The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-09-30
TAFT DESCENDS
MINE At BUTTE
Wouldn't Have Missed II for the
World"
ADDRESSES LARGE CROWDS
President Is Suffering from Sprained
Tendon In Foot--Postmaster
General Hitchcock Joins
Presidential Party.

Helena, Mont, Sept. 2S.--Attired in
hat and swinging an electric lantern
at his side, President Taft was locked
in a narrow iron cage and dropped
1900 feet through midnight blackness
into the depths of the famous Old
Leonard copper mine at Butte. He
had the rare experience of seeing
miners at work with giant drill in
vein of high-grade ore that sparkled
green with its wealth of mineral.
When he had assembled with a whiz,
after half an hour under ground, the
president, blinking in the glare of the
MONDAY sun, was cheered to the echo
by the crowd of curious people gath
cred at the hoist He declared en-
Enthusiastically:
Il would not have missed it for the
world. Do"
Thrilling Auto Ride.
1t was the presidents first visit to
the Montana copper district and be-
tween the shelters at Anaconda and
the mines at Butte he had series of
interesting experiences. Not the
least of these was thrilling automo-
bile ride over the mountains from
Butte to the mouth of the Leonard
minea The grades were steep and
winding but the chauffeurs were eG.
perienced men, and while there was
apparently no threat Of danger at any
stage of the trip, there was sigh OF
relief when Mr.. Taft had once more
been placed safely aboard the May
flower for the run to Helena.
Arriving here. he went directly to
the state fair grounds where, after
viewing a portion of the exhibits he
made an open-air address and wit
messed a race of cowboys. Returning
TO the city Mr. Taft reviewed a parade
of school children
Leaves for Spokane.
Leaving here he headed direct for
Spokane where he delivered his for.
NAL speech on the subject which
holds supreme interest to all the west
the conservation of the natural re-
sources and the reclamation of arid
lands.
President Taft walked with a limp
when he first got off the train at
Anaconda, the result of a sprained
tendon in his right foot The sprain
occurred at Beverly. There is moth
ing serious about the sprain and Mr..
Taft did not let it interfere in any
way with his plans.
Speaks at Butte.
The president made a flying trip
through the Washoe smelter of the
Amalgamated Copper Company at
Anaconda, then proceeded into the
city and after brief address took the
train for Butte. The crowds which
greeted him on the streets there were
the largest he had seen since leaving
Chicago
The police had their hands full in
opening a way for the automobile pro-
cession and after the presidents car
had passed the crowd swarmed in its
wake Speaking at the courthouse the
president looked out upon a mass of
humanity that blocked the square and
spread far down the converging
streets. He made a decided hit with
the great throng when he told of the
wonderful impression the country
was making upon him, and ending by
saying: 81 am like the old Dutch
man who said: The more you live
the more you find, by goldy.'"
Postmaster General Hitchcock, who
Joined the president at Anaconda, and
Secretary Ballinger accompanied the
president in the picturesque trip down
the dark chute and through the cross