Yet Another President in Hudson

Yesterday, on Presidents' Day, Gossips recalled the Presidents who have visited Hudson. A reader pointed out that we had overlooked Harry S Truman's whistle stop here in 1952, while campaigning for Adlai Stevenson. This morning we discovered another, albeit brief, presidential visit which had been omitted. On Saturday, November 11, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson's train stopped here on his way back to Washington from Williamstown, Massachusetts. The following account appeared in the Hudson Evening Register for Monday, November 13, 1916.

 

MANY HUDSONIANS SAW THE PRESIDENT

Crowd of About 500 at Station to Greet Him as Train Stopped Here.

 

On his way back from Williamstown, Mass., President Wilson found crowds waiting for him at every station Saturday night. At Albany about 3,000 gathered to meet his train, the reception committee being headed by ex-Governor Glynn, P. F. McCabe, former Sheriff Hathaway and A. Page Smith, and also Mayor Lunn of Schenectady, who is Congressman elect.

 

When the President's private car attached to the regular train reaching Hudson at 8:38 pulled in there was a crowd of nearly 500 people waiting to get a glimpse of the President. The car was on the end of the train and it came to standstill on the tracks under the Ferry street bridge, where the crowd hurried, with red fire lighting the way. Two secret service men came out on the platform as they heard the cries "Hurrah for Wilson," "We Want Wilson," etc. One of them stepped inside and came out saying that the President would greet them in a moment. Then as the President came out the train started off. Mr. Wilson was greeted with loud cheers, and he waved his hand to the people in salutation and he was smiling. He remained on the rear platform until the car passed the Hudson station. Several people had the opportunity to grasp his hand.

 

The big crowd was an unexpected one, as many people did not know that the President was coming, and others thought that he was going through on a train which would not stop. He went to Rhinebeck, where he boarded the President's yacht, the Mayflower.