The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-06-20
THE PIONEERS, ASSOCIATION.
Something that Should be Started Now.

From the Dillon Tribune
We notice that many Of our Territorial
eotemporaries arc suggsstia. the immedia
organization Of . Pioneors' Association.
Notably among the number is the Deer
Ledge EoRrH-WEsr. The suggestion il .
good one. An association Of this character
should have boon organized years ago, and
why 1t was net is due, wo believe, to = lack
Of interest In the matter on the part Of tho
pioneers themselves. Several years ago .
few Of the promiasnt pioneers Of Montana
attempted an organisation, and IL We remem-
Der rightly the failure was attributed to the
indi ference manifested by old.timers in join
ing the association. 1t Is time to organize =
Pioneers Association, IL ono Is eyer to be
organized. The pioneers o. 1862 are not nu-
merous enough to form an association now.
Out Of the five hundred 62-ors many went
back to the States or removed to other Ter
ritories-a few died from diseases numb
died with their boots on--several were muir
dered by road agents-and \ number passed
ON to the othsr shore by means Of the Vigil
lantes. These causes, combined, have greatly
diminished the 62-ers in numbers. 1t ia pro-
posed to remedy the deficiency in numbers
- S'~'shk "h PCi1Shs - plOusSIs no ar
rived in Montana prior to May rs, 1S64-the
birthday Of tho Territory, so to speak. The
idea IL excellent This will include the rem
nant Of '62.ers, = large number Of '6ssrs, and
those who came in the early spring OF '6i.
All such can be properly counted as pioneers
Of Montana, and from tho '62- 3-'64.ers a
strong association can bs formed. why net
organize? HontaniSns are lacking In pride
II they longer neglect organizing into an
association. We unite with tho NORTH
WEST IN asking: Who is the pioneer that
will give the word and start that which will
be the largest and nest enjoyable civic asso-
citation in Montana?
We have concluded to quit "asking" and
to name tho man-Jshu r. Wilson, Of the
Dillon Tribune. 1t Is his privilege BY virtue
ofseniority, and his duty by tho position he
occupies. While 1t may not be generally
known, Mr.. Wilson antedates all Of us rs
Montana pioneer and journalist. In 1893
before there was newspaper In Montana
before Montana vas-he was the regular cor
respondent Of tho Chicago Tribune, writing
'The Geld Fields Of Idaho" 1.-THE Bannack
Gold Diggings," and "The Alder Gulch
Find" for that paper. Subsequently he wrote
for the Same paper the history Of the vigil
lante executions in Montana, much Of tho
matter being extensively copied, and much
Of 1t appropriated in Prof Duusdale's "His-
tory OF the vigilantss." Since then no has
written much as correspondent or editor on
the kontanian, Herald, Amer and Dillon
Tribune, and IL Pre-eninently the original
Newspaper scribe Of Montana His position
on the Tribune gives him An opportunity to
set the ball In motion for tho Pioneors' Asso-
citation, and we are confident all the journal,
Of Montana will bear willing hand in dis
seminating any call he makes. With pre-
liminary organization at Fair time. . rous-
ing Anniversary meeting could be had next
Nay Of the old "old.timers" As We are in
eligible for years suscseding any date mon
toned, we trust this suggestion will be re-
ceivsd in tho spirit Ii is offersd-ths desire
TO sec the real Pioneers enjoy their deserv-
ings, renew old acquaintance, and identity
themselves with tho written history Of Non
taxa. =