Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-01-08
LETTER FROM AN OLD CONTRIB
UTUR
FcRr SnAw, N. T.. Dec. 20, 1874.
DEAR COURIER:


FoRr SnAw, N. T.. Dec. 20, 1874.
DEAR COURIER:
I suppose that you thdnght I.had for
gotten you altogether, 90 hasten 10 un
deceive you gu that point. As you are
alread. aware, l WIS Frustrated with q
fever while en- route from Rlli1 to this
place, which necessi.ated . delay Of two
weeks 10 the Sisters Hospital IN Helena.
Thanks TO. the kind treatment of the good
Slsters to whom feel indebted for my
present ex,stence), rapidly recovered,
and soon after arrived ct this Posi-, y here
l rrcsived my appointment - Post Prin-
ter, and am now enjoying oil the facilities
wherewith to make ''p"sie-ry." havs
only made one (pie) pi - yet 1t being
highly favored with bourgeois. thought
l would send You piece OF Il:
[usDeus rotcblan fgos6 iDwsxvqc OBJ :7t]
Hxvlhk .. sanctum of my own now l
would ike to give you few "em- braces, :"
but suppose that you have enough Of
them already, 70 will refrain.
Before proceeding further, Must give
you thanks for the prompt manner in
which you forward the Courier every
week. would. indeed. feel lonesome
without 1t. Yes, l fee! proud Of the
Courier now, it having surmounted all the
xpparently insurmOunta6le obstacles
which il mas 50 recently .encoun; ered.-
The Courier is an excellent paper. ever
advancing ideas for the prosperity of the
country. and the welfare OF It's people,
which are far ahead of the, .'times. BY
the way, speaking of the Times, reminds
me that once heard of pa Der called the
Times, being published IN B1zeman. l
believe il keeied oyer On account of inert
ing advertisements gratis, or for being
deserted by . dog, or the return Of the dog,
ur tive dog having fell into a-Wcll never
mind the aoy-gone thing, any way; l
have no time now 70 write doggerel On
this dOglsh subject.
Fort Shaw il very please ntly situated
on Sun River. 1t Is very fine military
Post. and like most Of the Western forts,
rs built in the form IF hollow square,
embracing q piece Of land about 33Ox33D
The buildings, which are of adOoes, are
very Warm and comfortable. Tney CON
s,st of ne .dquarters' offices, quartermas
tnr's office, printing and telegraph Offices,
Officers quarters, company quarters for
seven Companies (here are SIX companies
here ut presently, post Hospital, guard
houses aud QuarterlnaSter's stOrehOuses.
There are also many frame and slab build
iuxs At the Post, the most conspicuous uf
winch arc the Good Telnplais- Or>oons Of
Junadab Hall, tue theatre, The Turin Yer
len Hall, the Post Traiers store, the sa "
mil (ste;lin), and many other Ou,>build
Jugs surrounding the Posi-, xll Of which
60 to IN Ike up very creditable appearing
ax.i cement
The sui in the vicinity is not of that
rlcn quality which is found in Gallatln
Valley, vet very fine crops Of potatoes,
csObatcs, parsnIps, and lurElps. As Well
as other vegetables, are ANNUALLY raised.
A yeiy fiue quality of sand ,tone is found
N aouluaEL quantities iu the surround
itg niils. aud It is my Intention. Wien the
raiirDad IS Competed. to Up.n y quarry
here, and have ueipus built Oh the sand
stone plan" Pclr,fieu lOMDstunes also
ab,unu IN this region.
Colonel John 4;bton, of the 7th Infan
try. now IN command III The Post, Is 81
officer Ut sterling qualities Though y
s Ct dlsciplinar'an, he Offers 10 The lntu
VI us command every opportunity Ut
amusement and en- oymeDt. lie also usts
his influence in advancing the principles
" Temperance, morality and education.
Being y thorough scholar, his arg0uleuts
are listened to with manifest interest by
bU,il officers aud enlisted men, S nee my
ariiva. vt the P.,s., he has delivered two
very nno lectures in the G,n,:t reinfiars'
Hall. "n the subject If :.s:O.ller Worlds
tlan OlrS" The amount Of silent dis.
pay ca on Uuth OCCASIONS Il. en.!Oneu proves
u ia to be al aDie student, Is we'll H. al
eio4uent lecturer On both ucttse,,ns . so
the crowd which thronged tue hal, gave
shipie tes Jny Of their appreciation IT
ais line aJr.ities. For myself must say /
'ha! ihcSe lectures have bceh very instruc |
I'VE and entertaining, and hope that the |
Colonel Will continue tRr,n through the |
winter.
l enclose you "a programme of our |
nrIstAGs fcsiiv. ties, tor which we also
we our thank, to COLONEL 4lbbOn. You
Will Obevrve that We had shooting matches,
FtsOt races, SACK race, WheeibarrOw race. |
NH mule racing (fas.est and siowes,).
the prizes offered in each case to the
ucky competitor being fine. turkey
The arrangement aad carrying out of this
)rngfs'ume was productive of immense
l.iaIliy IN the g .Trisun. The whee barrow /
&C v a. simply RI b. Six ambitious sol
i:ers entered tne arena. each one feeling
that he would be the first one
o run up against the flag staff jone hun
lred yards dlstaut), whlch was the goal.
they were blindfdded secure y by the
Ulcers, turned aruand three times and
hen started off Then the fun begun.
some went one way and some another.
While only one weut straight for the @@,,u;.
md be, when near i. INDUCED in a series
4 circumAnbu1ar antics, creating much
nir'h ~ the expense Of Capt Logan. who
found him eff q victim of
'wheelb rrOwcide" just when he thou hit
hat lie was N very safe position. Soon
loud hur.aa proclaimed the victory won
y INN w1O hai " uncercmuniously nc.
ct the Captain. The crowd, on turp,ng
ruun.i, burst into Wild huzzas on behold.
ng Walsh, bet or known in Gallatiu Val.
ey ~ Ben Butler" who was Just then
ilting on the hsndles OF his wneelbsrr0W
u the other side of the garrison. Ben
I'd travelled the circuit Of the parade and
round up here-xgainst tree, thinking
w.s the flag staff, and 90 sat down to
'ait for the judges to come and decide
im the winner but he appeared very
luch surprised when the bsndaye was
einOved from his eyes to find hllnselr i1v
uRdr.,d yards distant from the goal.
The sack race was also very amusing.
never ea~ more comicaI sght than the
X Contestants in this race, who, With
,nx sacks tied clean up under the chin.
'cnt hopping over the parade. The thing
,Okad % ridiculous and: -Cfeafed such IN
mooss Vt fun shat the 6llce96, who par
- I'll sh> - -.-...:.'cnss, ssssov ~p
purse 70 have Il done over. again. The
tpStltl0n caused - much fT0lic aud good
.srn.,~ Hh~,A.Ie A.sA