The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-04-30
River News.

The officers Of the Helena are Andy
Johnson, captain; Jas. keenan,, clerk
Wright and LaBarge, pilots.
A diver is at work on the wreck of the
Black Hills, and it is expected that the
machinery and hull will be saved.
The river is rising steadily at this
point and the first boats will have nc
trouble on the score of low water.
The Josephine, of the Coulson line,
was pulled up to the warehouse at Bis
marck on the 22d, to be loaded for Fort
Benton.
The Josephine, of the Coulson line,
left Bismarck for Fort Benton last Sat.
urday. She has eighty tons of freight
for [. G. Baker & Co.
Judging by the movements among
the steamboat kings, the business on the
upper Missouri is likely to be much
greater than is generally expected in
this quarter.
The Helena was to have left Bismarck
for Fort Benton on the 18th or Goth, and
is now doubtless blowing the waters of
the Big Muddy, headed this way. Be
ing the first trip of the season it will not
be. made in much less than three@Weeks.
News has been had by letter of the
Helena. She left Bismarck on the Goth
for this city. Her manifest consists of
1925 packages for t. G. Power q Bro.
of this city, and a car load of cornice for
Gus S~enieur, contractor Of the new
court house. The rest Of her cargo is
i for Poplar river, Wolf Point and judith
ICity-OO. packages for b e.latter, point.
The Helena IS now eight days out
from Bismarck. She started with 200
ltons, but will put off a good portion OF
the cargo at points below, so hat the
trip ought to be a comparatively easy
one. Making all allowances for the diff
Ifculties Of the first trip, the Helena
| ought to turn the bend by the 18th of
May.
A private letter just received here
states that the steamer Bachelor has
been chartered by the Coulson line, the
reported sale of that boat to the Fort Ben
ton transportation company (PoWer llne)
being evidently a mistake. From the
same source we learn that Capt. Labarge
has had a new boat built, and Just COM
pleted, and will load her at st. Louis for
Fort Benton, and afterwards run be-
tween Bismarck and this city and
that /. G.. Baker & Co. are negotiating
for the purchase of the Eclipse, and in
all probability are now the proprletors
Of that craft.
1.-THE question as to the ownership OF
the steamer Bachelor seems not to be
definitely settled yet. T.. e; Power
writes that he has bought the boat and
this is confirmed by a letter from Gene
raj Agent I. P. Baker. They ought to
know.
Hazen J. Burton, of Minneapolis,
president Of the Mandan and and I'M
provement company, has Instructed
their superintendent to make a careful
estimate Of the cost Of deepening the
old dry bed of the Heart river, which
formerly (in 1859 emptied into the Mis-
souri, at a point just below the present
Northern Pacific railroad bridge at Bis
marck and Mandan. The distance to
the mouth of the Heart by the present
course of the river is about eight miles,
and in low water the river is not navi-
gable. The proposed cutoff would
shorten the distance to a little owe one
mile and enable Missouri river steam
boats to make a landing in slack water
right in the center of the city. An old
slough directly south of the railroad
track is being contemplated for the turn
ing point for boats. Levels have just
been taken and the scheme is pronounc-
ed entirely practicable. Steamboat men
are very enthusiastic over the project,
and those who had their boats sunk in
the recent ice gorge have now the as
surance of a safe winter harbor-
The Bismarck Tribune of the 23d inst.
says:
Proposals for the transportation of the
military stores and supplies on the Mis-
souri, river between Bismarck and Fort
Benton, Bismarck and Yankton and in
termediate points, were opened yester-
day at the office of Capt. Hathaway,
acting quartermaster, in this city. The
following bids were received for the
route between Bismarck ana Benton:
D. w. Maratta. general superintendent
of the Coulson line-stores Ii IN per
100 pounds per 100 miles; officers 8 cents
per mile; enlisted men . cents per
mile animals 8 cents per mile.
Il. G. Power by I. ?. Baker, general
agent: stores IA 10 cents per 100 pounds
per 100 miles; officers 3 cents per mile:
enlisted men ? $40 cents per mile; ami
mails 3 cents per mile.
We were under the impression that
this matter had been decided nearly a
month ago at ST.. Paul.
A~
The Great Falls Coal Company.
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