Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-01-07

are in the Indians country. The
luSuriant bunch grass reminds US
that dame nature evidently intended
this country for fine stock range,
since the buffalo, the red mans cat
tie, have been nearly wiped out by
the steady inroads of the whites and
the use of their weapon, the death
dealing rifle, by the initiative wild
fends. Clear to the post the country
is one long stretch of rolling upland,
the monotony being only broken by
a stop at the Coal Banks for refresh
ments and change of horses, and also
at Box Elder. The only signs of
game are the hides of coyotes and
buffalo wolves stretched and tackled
to the walls of stage stations. Game
being so scarce in this immediate vi
cinity these hungry animals seem to
fall easy victims to the well strych
mined bait which is put out for their
special benefit. The paymaster's es-
cort rolls past us and sets some of
the passengers guessing as to how
many of the gallant boys in blue have
already "gone broke through bad
Judgment in estimating the size of
the ''hole card,' or INDUCED in too
much Milwaukee beer. Close upon
the heels of the escort comes one of
the characters of the country,
''Tangle-legged Ben,'' in a red river
coat. Ben is very glad to see us and
is inclined to be sociable, so much so
that he would take drink with us,
but we declined the honor, inasmuch
as it was to be at our own expense,
and whirled away leaving the poor
fellow gazing wistfully after US. We
roll into the post promptly at six and
are treated to sight of Forth ASSN
aboine by lamp-light. AS it is built
on level plain and around rectan-
gular parade ground about half mile
long and a quarter wide. 1t looked
weel from Broadwater, McCulloh &
Co.'S. store, which stands on one end
of the parallelogram. The post trad
ers here seem to be doing a rushing
business, and the room is thronged
from early morning until closing time
at night with motley crowd of GUS
toners, all with plenty of coin of the
realm, showing that Uncle Sam had
"loosenedup," as he does bi-monthly
for the boys in blue. The boys at
the store were all pleasant and ac-
commodating and made a stranger
feel at home in no time. The site OF
the post on Blavle creek, six miles
from Milk river, was selected by Col
j. r Brooks, who n arched here will
| six companies from Fort Shaw in the
| spring of rs. 1t was established al
this point to prevent the hostile Sioux
under Sitting Bull, who were ther
camped at Wood mountains, from
making raids into northern Montana
and Dakota. The Rosebud massacre
on the Yellowstone of the dashine
Custer and his entire gallant bant
seems to haue impressed the military
authorities that Sitting Bull and his
followers were bad men and needed
watching. The buildings were com
menced in the spring OF 70 will
Broadwater as contractor, Gen
Ringer being on the ground with thu
18th infantry. Col. Lee, quarter
master, was in charge of the construc-
ton. AS near as [ could learn con
gress has appropriated S225,000 fol
the material and civilian labor useC
in the construction of the post. The
veteran brick-layer of the post in
formed me that seven million of brick
were used in the erection of tn,
buildings. E. E. P.
Fort Benton, Dec. p, 1888.