The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-09-30
TAFT PUSHED !
THE BUTTON
PRESIDENT OPENS GOV
ERNMENT'S GUNNISON
IRRIGATION TUNNEL
Sees Race by "Cowgirls", Visits
Fairs and Studies Irriga-
ton


Mountains and amid succession
of scenes typical OF the great
western country. In many re-
spects this day was one OF the
most interesting he hrs had since
leaving Boston.
Late this afternoon Mr.. Taft
stood on the brink of the deepest
irrigation ditch in all the West
and far out in the foothills, with
not a settlement in sight, made
the electrical connection which
started a flow OF water through
the Gunnison tunnel that will re-
claim 10000 acres OF arid land.
1t was the setting in operation OF
the greatest irrigation project the
United States government ever
has undertaken and the opening
was made the occasion OF a joy
Gus celebration throughout the
valley OF the Uncompahgre.
Before travelling out to the west
portal of the tunnel on a little
narrow-gauge train, the Presi-
dent visited the Montrose county
fair and after some formal speech
making, in which he and the
mayor and the governor and sew
eral others participated, he was
given real touch of western life
"a relay race of cowgirls.
Girl in "Knickers" Wins.
The race was arranged eSpeci-
ally in honor OF the President and
was a novel and exciting affair. A
girl of 16 was matched against
two Older riders, and, carrying
the sympathy OF the crowd with
her from the start, won the two
and-aIhalf mile race with three
changes OF horses by almost a
quarter of a mile. The little girl,
Miss Bertha Elsie Hull, wore
knickerbockers, while the two
older riders wore undivided skirts
this handicap turned the tide OF
the contest, and with the second
change of horses little Miss Hull
was galloping along so far in
front that the result was never
again in doubt. All three of the
riders were presented to the
President, who climbed into the
Judges stand on the Fair Ground
track to witness the race.
During his travels today the
President had ample opportunity
to study the effect OF irrigation.
For a long time his train would
run through stretches of country
where as far as the eye could
reach the only vegetation in sight
consisted of a few grease wood
bushes or sagebrush. Then ouI
of a rocky canyon the train sud-
denly would rush upon a veri-
table oasis, where waving gree
fields of alfalfa and miles of or
chards with trees laden with fruit
told OF the miracle wrought by
the touch of water.
Visits the County Fairs.
At Grand Junction and at MOI
trose the President visited the
fruit exhibits of the county fairs
and was told the almost unbeliev-
abb story OF the seasons yield
Enormous peaches, apples, pears
pluns, vari-colored grapes and
almost every other known fruit,
as we'll as enormous samples OF
the vegetable growth OF the dis
trict, were shown to the Presi-
dent, who had an admiring word
for all. AT almost every stop the
baggage car was laden with fruit
One little box, yard long, was
just big enough to hold ten
peaches arranged in a row.
The scene attending the open
ing of the Gunnison tunnel was
pictm esque. On either side of the
deep ravine leading away from
the portal of the great bore, sew
raj thousand people were gather
ed. A little stand had been erect
ed for the President and his party
right at the edge OF the cut and
looking down $50 feet to the
opening of the tunnel. The tun-
mel has been hewn through six
miles OF a mountain range, and
when the project is completed
next spring will divert the water;
OF the Gunnison river, now flow
ing away in haste, to the valley
or this side of the mountains
where minor private projects Cd
irrigation already have told the
wonders OF the soil.
Is Given Key to Montrose.
During the day Mr.. Taft was
presented with golden key to
the city OF Montrose, a gold
badge concentrating his visit
and gold table bell. 1t was with
this little bell that the President
opened the tunnel. The weight oi
bell when set upon a copper plate
representing the district of re-
claimed lands, made the electrical
connection which caused a squad
of 1aborers several miles away, tc
knock down the bulkheads which
were holding back the waters Of
the river. As the muddy wall Oh
water rushed noisily out of the
concrete hole the crowd cheered