Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-09-28
IIFT EXPERIENCES
NEW SENSATION
o,0os Through Twelve Hundred
reet Of Absolute Darkness in
Leonard Mine at Butte.
CABINET OFFICERS WITH HIM.
- Return 10 Daylight, Declared En-
mn.lasticany. II wouldn't Have
fls.cd IL for the World"

p,i,na. Mont. Sept 27.-Attired in
linen dusier, an old black SLOUGH
-, and swinging an electric lantern
,is side. President Taft was locked
narrow iron cage and dropped 1900
-, through midnight blackness into
y. aenihs Of the famous old Leonard
aver mine &C Butte today and had
n. rare experene Of seeing miners at
,.s with a giant drill in a vein OF
,sb.erade ore that sparkled green with
4, eealth Of mineral After half an
foer underground. the president, blink
lnr in tho glare Of the MONDAY sun,
.,s rbeered to the echo by the crowd
"a curious people gathered at the hoist,
.,5 declared enthusiastically.
VI wouldn't have missed Il for the
world.
,so Montana copper district, and be-
,r.sn the smelters at Anaconda and
4 ,ss mines 40 Butte he had a series OF
interesting experiences
MAJ tho least Of these was a thrilling
.rforobilo ride over the mountains
han. Butte 90 the mouth Of the Leonard
mine The grades were steep and wind
ms but the chaufeurs assigned to the
me.Idents party were experienced men
IN the road. and. while there was ap-
-srenty no threat Of danger at any
.isge OF the trip, there was sigh OF
rsief when MT Taft had once more
been placed safely aboard the May
flower for the run to Helena.
WHEN TAFT DISAPPEARED
When the president disappeared down
the shaft of The Ie0nard mine at
Butte. with % hearty Goodbye, every
body" shouted TO the waving group at
the entrance he carried with him into
me depths of the earth two of his
cabinet officers, and won the presi-
Dental record for the farthest trip
under ground.
President Roosevelt entered some OF
Inc Butte mines during his term. but
dia not get down TO the I .200-fOot level
postmastcr-G Hitchcock who
Nued the president today at Anacon-
ds and secy. Of the Interior Ball
niger were with the president in the
picturesque trip down the dark chute
and through the crosscuts and drifts
u the deep level.
The elevator used by the president
and his party consisted of small steel
do0red square cages In three decks The
lowest Of these was loaded first, then
the second and, lastly. the president
got into the topmost one, accompanied
By Capt Butt John Hays Ham
mond and others.
THE LONG DROP.
There was sheer drop Of 500 feet
.
etcue lights at this gallery leading
away from the shaft were but a blur.
After this tho levels came at inter-
walls Of 100 feet Despite the assur-
ances Of the mine officials that they
made from % TO 80 trips a day down
the shaft at speed which relegated
the presidential drop TO snaiis pace
50 comparison, the descent through
that first 500 feet Of inky darkness
held its nerve-shaking possibilities to
The noyices In the party The descent
occupied TWO and one-half minutes,
and during the Journey there was Moth
Ing but backness and silence.
AZ the l200-foot level the two lower
cages dropped by the opening TO allow
he president to step out first. II was
SUI mighty dark and gruesome 10 those
below. when az last there came the
CHEEKY voice Of the president from the
level calling to some OF the newspaper
men who are accompanying him on the
tip.
How are you fellows down there"
be hughngly inquired.
There was still 90 feet of blackness
below the cages. and Wed kind OF
IKE % get out came the reply.
Well ! don't know so much about
mat called the president II think
got you just where ! want you at
ine opening OF the level had been
~,oialed with bunting, ana along the
4Iep the ordinary incandescent bulbs
lsntng the passage had given place
o more red bulbs OF red. white and