Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-08
SUNRISE PARTY TOMORROW
Galen Clark. Nonogenarian Pioneer,
in the Party.
PRESIDENT GAINING WEIGHT
But Is Having a Grand Time and
Bravely Faces Five More
Busy Weeks.

WAWONA, Cal, October S.-President
Taft was UP before daylight this morning
eager to resume his sightseeing tour of
the Yosemite valley. He was up on the
stage seat before 6 o'clock with John
Muir. the naturalist. again at his side,
and the start was made for the famous
big trees OF Maripcsa grove. For the
President. as for most tourists, these trees
are the chief feature OF the valley, and
Mr. Taft looked forward with great in
terest to his stay in the grove
When the President started out on his
second day of roughing it he had fifty
miles Of sage riding before him. Yester-
days trip of thirtyfour miles over the
mountains acted as real tonic, and Mr..
Taft today was feeling quite equal to the
five weeks of travel still separating him
from the National Capital.
Pioneer Is Still Young.
At the grove the President found Galen
Clark, the Yosemite pioneer, waiting for
him. It was Clark who first announced
to the world the existence of the giant
redwoods In the Mariposa grove. Clark
lives in the valley. He is now ninety
seven years old, but certainly does not
look It, He took the President around.
stepping over logs and rocks like real
youngster. The President was greatly in
terested in the old man, and listened to
the story Of the early days in the valley.
The President, like other tourists, was
impressed chiefly by the enormous bulk OF
the fallen monarchs. The President and
his party got back to Wawona In time
for luncheon, and then they started on a
long climb to Glacier Point. Mr.. Taft eX-
pected to reach the point about sundoWn n
and look down on the valley in the fading
light from the famous overhanging rock.
400 feet above the floor of the great
gulch It was on this rock, which juts
out in bracketlike form from the crest of
huge granite cliff, that President Roose-
velt posed for picture when he was here
six years ago.
He's No Daredevil:
That President Taft would not venture
out on the rock as far as Roosevelt was
the subject of great local interest here to-
day. At Glacier Point the President will
be 1850 feet above. the sea level, the high
est point he will reach during his stay in
Yosemite. He will spend the night at the
hotel at Glacier Point.
About all the tourists in the valley
there are not many at this time of the
year-managed to get to the Wawona
hotel for dinner last night. Everybody
ldQ 6OOu lOOh dl TIE ffesluSHl anu Il
good many got a smile. After dinner the
President disappointed the tourists AL
Of them had gathered in the hotel parlor
and expected to get a handshake and
maybe little talk. But the President
marched straight out of the back door o.
the hotel to his cottage and to bed.
Will See the Sun Rise.
President Taft tomorrow morning will
see the sun rise over the Yosemite. He
will then climb down a three-mile trail
to the floor of the canyon and spend
the day travelling to points of interest
at the foot Of the granite walls.
Saturday night will find the President
again at the park entrance at Ell Por-
tai, and Sunday morning he will board
his special train and head for southern
California.
The President is not adhering to the
strict diet he started out to follow.
The hospitable west has made this i'm
possible. The result has been consider
able taking on of weight.