The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-12-20
CAME DOWN TO WINTER.
The Man who took the First Steam
er to the Missouri's Headwaters
He Tells Of the Contrast
Between Those Days and
These.
81. Louis Republican.

Captain John B. La Barge, the veteran
souri,, where he spent The season in running
on the steamer Butte, between Bismarck and
Fort Benton. Part of the season his trips
extended only to Fort Buford and the mouth
of the Yellowstone. Capt. La Barge, being
4 native Of St. Louis, always spends his win
ters here enjoying himself among large
circle of old friends and a pleasant family at
his residence, 1,424 Papin street. Tie rail-
roads have changed the character of COM
merce in the upper country, and the old
trading posts and Indian agencies, which not
many years since were furnished with sup
plies by boats from st. Louis, now look for
their trade from Chicago, and other North
ern points that that have sprung up within
few years. In the year 1889 Capt, La Barge
TOOK UP THE FIRST sTEA r,
the " Chippewa from st. Louis, loaded
with goods to Fort Benton; and ABOUT 1866
no less than fifty steamers left St. Louis on
trading trips for that port. That was the
year of the "great rush. Now, this trace
has been almost entirely diverted to other
markets. The only boats which left St.
Louis the present season fer Fort Benton
were three. The Red Cloud, loaded by j. e.
Baker & Co., left early in the spring, and
was followed by the Dakota at \ later date
and by the Key West. -
Now the Northern Pacific railroad is push.
ing its way through the upper country, and
will soon be completed to Fort Keogh, mil
i,ary post near Miles City, on Tongue river,
one of the tributaries of the Yellowstone,
about five hundred miles west of Bismarck
| by water. There has bsen n big trade the
past season between Bismarck and Benton,
SOME FIFTEEN STEAMERS PLYING
between those points.
Capt. Ls Eargs states that last winter was
the coIdcst ever known within the memory
of the oldest inhabitant of Dakota. The riv.
or is already blockaded with ice above Bis.
marck. Regarding the existance Of Buffalo
the Captain said they had Trash buffalo mea
all summer. The animsls are still plentiful
ABOVE Milk river aud up as far as Cow
Island. They are all hsmmsd within small
territory, and if the national gsvernmen
does not take some immediate action towart
protecting these animals, there will be non'
lsfs within q few years. Capt. La Barg
thinks the buffalo could be preserved fol- gen
srations yet in the Yellowstone Park, provid
cd stringent penalties are made against th
wanton destruction of the native America
animal. Hundreds of hunters are doing moth
ing but kill the buf1alses
, ! JUST FOR THEIR HIDES.
It Is \ wicked, wauten destruction Of Ii
poor beasts. Since Capt. La Barges retur
he noticed dispatch mentioning The killl
Of = woodman named Mike Welsh by hun
er jnst above Dry Greek. The Captain me
him well and says lie was deserving man.
Capt. La Barge remembers when the buff
10 roamed in herds on the Missouri river ju
S above Y Yankton, and At still earlier peri(
their range extended down nearly to the pre-
n ent cities of Omaha and Council Bluffs.
q As showing the difference in the cost
freighting between the railroad of the press
day and the cid time transportation by Boa
II to St. Louis, Captain La Barge stated that b
fore leaving Bismarck for St. Louis hs "
y given fifty pounds Of buffalo meat, for whi
te the railroad eIacted Sl2 for bringing it TO
Louis. The meat i'll St. Louis would sell t
- So. Captain La Barge gave the meat aw
. rather than submit TO the exorbitant chars