The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-28
TAFT DROPS
 DOWN SHAFT President Goes Through Copper Mines. HE VISITS MONTANA CITIES Beats Roosevelts Record for Under
 ground Trave. Postmaster General Hitchcock .ana Secretary Ballinger Joined the
 President on His Way
 to Seattle.
HE VISITS MONTANA CITES

and swinging an electric lantern at his side. President Taft was locked in a narrow iron cage and dropped 1,200 feet through midnight blackness into the depths of the famous old Leonard Copper Mine at Butte today. When he had remained half an hour under ground, the President, blinking in the glare of the noon day sun. was cheered to the echo by the crowd of 1 curious people gathered at the hoist. He declared enthusiastically: T would not have missed 1t for the world"
 It was the Presidents first visit to the Montana copper district and be- tween the smelters at Anaconda and the mines at Butte, he had a series of interesting experiences. Not the least 1 of these was a thrilling automobile l ride over the mountains from Butte to | the mouth of the Leonard mines. The grades were steep and winding. There was a sight of relief when MT. Taft had once more been placed safely aboard the Mayfiower this afternoon for Helena.
 Arriving here. he went directly to the State Fair grounds, where he l made an open air address and witnessp ed race of cowboys. Returning to the city. Mir. Taft reviewed. q parade of school children.
 Leaving here this evening he goes direct to Spokane where he is expect cd tomorrow to deliver his formal speech on the conservation of the nat urai resources and the reclamation of arid lands.
 walks with e Limp. President Taft walked with a limp when he first got off the train this morning at Anaconda, the result of strained tendon in his right foot. The sprain occurred at Beverly but he suf- fered little inconvenience from 1t un- til today. when his foot. was consid. erabiy swollen. There Is nothing se- rious about the sprain and Mir. Taft dtd not let 1t interfere in any way with his plans.
 The President made . flying trip | through the Washoe Erneltef of the Afs&IKAisaate tea Copper k,nsnpAsy at Acaconda. The crowds which greeted him on the streets there were the largest eghad seen since leaving Chi cago.
 The police had their bands full fin opening a way for the automobile pro- cession and after the Presidents car had passed, the crowd swarnied in its wake.
 Speaking at the Court House. the President looked out upon mass of humanity that blocked the square and spread far down the converging streets. He made a decided hit with the great throng when he told of the wonderful impression the country was making on him. and ending by say ing:
 T am like the Dutchman who said the more you live the more you find by goily out"
 When the President disappeared down the shaft of the Leonard mine today. with a hearty "goodby." every body shouting to the waving group at the entrance. he carried with him in- to the depths of the earth. two of his cabinet officers and won the presiden- tial record for going the farthest un- ter ground.
 President Roosevelt entered some of the Butte mines during his term but did not go down to the 1.200 foot lev sl. Down in a Mtne.
 Postmaster General Hitchcock. who joined the President today at Anacon- ia, and Secretary Ballinger, accompa- nied the President in the picturesque trip down the dark chute and through the cross cuts and drifts of the deep level.
 The elevator used by the President and his party consisted of small steel doored square cages in three decks. Tho lowest of these was loaded first. then the second and lastly the Presi- dent got into the top one. accompa- nied by John Hays Hammond and oth- CTS. There was sheer drop of 500 feet before the first level was reach- ed.
 The electric. lights at this gallery leading away from the shaft were but a blur. After this, the levels came ct intervals of 100 feet. Despite tho assurances of the mine officials that they made from twenty to thirty trips day down the shaft at a speed which relegsted the Presidents drop to a snaifs pace in comparison, the descent through the first 500 feet of Inky darkness held it's nerve shaking possibilities to the nervous in the par ty The descent occupied two and one-half minutes and during the jour- ney there was nothing hut blackness and silence.
 At the 1900 foot level the two low CT cages dropped by the opening to allow the President to step out-f first. It was still inky dark and gruesome to those below when at last there came the .cheerv voice of the President from the level, calling to some of the newspaper men. who were accompany ing him on the trip;
 "How are you fellows down therer he inquired.
 There was still 500 feet of b1ackness below the cage and wed kind Q like to get out" came the reply.
 well I don't know so much about that" called the President. "I think I've got you safe where want you at last"
 The opening of the level had been decorated with bunting and along the gallery the ordinary incandescant bulbs lighting the passage had giv- en way to more bulbs of red white and blue. The walk through the cross cut to the ore vein was about a quar- ter of a mile. Through the darker places. the President helped to light l thA ...a a..- .EIth his electric lantern while the other members of the party caFs | rieI candles,
 Explains to Hammond.
 The whole method of copper mining was explained to the President. One of the local committee, who had ac- companied Mir Taft down Into the mine and who did not recognize John 1 Hays Hammond. the mining engineer ln an oil skin coat and Souwester start l ed in to explain the system to him