The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-24
Starts Flow of Water in the
Gunnison Irrigation Project
Which VIII Reclaim 100000
Acres of Arid Land.
GREATEST PLAN OF KIND
GOVERNMENT EVER BEGAN
Pre8idtnt Taft Visits Two
County Fairs Hears Great
Stories About Fruit Raising
and Sees Race of COWgirIS,
HAS AN INTERESTING DAY

MOntrose, Colo, Sept. 23.-Presi-
dent Taft spent today on the western
slope of the Rocky mountains, and
amid a succession Of scenes typical
Of the great western country.
In many respects his 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 foot
hills Of the mountains, with not a set
uemeut in sight, made the electrical con-
nectiOu which started a flow of water
through the GUnIisOu tunnel that viii re-
claim 10000 acres sol arid land. 1t was
the setting in OperatiOn Of the greatest
irrigation project the United States gov
eminent ever has undertaken and the
opening was made the occasion of a joy
Gus celebration through the Valley OF
UnCOmpahgTe-
Before travelling out to the west portal
of the tunnel on a little narrow 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 particl-
pated. he was given a real touch Of west
ern life-a relay race of COwgirls.
Sees Race Of CowgirIs.
The race was arranged especially in
honor of the President and was novel
and exciting affair. A girl Of Is years
was matched against two older riders and
carrying the sympathy vi the crowd Win
her from the start, won the two-and-one-
half-mile race, with three changes OF
horses. by almost "a quarter Of a mile
The little girl, Miss Bertha Elsie Hull
wore knicherbockers, while the two old
err riders were in divided skirts.
The impeachment of the latter turned the
tide Of the contest and after the second
change of horses little Miss Hull was
gallOping along SO far in front that the
result was never a minute in doubt. All
three of the riders We're presented 10 the
President who climbed into the judge S
stand on the fair grounds track to wit
ness the race.
During his travels today the President
had ample opportunity to study the Ell
feet 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 con-
sisted of a few greasewOOd bushes OF
sagebTUsn. Then, out of q rock can
Won. the train suddenly would rush upon
a yeTitable oasis, where waving green
fields of alfalfa and miles Of orchards
with trees laden down with fruit told
Of the miracle wrought by the touch of
water.
HeaFS Fruit OlCFISSs
At Grand Junction and here at Mont
rose the President visited the fruit eX-
hihits Of the county fairs and was told
the almost unbelievable stories Of the sea-
sons yield. Enormous peaches, apples,
pears. Dlums, Nari-cOlOTed grapes, ami
almost every other known fruit, as well
as enormous samples of the vegetable
growth of the district, were shown the
President who had an admiring word for
IAN. At almost every stop made today
the Presidents car and the baggage car
attached to his train, were laden with
fruit One little box, yard long was
just big enough to hold ten peaches ar
ranged in d row.
The scene attending the opening of the
GunnisOn tunnel this afternoon was
most picturesque. On either side of the
deep TaVine leading away from the pOT-
tai Of the great bore several thousand
people were gathered. A little stand had
been erected 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 tunnel has been hevn through sis
miles of a mountain range and which
when the project is completed, next
spring, will divert the waters of the Gun
nisOn river. now flowing away in waste
to the Gulf of California, to the valley
on this side of the mountains where mi
nor private projects of irrigation already
have told the wonders Of the soil.
President Turns Water On.
During the day Mr.. Taft was presented
with a golden key to the city of Mont