The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-09-24
BIGIRR|GAT|ON
DITCH OPENED
BY PRESIDENT
Starts Flow of Water Through
GunnisOn Country Which
Reclaims Vast District
Typical Western Scenes Make
Taft's Day on Slope of
Rockies Interesting

dent Taft spent today on the western
slope of the Rocky mountains and
amid a succession of scenes typical OK
The great western country. In many
respects his day was one of the most
interesting he has hae since leaving
Boston.
Late this afternoon Taft stood on
the brink of the deepest irrigation
ditch in all the west and far out in
the foothills OF the mountains, with not
a settlement in sight, made the cleo
trical connection which started a flow
Of water through the Gunnison tunnel
that viii reclaim 10000 acres of arid
lands 1t was the setting in operation
of the greatest irrigation project that
the United States government ever has
undertaken and the opening was made
the reason of a joyous celebration
throughout the valley of Uncompahgre.
SEES COWGIRLs RACE
Before travelling out to the west por-
tai OF the tunnel on little narrow
gauge train the train visited the Mon
rrose county fair and after some formal
speech king, in which President Taft,
the mayor. the governor and several
others participated, he was given real
cowgirls. The race was arranged espe-
cialIy in honor of the president and was
a novel and exciting affair. A girl of Is
years was matched against two older
riders, and carrying the sympathy of the
crowd with her from the start, won
the two and a half mile race, with
three changes of horses, by almost a
quarter of mile.
The little girl, Bertha Elsie Hull,
wore knickerbockerS, while the two
older riders We're in divided skirts.
The impeachment Of the latter turned
the tide of the contest and after the
second change OF horses little Miss Hull
was gslloping along so far in front
that the result was never minute IN
doubt. All three of the riders were
presented to the president, who
climbed into the judges stand on the
fair grounds track to witness the race.
During his travels today the presi-
Gent had ample opportunity TO study
the effect of irrigation For long
lime his train would run through
stretches of country where as far as
The eye could reach the only vegeta-
ton in sight consisted of a few grease
wood bushes or sagebrush. Then out
of e rocky canyon the train suddenly
would rush upon a Veritable oasis, where
waving green fields of alfalfa and miles
of orchards with trees laden down with
fruit told the miracle wrought by the
y touch Of water.
PICTURESQUE SCENE
The scene attending the opening of
the Gunnison tunnel this afternoon
was most picturesque On either side
OF the deep ravine leading away from
the portal of the great bore, several
thousand people were gathered. A lit
tie stand had been erected for the
president and his party right at the
edge of the cut and looking down $50
feet to t. opening of the tunnel The
tunnel as been hewn through six
miles II a mountain range and which,
who. the project is completed next
ing. viii divert the waters of the
cunnison river. the water flowing away
n waste 70 the Gulf of California, TO
the valley on this side of the valley,
where minor private projects of irri-
cation already have told the wonders
OF the soil
During the day Taft was presented
with golden key to the city of Mon
trose, a gold badge concentrating his
visit and a gold table bell. 1t was
with this little bell that the president
opened the tunnel Thefweight of the
bell when set upon a copper plate rep
-resenting the district of reclaimed
land, made the electrical connection
which caused squad of laborers, sew
eral miles away, to knock down the
buikheads which were holding back
the waters of the river. AS the muddy
wall Of water rushed out of the con-
crete hole the crowd gave a spontane-
Gus cheer.
FIGHT MARS CEREMONY
Only one little incident marred the
Rresident's visit and that was at the
conclusion of the tunnel opening this
afternoon. when-on of the 80 Colorado
eheriffs who have accompanied the
president across the state got into an
alteration, with II. L. Daniels. super
3rseadeut. of the tunnel. when the lat
ter was crying TO shake hands with
the president Daniels was knocked
Sewn and for a time trouble was
ts7eateaed. as his friends were quick
10 resent the action of the officer, who
during the struggle drew pistol
Erorl his belt. The president heard the
HuarreliDg and stopped for a moment
rs iie was making his way to the
rrssu Ee vas told there was nothing
kerious however, and proceeded.
Secretary of the Interior Ballinger,
&vlse Is accompanying the president,
M .le a speech here tonight. He re-
1cr-ea 20 the subject of reclamation.
however, only in general way and
his talk was brief, owing to bad
Throat.
AZ Grand Junction in the early. aft
sernooa the president shook hands with
several Indians. one of them being
Chipela, the squaw of Ouray, one of
the most famous chiefs of this section.
In his Grand Junction speech Taft
said:
1T seems to me, as look back upon
my course since ! reached Colorado,
that there has been nothing but flow
of speech; but as the wonders of your
country open it is very difficult to re-
strain an expression of the effect of
these developments upon man who
has looked at them as / have. You
sook at the country ia some places and
81 would seem as If it was the most
God forsaken spot there was on the
earth. Then you progress a mile or
two and you see the influence of water
and il seems a paradise
ADDRESS IN MONTRosE
speaking in Montrose today the
r,residenf said in part:
Il have felt thrilled today by the
description of your resources in this
valley. The truth is. / understand why
Won go dry in these towns 1t is be-
cause this air has all the effect of
r1ampagne without the bad day that
FOLLOWS. IT is seen in the smiles of
1rorr people. in their active step; in
In hofr