The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-08
GROWING FATTER.
s, President Taft Is Being Too
Well Fed in the West.
Impossible to Follow Rules oil
Diet He Started With.
AMONG THE BIG TREES
Spends Three HOursViewing the
Great Sequoia Trees.
liz Guarded by Detachment OF
Cavalry at Night.
AMONG THE BIG TREES

Wawona. Cal, Oct. S.-President
Taft was up at o'clock this morning
and an hour later had started by stage
to see the giant SeQuoia trees OF the
Mariposa grove, eight miles from
here. He spent nearly three hours in
the grove, returned here for an early
lunch and left this afternoon for Ga
cier point, at the top of one OF the
great granite cliffs that wall Yosemite
valley.
The solemn dignity of the old trees,
which were living things long peIoIe
the Christian era, appealed strongly
to Mr.. Taft. From John Muir, the
naturalist who accompanied him, Mr..
Taft secured the history of the giants
When the president started out
upon his second day Of roughing 1t,
he had fifty miles of stage riding be-
fore him. Yesterdays trip of "a
miles over the mountains acted as
real tonic and Mr.. Taft today was
feeling quite equal to the hve weeks
of travel still separating him from the
national capital.
President Taft will spend the night
at Glacier Point. Early tomorrow
morning he will see the sunrise over
the yosemite. He will then climb
down a three mile trail to the moor
of the canyon and spend the day
travelling to points of interest at the
foot of the granite walls.
Saturday night will find the presl-
dent again at the park entrance at
Ell Portal and Sunday morning he Will
board his special train and head Tor
southern California
He Is Growing Fatter.
The president is not adhering to
the strict diet he started out to fol-
low; the hospitable west has made
this impossible. The result has been
considerable taking on in weight.
The ride from Portal which began
d01 oil a.
mite valley from Inspiration and Artist
points a pursuit of the tumbling Wa
tiers of the MERGED river into the val,
lev floor and a winding narrow climb
to a height of 1000 feet at the crest OF
mountains which shut in the wonders
of the Yosemite. The day was cloud
less.
News that mountain lions were in
Testing the park held out hope of ad-
venture for a time, but not even the
tracks of one were seen on the road.
The president declared that this was
one of the most enjoyable days OF his
life. 1t was the first glimpse OF the
Yosemite and the impressive surround
ings the bracing mountain air, the free
dom from speechmaking all con- |
tributed to the pleasure of the first day |
ing came just in time. for the presi- |
dent was pretty we'll tired out when he
left San Francisco.
Meets Pioneer.
Mr. Taft's constant coach companion
was John Muir, the noted naturalist
and explorer Mr.. Muir had ready an
swers for the innumerable questions
the president put to him. AS he passed
through the outskirts of the valley the
president was saluted by grizzled old
California pioneer, Galen Clark, the
first white man to make known the ex-
istence of the giant Sequoia trees.
Clark is now more than 80 years old.
He lives in the park and has asked that
he be buried among the trees and
he has known so long.
Mr.. Taft alighted from the stage and
walked a mile or so up the mountain
road 1t gave him a splendid appetite
for the picnic lunch served in the
Grouse creek pine forests.
At one point in the park where a
change of stages was made, the presi-
dent was greeted by band of school
children and shook hands with all of
hem. Last night in the temporary
White House" into which one Of the
little hotel cottages here has been con-
7erted, the president was guarded as he
vas at Portal by a detachment of cav
llry.