The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-07-10
THE PATHFINDER. "
GEN. JOHN c. FREMONT TALKS OF
HIS PAST ADVENTURES.
The Once Famous Leader Speaks of the
Days Gone by-Jessle Benton FIRE.
mont-California Saved from
British Capture.
rw. A. crofrut in Detroit Free Press. !

NV. A. Croffut in Detroit Free Press.l
Ono Of the most interesting figures in our
New York life is that Of Con. John c. Fro
mont the man whose name and romantic
personality drew reluctant Free Sellers TO.
gether twenty-five years ago and cemented
them into the compact Republican party.
He Is one of the best defined Of our historic
landmarks A few days ago met him on
Broadway, swinging along uptown like a
man Of ~. The illusion Of youth was
further encouraged by the closs-cropped
hair. the form still trim, tho elastic step,
the rosy face, the CHEEKY, buoyant manner
when he spoke and the business suit OF light
colored plaid. Time and trial have not
soured him. could not make 1t seem pos
sible that this clear eyed and agile man
could have been that stalwart pathfinder"
whose footsteps a million OF men followed
with enthusiasm so long ago.
called up to Sixty fourth street one even
ing and found the general and Jessie Benton
tho twin romance Of twenty-five years ago
this month-locatsd In o comfortable and
pleasant brown-stone house four blocks from
Gen. Grant. Mrs Fremont Is a staid-look-
ing, matronly woman Of middle life with
remarkably strong face, resembling the por-
trait of her distinguished father, and the
lineaments of both her parents
Gen. and Mrs Fremont had such q ia
nous youth that 1t Is not surprising that
they now find much Of their pleasure in rec
elections Of those early days. But there Is
by no means q monotony OF remin-
iscence For life about them Is very
active. They go into society
good deal They have two stout boys grown
up and married, with children Of their own
to bother about; "and one Is In the army
and one in the navy" said Mrs. Fremont;
$50 my feelings are completely trianguated"
and she deftly drew ON the paper TRAN
gle with its apex In New York, and one leg
In Montana and the other on the southern
seas
I asked the general about his travels. He
said; at sometimes seems like dream.
When take an atlas and pass my finger
over the states and great cities Of the west,
it seems impossible that I have Travelled
over their sites before they had any popula-
tion-and such q little while ago. l camped
where Chicago Is; whore st. Paul Is; where
Minneapolis is; where Salt Lake City Is. In
fact, suppose 1t Il not generally known
that am responsible for the Mormons go
ing to Utah"
/ Joined in the laugh and asked him how
it was.
an my second report Of my explorations"
he said, II called the attention Of the gov
eminent to the beautiful valley of Salt.
Lake. its fertility and its general attractive
ness, and recommended that q station be
made there. A few years afterwards, while
passing again through that region Brigham
Young told me that he had been led to select
the place as the seat Of his hierarchy by my
report"
In reply to my remark that tho people of
California seemed, judging from something
I had recently seen, to be forgetting
his services in conquering California.
from the Mexicans In 1916, he laughed
and sail: There Il no danger of
my not getting the credit that be-
longs to me. People like to do justice. and
in the end they generally decide right, es-'
pecially about their own affairs or course
as nineteen twentiethi Of the present popu-
lation OF California was born after / was
elected senator from that state, they cannot
be expected to have a vivid recollection OF
pioneer days, but my taking possession OF
California in 1916 Is q matter of history.
The English admiral was standing on and
off for weeks awaiting orders from home,
and he after wards declared that he should
have landed and seized Monterey that day,
IL had not marched In and raised the stars
and stripea That settled the status Of the
coast"
asked the general If hs was fond OF
hunting. His eyes kindled as he replied.
20. yesl 1t was always a delight to me IL
could get large game. There Is high excite
ment in a buffalo hunt. The young fellows
who now go out On the plains seem to think
that ths great prize II buffalo bull: but
we usei to ride straight through the bulls,
which were heavy and logy and kept behind
in the chase. AMI 90 for a COW or young
buffalo in front Tho buffalo bull Il tough
and unsavory; it is only the COW or calf that
Is tender.
"Some day, II ever get time. mean TO
write up an account Of a rare and most en-
joyable week Of deer hunting In southern
Minnesota. was a guest Of Governor Sib-
ley, and the noted chief, Faribault, went
with us from St Paul in command Of 100
Indians. I should think our best hunting
was somewhere near Spirit lake. shot my
first deer while exploring northern Mime
sofa with Nicollet, as early as 1888"
told the general that IL be were to ask
the average Mlnnesotian who Nicollet was,
he would get for his answer: "A French
Jesuit who discovered the upper Mississippi
In the middle of the last century,"
@Mr Fremont Il a dreadfully old man."
said Mrs. Fremont gaily: "though he really
doesn't look it. l assure you he didn't know
me then; was a mere child"