The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-03-01
ITEMS.
From Jul Special Correspondent
BEDFORD, Nj. T., February &c


BEDFORD, nj. T., February 90.
Editors of the River Press:
The clerk Of the weather must have gone
on a teuder last week. The thermometer in
dictated 35 below zero at Canton and at other
places in the Missouri valley. The Touring
mill at this place, however, continued to
! grind away during The hours Of the day and
night, just the same as though II had been
summer time. This storm has thrown about
a hundred men out of employment, but it
| will be only tor q few days.
Just as soon as the weather moderates the
grading forces will go to work again. This
is only the second time that work has been
suspended this winter on account of the Sc
verify Of the weather about two weeks in
all have been lost since last fall. If the wea-
ther is moderately good until the 1st Of April
we will see four miles of grade work done
on the North Pacific.
The road bed is about five hundred yards
above Bedford, directly between That place
and Hog EN-. Most of the push and stir on
the road work is due to the contractors,
Messrs. D. G.. Ballard, J. G. Sanders and
Hull. -Four dollars and a half per day is
about the average q paid for man and
team. The men are boarded, but they fur
nish hay and grain for the teams themselves.
Men who work with pick and shovel and
do general work receive two dollars per day,
and wneu IDLE a.e oh rged seven,y.f five cents
for board. The U,ah and Northern has a
force of men doing pick and shovel work
four or five miles from here.
This working force, at least nine-tenths of
them, take TO strong drink as natural as ducks
take to water. And those who gamble at
cards have about IS much show to win as a
sheep has to kill a hu'cher. Ia consequence,
the four saloons are doing q driving and
thriving business.
Some are in favor of organizing a Good
Templars lodge here. 1t is certainly a good
field Tor one, but I doubt whether or not
there are substantial citizens enough here to
take hold and help sustain a lodge. My
opinion is that when the love for whisky is
stronger than a mans will he is poor timber
or poor material for a temperance structure.
There must be q stopping point before this
craving and debasing appetite gets the better
OF them. or else | would not give much for
their pledges Of total abstinence.
The RIVER Press has hardly done justice
to both parties in the shouting scrape between
Messrs. Sullivan and Mcknight at this place.
Mr.. Sullivan, I am informed, was unarmed
at the time. Two shots were fired in the sa
loon. At the time of the shooting one was
on one side of the billiard table and the 9TH
er on the opposite side Of the table.
A few evenings since Mr.. Edward Canada
came into town from his ranch near by, and
tied his horse to q post, secure as he thought,
but when he got ready to go home the horse
was gone. A poor, drunken and demented
wretch, who had frozen his feet in trying to
pack a very heavy load of whisky to his
camp, concluded to ride our mo the country
in good shape. He got as far as Cen'ervIlle.
where he mixed his drinks, and it is said the
whisky swelled on him-ani he cAmped. He
is now boarding at R4dersburg in charge Of
the sheriff.
Judging from the bundles Of the RIVER
PRESS hat pass here for Centerville, Caution
nnn Diamond, your paper is Wedging its way
to the front,
A petition is being circulated in the Mis-
souri valley, asking the county commission
ers Of Meagher county to delay action in
erecting county buildings until after the next
session Of the Legislature. The Springs got
away with the bone of contention, but the
end is not yet. There seems to be no rest
for The wicked.
The news came in this evening that Nell
son Shields, who accidentally shot himself 10
the leg. at the Springs. some TWO weeks ago,
neces>itaiing amputation, has got the hic-
coughs and is gradually and surely nearing
his end. RAMBLER.
'Tis the Work of the Railroads..