. While the Clinton visit has been trumpeted electronicallyand in print and Michigan City is now known nationwide as the last stopbefore Chicago, it was only the local newspapers and word of mouth thatbrought the crowd to see and hear McKinley.

History shows, however, that the enthusiasm of a small town on Lake Michigan97 years ago hasn't diminished.

Just as it is today, the plans for the 1899 presidential trip seemedto come piecemeal, announcements that might be more startling than joyful,such as the warning from Capt. William Gallas of the Michigan City PoliceDepartment.

He cautioned the townspeople gathering at the North Side rail crossingwhere the McKinley train would stop to beware of pickpockets already inthe city. The captain spoke of one young man who was robbed and now wascarrying a gun. "So I warn everyone to be on the lookout tomorrow."

Today a man with a gun would have been in the hands of the Secret Serviceimmediately, with no argument about self-protection from pickpockets. Unfortunately,there also is the irony that McKinley would be the victim of a gunman in1901.

The spirits of the community were raised, however, with an Oct. 13 announcementin the Evening Dispatch with the headline: "To Greet McKinley -- MichiganCity Will Do Itself Proud Tuesday -- An Immense Crowd Will Hear and CheerThe President."

The story went on to tell how a committee had been formed and plans fordecorations were moving forward. On Oct. 17, the big crowd the newspaperhad predicted was an understatement.

An estimated 10,000 people packed into an area around North FranklinStreet where the president's train, six coaches pulled by a locomotive onloan from the Michigan Central, would arrive.

A speaker's platform was erected, the Ames Band assembled, and veteransof the Grand Army of the Republic in full uniform were assembled. Membersof Michigan City's Black Horse Troop posed in front of Earl's Livery Stable,preparing for their part in the big welcome.

What Michigan City residents did not know was that the president wasnearing the end of a 7,000-mile trip that took him as far as the Dakotas.He was on his way to Kalamazoo, Mich., after a stop in Chicago, and reallyhad planned to rest. He hadn't planned to make a speech at Michigan City,but finally conceded to make an appearance at the repeated requests of CongressmanCrumpacker, who had made the trip from Chicago, along with Mayor MartinT. Krueger and other dignitaries.

McKinley was running late, and reports of the day indicate that about1,000 people may have left before his train arrived about 5:30 p.m. Aftera delay at Kensington, Ill., engineer John Fogarty worked the throttle tomake up time. It took less than 1 1/2 hours to make the trip.

The president was brought into a city decorated with hundreds of yardsof bunting, the train pulling up so that the rear observation car was onthe east side of Franklin Street.

With schoolchildren toward the front of the crowd, McKinley receiveda 21-gun salute fired from the top of Hoosier Slide, a sand dune of hugeproportions that stood at the present site of the Northern Indiana PublicService Co. generating station.

This, coupled with the cheers from the crowd, had to echo across thecity, perhaps across Lake Michigan. McKinley appeared on the platform andwas introduced by Mayor Krueger.

McKinley kept away from politics, telling the schoolchildren how muchhe appreciated their presence. The youngsters waved flags, and McKinley,in his three-minute address, told the children how much their patriotismmeant to the United States.

He also addressed the laboring men of Michigan City, saying he was gladto see them so prosperous and happy, and thanked them for coming to seehim. At the end of his speech he introduced the U.S. attorney general andthe secretary of war.

There were 32 men and a half-dozen women in the presidential part, includingMrs. McKinley, who also received the cheers of the crowd.

While a lot of people would like the opportunity to shake the hand ofPresident Clinton, and handshaking is an important part of personal campaigning,there was an incident during the McKinley visit that transcended the traditionalextension of hands.

McKinley was being presented with a bouquet, and a note had been presentedto him in Chicago. It was from Mrs. Hannah Hollenbeck, now in the audiencein Michigan City.

She told the president that she had lived next door to the McKinley familyin Niles, Ohio, had been a friend of the president's mother, and had beenhis baby sitter.

One of the men in the audience informed the president that Mrs. Hollenbeckwas indeed in the crowd, and the president leaned over the rail to reachher hand. The distance was too great, and four men lifted her toward thepresident. McKinley shook her hand, saying he was glad to see her, gladto shake hands with anyone who was a friend of his mother's. The presidentthen took a flower from his lapel and gave it to her.

The crowd cheered again, and McKinley went inside the car, only to returnonce more for a final wave to the children with his handkerchief.

It is reported that the crowd was so intense around the rear of the trainthat at least three women fainted, and some of the children became frightenedand cried.

The president then went on to be greeted at Three Oaks, Mich., and finallyon to Kalamazoo.

There were some presidential visit notes in the Michigan City News thefollowing day. The newspaper, obviously wanting to fan the flames of thetraditional rivalry between Michigan City and LaPorte, reported that fewLaPorte residents came to see the president. No Michigan City homes hadbeen burglarized, and no pickpockets arrested.

Carl Gutschow lost a pair of glasses in the crowd that evening. Wheneverybody left, he went back and found them. Undamaged.

McKinley hadn't planned to make a speech in Michigan City, but finallyconceded to make an appearance at the repeated requests of Congressman Crumpacker,who had made the trip from Chicago, along with Mayor Martin T. Krueger andother dignitaries.