Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-24
Greatest Project Which the Govern.
ment Has Undertaken.
MANY EXHIBITS OF BIG lcU1
Executive Much Pleased with Expt
ence at County Fair.
IRRIGATION LAWS D1sCU
VIII Ask Congress 90 Pass Act
win Enable Government to Aid
i'm Completing the High
Line Project.

MONTROsE. Colo. Sept. 23.-President |
Taft passed the day the western slope !
Of the Rocky mountains and amid a sue
cesson OF scenes typical Of the great
western country. In many respects this day
was one of the most interesting 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,
without settlement in sight made the
electrical connection which started flow
of water through the Gunnison tunnel
that will reclaim 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 joyous celebration throughout the
valley Of the Uncompahgre.
speech at County Fair.
Before travelling out to the west portal
of the tunnel on a little narrowg gauge
train, the president visited the Montrose
county fair and after some formal speech
making in which he and the mayor and
the governor and several others partici-
pated, he was given a real touch of west
ern life-a relay race Of cowgirls. The race
was arranged especially in honor Of the
president and was novel and exciting
affair. A girl of 16 was matched against
the older riders and carrying the sympathy
of the crowd with her form the start, won
the two and a half mile race with three
changes OF horses by almost one-quarter of
mile. The little girl Miss Bertha Elsie
Huh, wore knickerbockers, while the two
older riders wore undivided skirts, The
impediment of the latter turned the tide
of the contest and when the second change
of horses came little Miss Hull was gallop-
ing 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 70 witness the race
During his travels today the president
had ample opportunity to study the effect
Of irrigation. For q 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 sage brush. Then
out Of a rocky canyon the train suddenly
would rush upon a veritahle oasis, where
waving green fields of alfalfa and miles
OF orchards with trees laden with fruit
told of the miracle wrought by the touch
OF water.
BIe Fruit Exhibits.
At Grand Junction and here at Montrose
the president visited the fruit exhibits Of
the county fairs and was told the almost
unbelievable story of the seasons yield.
Enormous peaches apples. pears, plums,
vari-colored grapes and almost every other
known fruit as well enormous samples
of the vegetable growth of the district,
were shown to the president, who had an
admiring word for all. At almost every
stop the baggage car was laden with fruit.
one little box a yard long, was just big
enough to hold ten peaches arranged in a
row.
The scene attending the opening of the
Gunnison tunnel was picturesque. On either
side OF the deep ravine leading away from
the portal Of the great bore several thou
sand people we're gathered. A little stand
had been erected for the president and his
party right at the edge Of the cut and look
ing down $50 feet to the opening of the
tunnel. The tunnel has been hewn through
six miles OF a mountain range and which,
when the project is completed next spring
win divert the waters OF the GuRnisou
river. now flowing away in waste to the
valley on this side of the mountain, where
nine private projects of irrigation already
have told the wonders OF the soil.
Golden Key to MOntrOse.
During the day Mr.. Taft was presented
with a golden key 20 the city OF Montrose
gold badge commemorating his visit and
a gold table bell. Il was with this little
bell that the president opened the tunnel
The weight OF the bell when sci
upon copper plate representing
the district OF reclaimed land, mad,
the electric connection which caused
squad OF laborers several miles away {,
knock down the bulkheads which wer,
holding back the waters OF the river. A.
the muddy wall OF water rushed noisil9
out OF the concrete hole the crowd cheered
In all OF his speeches today. including IA,
last one delivered at O'Clock tonight I,
a throng in Elk's park. following an II
Illuminated parade and a display OF fir
works, the president touched briefly upOl
the subject Of irrigation. He promised =
Grand Junction promptly to look into tn
matter OF completing the Grand Valley, o
High line ditch project there which wa
begun year ago BY Secretary Garfield OF
partnership engagement between the gov
ernment and the land owners. Secretar.
bAllinger ordered the work stopped an,
was upheld In his action by Attorney Gen
eral Wickersham who declared the con
tract and the Garfield currency" certi
fieates which had been issued for worl
performed, to be Illegal
Secretary BAllinger. who Is accompanying
the president also spoke here tonight H
referred TO the subject OF reclamation in
general way and his talk was brief owinl
10 bad throat.
Al Grand Junction in the early afternoo
the president shook hands with several Ut
Indians. one OF them being Chipele tn
widow Of ouray, one Of the famous chief
Of this section.
Address at Grand JunctiOn.
In his Grand Junction speech, Mr.. Tai
said;
II seems TO me l look back upon m
course since l entered Colorado. that theF