The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-24
PRESIDENT TAFT STARTS WATER
FLOWING THROUGH BIG
ouNNlsoN BORE.
THOUSANDS ARE PRESENT
Standing on the Brink Of the Deepest
lrrigat Ditch in the West, Esecu-
tive Makes electrical Connection
That Starts the Fluid Though the
cut-Joyous Celebration He'd.

Montrosc. Colo. Sept. 2:.-President
Taft spent today on tho western slope
OF the Rocky mountains amid q sue
cessioa of scenes typical of the great
western country In many respects
his day was one of the most interest. !.
ing he has 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 of the mountains. with
not settlement In sight, made the
electrical connection which started Il
flow of water through the Gunnison
tunnel that VIII reclaim 100000 acres
of arid land. 1t was the setting in
operation of the greatest irrigation
project the United States government
ever has undertaken and tho opening
was made the occasion of n joyous
celebration throughout the valley OF
Uncompahagre.
Before travelling out to the west
portal of the tunnel on n little mar
row-gauge train. the president visited
the Montrose county fair, and after
some formal speech-making, i'm which
he and the mayor and the governor
and several Others participated, he
was given II real touch of western life
"a relay race OF cowgirls. The race
was arranged especially In honor o.
the president and was novel and ex-
citing 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 q
half mile race. with. three changes OF
horses. by almost a quarter of mile.
The little girl. Miss Bertha Elsie Hull.
wore knickerbockers, while the two
older riders We're in divided skirts.
The impediment of the latter turned
the tide of the contest. and after the
second change of horses little Miss
Huh was galloping along SO far In
front that the result was never
minute I'm doubt All three of the rid
ers We're presented to the president.
who climbed into the judges stand on
the fairgrounds track to witness the
race.
Sees the Effect.
During his travels today the presi-
dent had ample opportunity to study
the effect of irrigation. For long
time his train would run through
stretches of country where. as far as
the eye could reach. the only vegeta-
tion in sight consisted of u few grease
wood bushes or sagebrush. Then, out
of a rocky canyon the train suddenly
would rush upon yeritable oasis
where waving green fields 6f alfalfa
and miles of orchards with trees
loaded down with fruit told of the
miracle wrought by the touch of
water.
At Grand Junction and here at
Montrose the president visited the ex-
hibits of the county fairs and was
told the almost unbelievable stories
Of the seasons yield. Enormous
peaches. apples, pears. plums. various
kinds of grapes and almost every
other known fruit, as well as anor-
nous samples of the vegetable growth
OF the district. were shown the presi-
dent, who had an admiring word for
all. At almost every stop made today
the presidents car and baggage car
attached to his train were laden with
ffa.., One little box. yard long.
was just big enough to hold 10 peaches
arranged In a row.
Tunnel Opening.
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 persons were gathered. A