The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-10-10
PRESIDENT TRAVELS NEARLY
100 MILES THROUGH BEAU
TIFUl PLACE.
WET WITH PERSP|RAT|ON
Portly Executive Walks Over Foot
Trails Until His Clothing Becomes
Saturated and He Has to Co to Bed
While They Are Hung in the Sun
to Dry-A Forestry Enthusiast.

FL Portal. Cal. oct. 9-Aftcr having
Travelled nearly 100 miles by stage and
on foot in and around the Yosemite
valley President Taft returned here
tonight and will resume his journey to
the southwest tomorrow morning. He
will stop during the day at Merced.
Fresno and Bakersfield and reach
Los Angeles early Monday morning.
The president was wet with pcrspir
alton when he reached the foot of the
trail today and had to go to bed in
the Sentinel hotel while his clothing
WAS hung out in the sun to dry. Even
the presidents outer garments were
wet and as he had only the one gray
Norfolk Jacket suit with him in the
park he had no alternative than to
follow in the footsteps of the fahled
man who owned but one shirt.
Mr.. Taft took luncheon with Major
Forsythc. of the army.
The presidents last day In the Yo-
semitic park was probably his most
enjoyable. He began the day by
looking at the sunrise over the east
ern granite walls of the valley. his
vantage point being the veranda of
the little Glacier Point hotel. set right
at the very edge of Il 3,OOO-fOot drop
into the floor of the valley.
Sees Sun Rise.
The surroundings were rough and
secluded but the president appeared in
scant attire. Having seen the sun
properly up and at its duty. Mr.. Taft
retired again and slept until s o'clock.
The 7.f00-foot altitude did not seem
to affect him in the least. In fact.
the president has stood the long rides
and early hours of the Yosemite trip
better than some of the other mem
bers of his party.
After 80 miles of staging yesterday
he sat up until 1890 O'Clock playing
friendly game of bridge with Gov
crnor Gillctt of California. Represent
ative Mckinley and Captain Rutts.
Today the president set such pace
down the four miles of the short trail
which brought him from Glacier Point
to Yosemite that he had two of his
congressional escort. Representatives.
Mckinley and Needham calling for
help. At Union Point. one-thirl of
the way from the top. the president
went to the very edge of the cliff and
waved handkerchief in greeting to
mere specks of humanity who could
be seen moving about on the floor
In while he caught three cheers"
sent uo in his honor.
Explains Views.
John Muir. the naturalist. explained
every view. every tree and flower on
the way down and dwelt time and
again upon the glacier theory of the
fE.f
dent was told that the short trail
down which he was passing was first
"hlazed" by an old settler who lived
in the hills with his wife who would
not let him have any whisky i'm the
house and he had To walk down to
the floor to get "A drink.
The president has evinced lively in
terest in the proposition on foot in
San Francisco to throw dam across
the Hetch- -Hetchy valley of the Yo-
semitic park. and create Il lake there
to give that city supply of water.
Mr.. Muir. who has spent much of his
life in the Yosemite and knows all
the trees and rocks by name. has de-
clared to the president with all en-
thusiasm of real lover of nature
that the plan is sacrilege. He frank
ly expressed opinions and brought
about several lively discussions among
those in the presidents party who
are inclined to favor the project and
Mr.. Taft has listened 10 many of
these with amused interest. once to-
day. while coming down the trail, Mr.,
Muir became eXaspcrated and ex-
claimed:
oh. | guess the rascals will get it
in the end"
Place to Pray.
He added that the Yosemite was a
place in which To say ones prayers.
and never should be used for COM
mercial purposes. President Taft has
been deeply impressed with tho
beauty. not only of the valley itself. ,
but the entire Yosemite park. He de- !
clared that the park had been ne
elected. as compared with the Yellow
stone park.
Mr.. Taft is anxious that some def /
mite plan of improvement shall he
agreed upon. in order that progress
may be made year by year. Road I
building Is the first great need. as
the president himself has suggested. (
and he probably will make some rec
ommendation ON the subject in his
forthcoming message to congress. :
Arriving at the floor of the valley.
the president was greeted by Galen
Clark. 81 years old. who was the first
white man 10 make known the ex-
iStelce of the giant Saa1lnIs tr.aaS az tho