The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-02-15

1
tor the steamboats,. While there they were
corralled in a dug-out four days by Indians
and compelled to tunnel to the river for
water. The next summer, 1868, George
| Clendenln received small stock of goods
from T. 9. Power and established trading
post at the mouth of the Musselshell. Here
| he undertook the work of building up a
town known as Kerchival City, there being
| probably dozen frontiersmen with him. In
the winter of SO and 10 they were attacked
| by Indians and some fourteen of the latter
killed. The whites defended themselves
without serious loss, but after that Kerchival
City was not the safest place in the world to
reside. The Indian trade, too, dwindled
down and one by one the inhabitants took
their departure for other fields COL Glen
denim was the last one to desert the post,
having remained there three or four years in
constant peril of his life. His adventures
and hair-breadth escapes during this period
would fill goodly volume. But he was
never known to quail before danger in fact,
he seemed to court rather than avoid it. His
next move was to Carroll, where he again
commenced business and was in fair way
to realize fortune when the floods came and
washed the town away. At Carroll as at
Kerchival City he was the last to leave and
then not until all prospects Of success had
faded away. In 1877 he came to Benton
again and assumed control of the business of
the Coulson line and has since been closely
identified with steamboat affairs and the
general interests of the town. His ups and
downs during this period are well known
to majority of our readers. But he
has suffered domestic as we'll as business
losses. His first wife died soon after the
war, while he was at Fort Sedgwick, and but
year or two ago his only son, fourteen
years of age, died at Chicago while en- route
to Benton on visit to his father. He was
lad of bright promise and his death was a
severe blow to the father. Last fall, it will
be remembered, Mr.. and Mrs. Clendenin
buried their only child. This is but brief
and very imperfect sketch of COL Clendenin's
career but it will give the reader an insight
into his character and indicate in manner
the many vicissitudes of fortune he has suf-
fered.
AT BARKER.
The Barker mining camp is indebted to
Col. CIendenin more than any one else for
the rapid progress it has made in the past
year. He was chiefly instrumental IN Sc
curing the organic stion Of the Clendenin
Mining & Smelling Company which has
erected the first smelter in the camp, now In
most successful operation. He took hold Of
this project when no one else had confluence
enough in the district to invest their money
and but for his efforts Barker would have
made but little progress as yet. Last fall he
moved to the camp and took general control
of the business of the company, giving new
life and energy to the district. He became
largely interested in the mines, both person
ally and in behalf Of the company. He was
in fact the central figure at the camp to
whom more than any one else the miners
came for advice or assistan ce, and 1t was
rarely they were denied either. No wonder
by his death! Here, as usual, that strange
fatality referred to did not desert him. He
just had things shaped to make money rap
idly was within sight of the goal he had
labored so long and hopelessly to reach,
when death struck him down in the vigor
of his manhood! II seemed as if Fortune,
determined not to be conquered, was COM
PEELED at last to call to his aid the ruthless
destroyer.
MEMORIAL SERVICES.
At 7 o'clock last evening the people began
to gather at the court house, and by half-past
Z the coult room was filled with those who
had known and esteemed the deceased dur
ing life and who had come to join in the
last earthly tribute to him as man and
friend.
The services were opened by the choir with
the anthem, ''Oh, the Lost, the Unforgotten,'
followed by prayer by Rev. s. G. Blackiston.
after which the choir sang an appropriate
hymn.
Mr.. T. E. Collins, presiding, spoke of the
pu pose for which the people Of Benton and
many from Barker and other points had as
semoled together, in the following appropri-
ate words:
Friends and Nesgh5ors
The sudden, sad and unexpected death of
our friend and neighbor, Colonel George
Clendenin. ,Tr in the fnll yigOr and strength