The Sentinel=record., 1911-10-22
TAFT DROPS
 LIDO FEET
PRESIDENT IS GOLD BRlckEDr AND HAS ROYAL DAY IN THE
 MINING SECTION.
Locked in the Steel Cages Which Drop nto the Bowels of Earth, the President Enjoys Some New
 Experiences.

dent Taft further qualified as a min CT today when he was dropped elev- en hundred feet down into the famous Homestake Gold Mine at Lead.
 Two years ago Mr. Taft was talk en down to the 1900 foot level in the Leonard Copper Mine at Butte, Mont. and spent fully an hour groping about the drifts and tunnels, and watching the men at work.
 His experiences today were much the same, the principal difference be- ling in the more precious quality of the quartz veins among which Mr. Taft was guided with miners lant- erns lighting the way.
 The president began his trip to the mine by learning the proper pronun- eiation of the town of Lead which is not named after the metal lead. but for the mining term indicating a lead into body of ore.
 Next he climbed a nigh flight Of steps and crossed long trestle lead ing to the mouth of one of the shafts.
 The altitude at the ectrance to the mine is just one mile above sea level and the president stopped to rest several minutes before allowing him self to be locked, with several mem bers of his party, into one of the steel cages used in hoisting men and metals from the bowels of the earth :.
 It was long dark ride down the shaft, the depth being twice the height of the Washington monumenv. Elevators in the Washington Monu- Iment creep to the top of that gran ite shaft in from 10 to 15 minutes. Mr. Taft went sailing down in tho darkness today at a speed which car rled him to the 1i0O foot level in less than two minutes.
 Three quarters of an hour later he was hoistel to the surface at an even faster pace.
 All work in the mine had been sus- pended this afternoon, partly to give the men an opportunity to hear Mr. Taft speak in Lead and partly as a Iprecaution for the presidents safety in visiting the mine. it being deemed inadvsable to have any blasting while he was in the tunnels
 The entire process of mining the ore and of smelting if was explaine to the president as he walked through the damp drifts Outside snow was on the ground and there were fur ries of falling flakes Down in the mine the temperature rose to pv- tween seventy and eighty
 One of the drifts followel by the president led to an enormous cave hike opening, where most of the ore Iuow is being taken out. The dome lof the cave was fully 15 feet high. Miners stationed at different levels in the enormous cut burned calciun paper to illuminate the cave in.
 How are you, Bil', yelled one oI these miners from far above.
 Pretty good, laughed the presi- llent. "how are you, away up there ?'
 Fine, old boy, glad to see you.
 Mir. Taft also spent some time in the government assay office at Lead anu watched the casting of reai gold brick Later the president was shown a room full of the precious bricks. each of which weighed 12S pounds and worth about $30000 q piece
 Some cue "stumpei the president { to lift brick He picked up ono lof the precious Dars with tine greai- est ease Senator Gamble tried tc do likewse, but was not so success ful
 In this city where he spoke short fly afternoon on the tariff vetoes, tho
 president was presented with a small gold brick worth over ssoo.
 Tt is a great pleasure to gold brlcl the president, said Representative lE w Martin in making the presen- ltation.
 Tt is a great pleasure 10 be gol brlcked in this way replied the pres idert
 Mir Taft received noisy welcome lbotll in Lead and Deadwood. 1 Practically lhe antire noniitatinn o