The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-14

NUMBER THREE.
10 the Editor of the Auant Courier:

ss1@ssssssss 60
NUMBER THREE.
#as------s "a SIS
10 the Editor of the 4uant Courier:
HELENA, Dec. 9th, 1871.
After many wand rings, dounderings, and
struggles through an almost interminables
series Of snow drifts, during which got my
nasal appendage most uneeremoniously and
uncourteously ssnipped'' by that indiscrimi-
mating Individual .sJack Frost, arrived in
the ssQueen City right side up, and in,me-
diately proceeded to place myself under the
care o,f the hespitabls sam sehNab mine
host Of the gosnepoI itan and after partaling
Of the necessary creature comforts, and re-
CALLING myself with ssmild Havana, z ] bid
defiance to the rude blasts of that clustering
railer Boreas, who was bowling outside like
ten thousand faries, sending tile mercury fl
the therrnomer acknowledgements
began to imagine it would get so low that it
wouldn't come back again. hat ssmercnriap'
individual q. D. White, Of Giant Powder no.
toriety. in his weather report, gave the state
Of the thermometer at seVenty-fiVe below dis
eoyery; how much he knew about it, depo-
nent saith not.
This has undoubtedly been the Hseverest
storm that ever happened in the Territory at
this season Of the year since its settlement,
and has been very disastrous to freighters.
and stock men, especially those who came in
late with their herds, as the cattle were poor
and unable to stand the.iIie1emency of sneh d
storm as we have just experienced. A great
many travellers and prospectors have suffered
very severely, the suddenness of the storm
having caught them without adequate pro-
lection against its severity, and there are
large Numbers of men frozen more or less
badly in some cases So severely as To neces-
state ampntation. It is reported that large
numbers Of cattle have perished between here
and the railroad, where the storm has been;
| if possible, more severe even than it has here!
I There are large consignnants offreight yet
on the road, and it is feared that, notwith-
standing the well known energy of the gem
Ktlemen having the train in charge, that the
greater portion will not be able to get
through till spring. 81 -
| a fatal case Of freezing occurred last week
in the Missouri valley, near the mouth of
Confederate gulch, by which Judge Smelling.
of Oregon gilch, lost his life. It appears that
a son of Judge Smelling had been out several
days hunting stock, and the father, becoming
anxious at his sons absence set out in search
Ilof him, and got lost in The storm, which was
Ilso binding that it was impossible to see any
distance. Some gentlemen coming from
Diamond City found him on Tuesday morn
ling, within twenty-five yards OF a straw stack
which it is supposed he was endeayoring to
reach for shelter. He leaves wife and four
children to mourn his sudden and untimely
loss 10
|; Although the storm has been so disastrous
to our stock growers, the miners are jubilant
in their anticipation of plenty Of water next
season for the season" They think the
snow will certainly not so off this winter and
are anxiotlsly looking for some more of the
same material. There is no doubt that with
plenty Of water, we shsll next year expert
ence the most prosperous mining season ever
seen in the Territory. The boys are making.
preparations for a plentiful supply of the
fluid, and will be ready to take the first adj
vantage Of the. breaking up of winter to ex-s
tract the precious metal from the grayelly
beds.
The Park Ditch Company are extending
tlteir ditch, 4 (Which is already seventeen miles
iong}, so that it will cover a large amount Of
rich ground in Holmes, Tucker, Big Indian.
Uncle t5an1's and Dry Clutches, from which
great, results are expected. These gulches
are known to be very rich, and have only
been dormant SO. long for <wantaof water,
which want will COON be supplied, and the
boys will soon be able to supply them. There
is only one company at present working in
unionville--the Columbia Mining Company
Others are expecting to start up soon, when
this town will resume its former lively APP
pearance and habits. Business in Helena is
very dull, the late storm having entirely sus-
pended communication with outside camps
for short time at least.
The HeIenaites are well supplied with wins
ter amlsements- chief among which lis the
Helena Library Association. which has just
held its annual meeting, and elected its 9th
GERS for the ensuing year. Ihe Library has
about 1000 bound volumes, and complete
assortment of American and Foreign Period
ieals, Newspapers and Magazines, and under
the judicious management of G. Hedges, Esq,
the President, and DR.. w. r. Billiard, the
Secretary, it is assuming proportions which
Will placeit on par with any library in the
Union.
The Rev. pr. Voolfolk is delivering series
Of Lectures on the Book of Genesis, and from
the large attendance at the Court House every
Sunday evenings and the interest manifested.
/ should Judge that his abilities are thorough
" appreciated. The Rev. gentlemen pos
sesses very fine scholarly attainments, is fine
orator, and handles his subject il mastery
manner. In his lecture on Social Life in Eng
land. delivered on Thanksgiving, the lecturer
had the misfortune to offend the national
bride Of some of the Johnny Bulls, who
seemed to think be did not do justice to the
,.hold'' country and its customs, and one
gentleman has announced his determination
to reply. to the Doctors lecture. and pre-
sumo will prove, to the satisfaction Of the
Britishers at least, that sHinglishp manners
and customs are far superior to those OF this
ssbIarsted'' country.
The N. p. Il. X. surveying parties are IN {