The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-19
A DESERTED VILLAGE.

written for the indianapolis Journal
In the more accurate maps Of the Territory of
Montana one notices line running eastward
and northward from Helena, through White
Sulphur Springs. past the foot of the Judith
mountains, and thence onward to the Missouri
river. This line represents what the teamsters
call the "old Carroll wagon trail" so named
from the old river town Of Carroll, at the north
western termination of the road.
1t is the American fashion to call old all
things which have passed away, and SO every
body speaks of the 'old town of Carroll,
though in reality, its antiquity is not very
great.
The navigation of the upper waters Of the
Missouri is not without its drawbacks Boats
do not venture to run until about the first of
May, when they begin to work vigorously, car
rying their freights to Fort Benton, the head of
navigation. By the middle of July
or the first of August, the melting of
snow in the mosptains has so far
abated and the river, in consequence fallen so
low, that it is impossible for a boat with any
load worth carrying, to navigate the shadows
and rapids of the river for 200 miles below the
nominal head of navigation. Ten years ago, in
the summer of IA, before the Northern Pacific
Railroad had revolutionized the business of the
Territory and drawn upon itself the maledictions
OF all transfers, there was more freight for the
towns of western Montana than could be got
up the river before the time of low water. So
the boats came up as far as they could and put
OFF their freight upon the bank whence it was
left for bull trains and mule trains to take it
to the interior towns-Helena, Butte,
and Deer Lodge. Some one of
course must receive the freight from the boats,
guard it while it remained and oversee the load
ing of the trains. One or two little g-houses
were built and this was the birth of Carroll
The interior towns grew. The next year there
was more freight landed below and Carroll sud
denly became an important shipping point.
Large warehouses were built traders pro-
vlded themselves with goods and located there,
and prophets were not wanting who predicted
that Carroll would eventually be one of the most
important cities of the Territory.
There were buffalo in those days. The bot
toms, which in the summer were occupied by
the camps of bull-whackers and mule-drivers,
were covered in winter time with scores and
scores of Indian lodges, and the warehouses,
which, in the boating season, were filed with
freight, were piled to their utmost ca
pacity with bales of robes. With a
little stock of provisions one could quickly
multiply his capital Men who began
the season. with only very few hundreds, have
cleared over $50 900 in a single winters trading
So the buffalo were killed, the Indians eked out
a miserable existence the white man made
money and Carroll prospered. But
The best laid schemes o mice an
Gang aft agley.''
There came a change to Carroll and the pro2h-
ecies of her prophets were not fulfilled. In the
year 1880. the military post of Fort Maginnis
was established at the foot of the Judith mount
aims. The materials for building the fort were
brought by river, but instead of being landed at
Carroll, they were taken few miles further up
to point from which a somewhat better road
was available. and there the government freight
continues to be landed. Private freight began
20 tlol<
meantime, the Northern Pacific road was pene
trating the Territory, and freight for Helena
and other interior towns ceased coming by river.
Buffalo, too, began to get very scarce, and
may now be said to be extinct With the ex
termination Of the buffalo the Indians departed,
some across the line and some to their agencies.
Then Carroll awoke to find herself situated in
the midst of an aikali bad landn country, where
any sort of agriculture is simply impossible. and
which is not even adapted to grazing. There
was nothing to trade for, and nobody with whom
to trade. Furthermore. the channel of the river
was changing, and one by one its warehouses.
and dwellings dropped into the stream. Last
winter two families were there, now there are
none.
One Sunday morning, not long ago, the writer
sauntered along the river bank down to the site
of the once busy town. He found an old ware
house posing on the bank of the river, just
ready to fall, two or three deserted cabins, and
two lonesome. wailing cats, the only
living inhabitants The fortunes made
there, like the town itself, are
now only memory. A few days ago one of the
most successful traders ever there, his worldly
possessions represented by a house and chest
of tools, went up stream to take salaried clerk
ship in a little town. What there is left of Car
rolls business has been absorbed by its rival
Rocky Point, which also is rapidly declining. In
two or three years more when the troops are
withdrawn from Fort Maginnis and Fort ASSN
aboine, when a railroad through the Judith val
ley connects Helena with the Missouri river,
when river navigation then ceases, as cease it
certainly will the old Carroll trail will be only
tradition, the name of Carroll will not be found
on the maps, and even its neighbor Rocky
Point, which now boasts little life, will be
nothing but deserted village, in the midst of
miserable country, by the side of muddy
stream. r. E. PRETLow.