President William Howard Taft’s Visit to Cheyenne

By Curtis Olson, Registrar CFD Old West Museum

October 4, 1911

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Near the end of 1911, President Taft embarked on a seven week-long cross-country tour to the west coast of the U.S. which would ultimately cover roughly 13,000 miles. The trip would cover 24 states over 46 days. The purpose of the trip was to gain public support for a handful of Taft’s legislative programs which he wanted passed (the next long session of Congress would begin in November 1st that year), for which Taft wrote speeches for the trip on “tariff(s), the tariff board, the trusts, the conservation of soils and Agricultural Department, the Knights of Columbus and the Philippines, the Nicaraguan and Honduras Treaties, and the Arbitration Treaties” (among other topics including vetoes and peace). However, Taft’s trip had another crucial purpose: to garner support amongst the Republican Party for his uphill battle to be renominated by his party for the Presidency in 1912, which as Taft’s personal secretary Charles D. Hilles put it, would be an “attempt to sweep back the Taft tide”.

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By this time, Taft was not having a good Presidency. The stress of the job and the horrid political battle which he knew awaited him in 1912 to keep his job was causing him to overeat, play endless rounds of golf, and become more miserable in his position, all helping him gain even more weight than he already had going into the Presidency. By the end of 1911, Taft was in a preemptive battle for the Republican nomination against people like Senator Robert LaFollette and former President (and personal friend) Theodore Roosevelt, who had endorsed Taft to replace him as President in 1908 and since then had decided that Taft was a terrible President and wanted the job back for himself for a third term. Taft in turn thought Roosevelt was now attempting to act like a tyrant that was crazy and power-hungry, and thus had to prevent Roosevelt from coming back to the White House for the good of the country.

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            Right before embarking on his long tour, Taft was suffering from a cold which required him to take a physician, Major Rhoads, along on the trip to cure him of his illness or (at least) make sure Taft would still be able to endure the strain of the long tour. For the tour, no stop along it (with the exception of its final destination: San Francisco) would be stayed In by Taft for more than one night. As Taft started on the trip, he wrote in letters the following:

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“I need your prayers on this trip, as I am trying to cultivate the good will of the righteous.”

“I am just starting on my trip. I do not know how I am coming out, but I am gritting my teeth and going through with it. I am in fairly good condition.”

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            Especially in the western states of the U.S., Taft’s support for the nomination (in comparison with candidates like LaFollette or Roosevelt) was shakier than in other parts of the country, with Taft later writing after the trip: “When I went West I was going into the enemy’s country”. It would be crucial that Taft make a good impression in the western U.S. if he was to win renomination and keep his job.

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            In Cheyenne, many preparations were underway for Taft’s visit. Special tickets from the Colorado & Southern Railway were being advertised for a round trip on the Wyoming line (between Cheyenne to Orin Junction) at one and one-third fare for people to go to Cheyenne to attend President Taft’s reception. A band from Fort D.A. Russell would play music throughout the day at various points of Taft’s entire visit to the city. Meanwhile, the committee in charge of coordinating his visit to Cheyenne (the combined industrial club and the city council) had planned for Taft to be given an auto ride tour into the country around the city. However, Taft then personally requested that he instead be given a wild west performance to watch at Frontier Park during his stay (he had been invited a few times already to attend a Frontier Days celebration but was unable to until his 1911 visit). The committee granted this request and then began (especially with the help of C.B. Irwin) hurriedly gathering the best horses, stock, and rodeo contestants of the age for the show. On September 28th, Secret Service agent and personal representative of President Taft, R.K. Goddard, visited Cheyenne and went over the plans of entertainment and the coordination of Taft’s visit with the planning committee, and approved all of their plans fully.

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Already in the middle of his cross-country tour, President Taft’s train left Denver for Cheyenne at 12:00 AM on October 4th after an extremely busy day of banquets and ten total speeches that Taft had made just that day throughout the city, after which his aides reported that he “was in good spirits and in good voice at the close”. Among those in Cheyenne who would be present to greet or accompany Taft around Cheyenne was Governor Joesph M. Carey, U.S. Senator Francis E. Warren, U.S. Congressman for Wyoming and a friend of Taft’s, Frank Mondell, and his wife, Sheriff Steve Frazier of Laramie, Colonel Dyer, and Dr. G.P. Johnston, president of the City Council and the “acting mayor”, who was acting on behalf of the mayor of Cheyenne, Mayor Bresnahen, who could not attend any event due to traveling to Excelsior Springs, Missouri due to his ill health (among others). During his visit, Taft was also presented a good-will letter from the Italian citizen of Cheyenne by one of their representatives. On “Taft Day” (October 4th), there was no school in session, businesses were closed, the police department was on deck, and the town was thoroughly in “holiday attire”. Soldiers from Fort D.A. Russell were also in town that morning to ceremoniously greet Taft as he arrived. The streets of downtown Cheyenne were already thronged with people an hour before the President’s train even arrived at the Depot.

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            President Taft’s train arrived in Cheyenne for “Taft Day” sometime before daybreak (roughly around 3:30 AM) on October 4th, parking itself and its eight cars in the east end of the Cheyenne railyards, but Taft and his party slept in on the train until nearly 8:00 AM, after which, breakfast was served aboard. After breakfast, the Presidential train (which included Taft’s private Presidential car, two compartment sleeping cars, one diner car, one day coach, and a baggage car) pulled up to the platform behind the Depot Building at 8:15 AM. Taft (with a smile) and his party exited the train at 8:30 AM after it had pulled into the platform and was immediately greeted with enthusiastic applause by crowds waiting at the Depot Building. That day in Cheyenne saw perfect, crisp autumn weather and a cloudless sky. Taft wore a high hat and a light black overcoat. The Presidential flag was then brought out of the train car and was mounted onto the automobile waiting at the Depot which was to drive Taft to his various stops around town. Preceding Taft to the automobiles were Major Archibald Butt (Taft’s military aide and personal friend) and a few Secret Service agents. Also accompanying Taft was a group of newspaper reporters (mostly from large papers from the eastern U.S.). Also among Taft’s party coming off the train to Cheyenne (among others) were the following:

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• Charles D. Hilles – Taft’s Personal Secretary

• Major Archibald Butt

• Dr. T.L. Rhodes, W.W. Miachler, and C.C. Wagner – Stenographers

• Arthur Brooks and M.L. Mickey – Messengers

• C.E. Colony – Representing the Boston & Albany Railroad

• James Sloan, Jr., J.E. Murphy, R.L. Jarvis, R.T. Small, and Robert Dougan – Associated Press

• E.R. Tartwell – United Press

• Sevellon Brown – New York Sun

• John D. Pratt – Hearst News Service

• Royal K. Fuller – New York Herald

• Robert O’Callan – New York World

• Gus J. Krager – Cincinnati Times-Star

• H.E. Taff – Western Union Telegraph Company

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As reported in the Tribune Stockman Farmer, this is what happened at the Depot when Taft arrived:

“About the south end of the station building a large space had been roped off, and this was guarded by soldiers from the post, and a number of special policemen. Inside the lines were the automobiles, many of them gaily decorated, and all filled with visitors and prominent local men.

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After a wave of his hand to the cheering multitudes, the president descended the steps of his car, and a brief reception was held with members of the reception committee. Only a few minutes were spent at the station. Entering the big machine (at 8:35 AM), accompanied by Private Secretary Hilles, Major Butt, Governor Carey and Secret Service Officer James Sloan, who rode with the chauffer, the president started at a swift clip up Capitol Avenue.

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As the machine turned out of the roped enclosure, a special mounted escort, dressed in typical western style, with broad-brimmed hats, boots, and lariats, wheeled gracefully into place, riding at the sides and rear of the presidential party. The other automobiles followed quickly in the order named, and the parade hurriedly started for the post. Along the streets the crowds lined the sidewalks and cheered vociferously as the party passed by. Even the windows of the upper stories of the business houses on either side of the street through which the parade passed were filled with people all eager to see the president of the United States pass through Old Cheyenne.”

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            (All other automobiles and parts of the parade that were not part of Taft’s direct Presidential party were kept back from the Depot on 15th Street, west of Carey Avenue, facing east in preparation to go. The automobiles in the parade were requested to be kept five car-lengths from each other during the parade. The planning committee had also requested all buildings and houses along the parade route to be decorated in national colors and flags for the event).

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Taft’s “motor cars” then drove swiftly down Capitol Avenue, but near the State Capitol Building “the school children of the city were assembled early, and saluted the presidential party with the waiving of flags and cheers. The president in turn greeted the children with a smile and spoke some endearing words to them from his automobile.” The children at the Capitol Building numbered 700-800 kids. The parade of cars included 19 automobiles, full of the President’s party and numerous national, state, and local dignitaries and notables, including (but not limited to): Charlie Hirsig (driving the pilot car at the front of the parade), William Dubois (another driver), Charles D. Carey (another driver), and Fred Hofmann (driving the marshal’s car in the back of the parade). Among those who contributed their automobiles for the parade were Charlie Hirsig, Senator Warren, William Dubois, Charles D. Carey, H.P. Hynds, William E. Dinneen, J. Ross Carpenter, David Nimmo, Fred Hofmann, and others. Amongst the parade, a large number of additional citizens with their own automobiles accepted the general invitation of the committee for anyone who owned an automobile to join in the parade all the way from the Depot to Fort D.A. Russell to Frontier Park (mainly to show the “modernity” of the city to President Taft). Among the citizen-ran (roughly 15-strong) horseman escort for the parade was R.S. Van Tassel, F.G. Hirsig, and others from Cheyenne and beyond in Wyoming. Six horsemen rode in a line in front of Taft’s car, and another six horsemen rode in a line behind the third car in the parade (Senator Warren’s car), with an extra horseman flanking each side of the President’s car in the parade. The horsemen accompanied the parade until it reached Randall Bouvelard. There, the horseman sat at the intersection of Randall and Carey until Taft’s eventual return trip from Frontier Park, where they would then accompany Taft’s car to the Opera House. The total parade route (which had been roped off) went from the Depot, north on Capitol Avenue, then west on 24th Street to Carey Avenue, then north on Carey Avenue to Randall Boulevard, then west on Randall Boulevard to Fort D.A. Russell.

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Taft and his party were then swiftly driven out to Fort D. A. Russell, arriving there at 8:45 AM. Taft’s chauffer in Cheyenne would be Tom Sullivan of the Packard Automobile Company (who would also chauffer Taft at seven other stops in the western U.S. during his tour). Senator Warren and Governor Carey met President Taft and Carey even rode with Taft in his touring car. Taft and his party then made a hasty review of Fort D. A. Russell and its buildings without stopping once, expressing himself as more than pleased with the fort. One company of the Ninth Cavalry met Taft at the entrance to the fort and a 21-gun salute of artillery was fired as Taft entered and later exited the fort. Within the fort, Taft’s party drove along the line of barracks, swung around the circle in the infantry post, and passed the line of officer’s quarters in the three garrisons. At 9:00 AM, Taft and his party left the fort from the extreme eastern end and immediately drove northeast to Frontier Park, arriving there at 9:15 AM. At Frontier Park, the special Frontier Days program that Taft had personally requested had been readied for him to attend and watch. The automobiles carrying Taft and the Presidential Party drove directly up to the judges’ stand. All other automobiles in the parade parked in the grounds west of the arena grandstands.

At the CFD Arena, President Taft first reviewed the troops of Fort D. A. Russell from the judges’ stand (who were at the park instead of the fort for the Frontier Days performances) with his party, which in the judges’ stand was planned (among others) to include Governor Carey, Senator Warren, Supreme Court Judge Willis Van Devanter, U.S. District Judge J.A. Riner, ex-mayor P.S. Cook, U.S. District Attorney T.F. Burke, Major Archibald Butt, Taft’s Secretary Charles Hilles, Brigadier General (and Surgeon General of the U.S. Army) George H. Torney, and Colonel Arthur Williams (the ranking commanding officer at Fort D.A. Russell) and his adjutant, Captain E.R. Wilson, who would both help President Taft take the salute. The Tribune Stockman Farmer described the event:

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“The soldiers followed the president from the fort and marching around back of the reviewing stand, entered the track at the southern entrance and passed in review before the president and his party. The Eleventh infantry with their band came first, the band playing ‘Sempre Fidelis.’ All the officers were in dress uniforms and every man made it an especial point to look his very best. One pretty compliment was paid to Sergeant Featherstone of Company L, he commanding his company for the time, the other officers giving him precedent because of his coming retirement after thirty years’ service.

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The machine gun platoon followed the infantry, then the Hospital corps, the Fourth artillery and band, then the one company of the Ninth cavalry, which remained at the post when the Ninth went to Douglas to the state fair. Each department was loudly cheered by the crowded grandstands and the president returned every salute.

As soon as each company passed the reviewing stand to the north, they broke ranks and filled the grandstands and bleachers, the Eleventh infantry band going to the south bandstand and playing inspiring music during the show.”

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After the troops finished passing by for review, “a number of wild horse episodes” took place, which Taft’s aides said he “immensely enjoyed”. The size of the audience in the CFD Arena for this program was around 3,000 people, including the judges of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cheyenne (as their term had adjourned the day before). No admission was charged for anyone who wished to attend the event. Once the wild horse events concluded, the program continued, as Taft’s aides wrote:

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“The ladies’ half-mile cow-pony race, which was won by Miss (Pauline) Irwin (Gladys Irwin and Joella Irwin came in second and third respectively), was a splendid spectacle in riding. The riding by cowboys of trick burros and bucking cows were very interesting especially the riding of a bucking heifer by Kid Max (or “Kid Mex” according to the newspapers). Hugh Clark and Floyd Irwin did some fine trick roping, and then followed the special event of the day, the riding of bucking and outlaw horses: “Billy Taft” bucked off Jack Martin twice, but Frank Carter, an ex-champion stuck on “Archie Butt”, named after the President’s Aide, which horse has a record of never having been ridden before. Hugh Clark could not even saddle “Senator Warren”, and “Reciprocity” bucked off John Rick, the famous rider hardly before he had gotten into the saddle. (Clayton Danks also rode “Schedule K”). “Teddy Roosevelt”, one of the famous bucking horses of the plains, unhorsed Paul Hanson, but “Prairie Rose”, Miss Rose Henderson, stuck like glue on to “Gin Fizz”, one of the roughest horses in the prairie country.”

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A stake race was also held during the program which Charlie Hirsig won, C.B. Irwin taking second, and Joella Irwin taking third. Taft also “literally threw up his hands and clutched the air” as he watched “Reciprocity” during its ride. Kid Moore also rode the famous “Old Steamboat” in front of Taft, but was thrown before he even started to ride. After her ride, Prairie Rose Henderson “took off her sombrero and bowed gracefully when the president applauded her ride”. The ladies’ relay race was the final event in the program, an event that Joella Irwin won  No one was hurt during the special Frontier Days held for President Taft.

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Throughout the Frontier Days program, Taft apparently wore a big and genuine smile on his face and loved every minute of the program. Taft and his party in the judges’ stand stood through the entire performance and Taft required an extra overcoat, but that didn’t stop him from voicing his “guffaw” at the joy of the performance, although expressing concern at times for the safety of some of the riders throughout the show. Taft sometimes even leaned out over the railing of the stand to better watch the action. Near the end of the program, the Tribune Stockman Farmer reported:

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“That President Taft enjoyed the show was shown by the fact that he answered a message from town saying they were waiting for him, by replying that he was going to see the show through. The president asked to meet Charlie Irwin and his daughters after the show, and they were accordingly presented.”

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              After that, the special Frontier Days program concluded at 10:15 AM. Taft and his party were then driven back into town (on a route that included quick drives around Sloan’s Lake and Lake Minnehaha) so that the President could deliver a speech downtown at 10:45 AM at the Cheyenne Capital Opera House (the building which the Paramount Café is currently located within). The speech at the Opera House was open to the public starting at 10:30 AM and the building was packed to capacity with people when Taft arrived (R.P. Fuller and William Dubois had helped decorate the interior of the Opera House prior to Taft’s arrival). Before Taft’s speech, City Council President Johnston and then Governor Carey made welcoming remarks. Senator Warren (who had been introduced at the event by Judge Burke) then introduced Taft to the audience.

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The topic of Taft’s speech there was primarily on veto messages and carefully explaining every detail of the proposals he vetoed and why he vetoed them. The speech lasted at least thirty minutes (some paper reports say closer to one hour). Taft also briefly mentioned within his speech praise for the condition and value of Fort D.A. Russell and that he believed that the Panama Canal would be finished ahead of schedule on July 1, 1913 or certainly by July 1, 1914. The speech was extremely heavy throughout on explaining policies in extreme detail, why Taft did or did not like them, and what should be done about them. Some paper editorials in the Cheyenne State Leader would later call Taft’s speech at Cheyenne weak and defensive. After his speech was done at 12:10 PM, Taft quickly boarded his motor car from the rear door of the Opera House and was driven around downtown Cheyenne back to the Depot. Once Taft’s fast but scenic drive concluded, the motor car took him back to the Depot, where crowds were awaiting him as he reached his train, which he boarded at 12:15 PM with Senator Warren and Governor Carey accompanying him. The train then left for the next stops on Taft’s tour: Laramie and Rawlins, where he would give additional speeches to around 2,000 and 4,000 people respectively as he continued westward. Taft’s aides said of the train ride:

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“The trip over the desert was one of rest and great enjoyment, because of its novelty, its color and its desolate, awe-inspiring scenery.”

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            Throughout Taft’s trip, the President would send telegrams back to his wife almost every day to give her updates on everything that was going on. These telegrams included ones sent from Cheyenne by Taft to talk about how that part of the trip was going. Taft briefly told his wife in a telegram sent from Green River, Wyoming just after his stops in Cheyenne, Laramie, and Rawlins:

“Have had a lighter day in Wyoming than at Denver, where the pace was fast but successful. Reach Salt Lake City tomorrow morning. Started slight hoarseness from wind and alkali dust but no indication of permanent trouble. Wyoming seems all right so does Colorado”.

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            Later during his trip, Taft received a copy of the book “Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage” during his stop in Spokane, Washington. When writing the thank you letter for the receipt of the book, Taft wrote:

“I shall take very great pleasure in reading your book, and particularly those portions of it which deal with sections of the country, like Cheyenne, with which I already feel very familiar.”

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            Charles Hilles also wrote to Senator Warren in a letter after the Cheyenne visit, saying:

“The president enjoyed every minute of the day. The special Fronter performance was a revelation and delight to him.”

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            In terms of the trip to the West as a whole, Taft wrote:

“The trip on the whole was a great success in accomplishing what I desired to accomplish. I wished to state my case to the people of the United States on the veto messages, on peace, and on the trusts, in such a way that they would know the reasons for my action, and then weigh them as they chose.”

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            Taft’s personal secretary, Charles Hilles, said after the trip that in terms of gaining support from Republican delegates: “The trip has been fruitful.” In Rawlins, Governor Carey had surprisingly publicly promised Taft that he would receive Wyoming’s delegate support for renomination at the Republican Convention and in the general election in 1912. Taft would go on to win the 1912 Republican nomination, causing Roosevelt to run for his third term against Taft under the Bull Moose Party. Taft would ultimately lose reelection to the Presidency to Democrat Woodrow Wilson, securing just 8 electoral votes to Wilson’s 435 and Roosevelt’s 88.

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*Note: Taft’s (and earlier Theodore Roosevelt’s) military aide Archibald Butt was close, personal friends with President Taft (and was friends with Roosevelt too). In March 1912, Butt went on a vacation to Europe to rest but booked passage for his return trip on the RMS Titanic in first class, boarding the ship at Southampton. Butt did not survive the sinking and his body was never recovered. President Taft and others attended two memorial services for Butt less than a month after the sinking, Taft giving eulogies at both services. At the second service, Taft broke down and wept during his eulogy, abruptly ending it.

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Sources for William Howard Taft’s Visit Write-Up include:

The Cheyenne State Leader

The Tribune Stockman-Farmer

The William H. Taft Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Wyoming Digital Newspaper Project

Wyoming State Archives

The Wyoming Tribune (Cheyenne)

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