Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-23
PRESIDENT
TRAVERSES
COLORADO
Chief Executive on Way
to MOntrOSe
HAS STRENUOUS DAY AMONG
HIGH-UP TOWNS
RALLINeER ON SPECIAL TRAIN
TO GO TO SEATTLE
Nations Ruler Announces He viii Not
Discuss Conservation Until He
Arrives at Spokane Next
Tuesday
6ALLINeER ON SPECIAL TRAIN
TO GO TO SEATTLE
nUEBLO, Colo, Sept. 22.-President
II tc-.irrI,t is ,.nssirac the

n UEBLO, Colo, Sept. 22.-President
Taft tonight is crossing the con-
\ tinental divide and tomorrow
morning will find himself west of the
Rocky mountains. All day the presi-
dent has Travelled with the panorama
of the white capped peaks of the
Rockies in view and at one time the
train ran for a mile or more through
fields of snow. Tonight at Tennessee
Pass the climb to the top of the divide
carries the, chief magistrate to an alti-
tude of 1920 feet.
For the first time the president is
travelling to the west through the
Royal Gorge of the Arkansas, where
at one place the half mile deep can
yon is so narrow that there is not
room for the track and the river and
the former has to be carried over tho
rushing waters of the stream by means
of a hanging bridge, suspended by
cables embedded in the rock walls OF
the chasm.
The eleven mile ride through tho
gorge was made by moonlight tonight,
the presidents train having left here
at GAS o'clock and reaching the hang
ing bridge two hours later.
The president did not feel the alti-
tude at all today, and at the end OF
his first week of lone night stands
he is in splendid health, despite the
efforts of the hospitable west and it's
elaborate and never-endlng break
fasts, lunches, and dinners.
Mr.. Tafts voice also is in the best
of condition. Beginning the first of the
two days of his Colorado tour, Mr..
Taft motored fourteen miles out OF
Denver to breakfast this morning at
the home of Thomas F. Walsh.
Trip from Wohurst
Taking the train at wolhurst, with
an additional train filled with Colo
RADIO people as an escort, the president
proceeded to Colorado Springs where
he made a brief address in the public
park to one of the largest crowds OF
the trip and then made hurry-up
automobile tour to points OF scenic
| interest.
From Colorado Springs the party
came on to Pueblo, where the presi-
dent left the train at the Mineral Pal
ace park and was driven at the head
| of a long procession of automobiles to
| the state fair grounds to face an
| other exuberant throng and to make a
brief extemporaneous speech in ap-
probation of the reception that Colo
RADIO had extended to him. 4.
| Secretary of the Interior Ballinger
| Joined the presidential party at Dem
yer and will go through to Seattle
| with the president.
| He will assist Mr. Taft tomorrow af-
| ternoon in the formal opening of the
| Gunnison tunnel at Montrose, Colo.
| the greatest irrigation project the
| government has ever Undertaken.
Mr.. Taft announced today that he
will not make his speech on the sub
/ ject of the conservation of natural re-
sources-the topic of supreme interest
! in the country through which he will
pass during the next two weeks-until
he reaches Spokane on September %.
| 1t was at Spokane that the contro-
versy between Mr.. Ballinger and
! Chief Forester Pinchot arose, and Mr..
| Taft regards it as probably the best
place to discuss the issue.
Work Must Go On
In the brief reference he has made in
his speeches so far Mr.. Taft has de-
clared that the reclamation work must
| go on, but that 1t must be done in con-
| formlty with the law. and that no
| project will be undertaken until the
money for the work is on hand.
1t was learned today that at the
same time President Taft wrote his
letter to Secretary Ballinger sustain
| ing him in all that he has done
as head of the interior department, he
also wrote a letter to Mr.. Pinchot.
Further than to say that he had fire.
| quent correspondence with Mr.. Pin
chot and that they always have been
the warmest friends, Mr. Taft viii not
comment upon the matter.
The presidential tour took on its
first picturesque coloring of the west
today when thirty-two sheriffs OF
Colorado counties, in the costumes of
the plains. Joined the party in a spe-
cial car to act as an escort or guard
of honor to the president during his
stay in the state. In khaki trousers.
blue flannel shirts, peaked hats, car
fridge belts and pistols protruding
from holsters they surrounded the
president at every stop.
Advance arrangements had been
made for months for the sherIffs, and
they found a bunch OF broncos wait
fasts, lunches and dinners.
Mr.. Taft's Speech
In his speech at Colorado Springs
this afternoon the president said:
I'VE are entering upon an era OF
prosperity that I hope will be ex-
ceptional even in the history of our
prosperity, but in doing so we must be
careful not to forget the obligation
there is upon us to adopt such legisiR-
Continued Page Tive