The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-07-11
WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
"REMINISCENCES
SATURDAY. JULY II. 1891.

The gentleman whose signature is at
tached to the following letters is wei
known by many old-tiiners in Montana
tie was in the then territory in 1877
having been ordered to examine the Up
per Missouri from the Three Fork
downward to Fort Benton in order to as
certain its capabilities for navigation b,
light draught steamers. An account o
his reconnaissance was published in
volume issued by the Historical Societ,
of Montana in 1876. 1t is an extremel,
interesting paper. Mr.. Roberts is now
at Pittsburgh in charge of the surveys and
engineering operations of the ship canal
commission Of Pennsylvania authorized
by the laws of that state. He is also
chief engineer Of the Monongahela Nav
igation company, The long experience
of the gentlemen in his profession, and
his intimate knowledge of the several
water powers of the country give to his
opinions a value not added to those of
many Others whose estimates are based
upon superficial observations. As will
be seen by 4 peruSal of these highly in
teresting letters Mr.. Roberts named sew
cral of the falls at this city whose no
menclaturCs are now as familiar to the
people Of this city and vicinity as house
hold words. But the letters explain
themselves and mere they are:
~PrrrerUEon, june u. 1891.
j. BoOKWALIEG, General Agent Great
Falls TuWnsitr Company Dear Sir:
Your esteemed favor Of the l2th inst.
came to hand several DAYS ago. but
regret 10 say tine circulars or maps. etc.
to which you referred have not as vet
come to hand. Possibly they are com
ing by 1t slower mail and ! may receive
them yet. / was quite Interested in
your description of the location and pros-
poets of Great Falls. | have a very vivid
recollecrAu of the locality at the mouth
of Sun river. 4 Was in canp there Tor
several days awaiting the arrival Of a
wagon from Sun river settlement - take
our boat abound the fails. winch we
did down the left or west. bank. 1t
was myself who gave the name Black
Eagle falls to the first considerable falls
of the river. Prior to my reconnaissance
only the Great falls had been named by
and Clarke. / named three other
"Rainbow." beautiful" and
Crooked" Some Of my names further
up the river still hold good. though |
ION know the fact as To- the names of
TAILS excepting the Black Eagle, which, |
think, were appropriately named after
The old black eagle which | saw sailing
'ut from a nest on the high stump of a
cottonwood tree on an island below the
ais, and which there is good rcaS on to
suppose was the same eagle spoken of by
lewis and Clarke and by a Jesuit priest
n 5 . and by Col. Kearney in 1860 |.
You must indeed have superb water
power facility at Great Falls, far great
r than that which has made the city of
Minneapolis. Nothing would delight
more tina to revisit the Upper Mis-
souri, river. The scenery through the ;
rates of the Mountains | have always
the grandest in America and
most conveniently situated for tourists. J
After my trip down from the Three T
to Fort Benton | was quite sur ,
'rised upon my return to Helena to dis .
that none of her citizens had ey- l
,lored he river, and my report to the n. c
,. r. K. Co, was called for by the war q
and published. hence came :
he names which ! had mostly facetious- v
J placed on the maps to be adopted by O
he government. But not since my re- \
urn in 1872 have | seen any illustrations a
r any description Of the remarkable :
along the river. Before coming Il
asst | sent parties with men furnished t
y Messrs. Hauser and Broadwater to C
AXE out landings at the mouth Of the II
little Prickly Pear and at Sun river. A "
substantial steel hull stern wheel Z
.easurc steamer should ply on those n
aters. Our plan contemplated only a u
trrow-guagc railway around the falls y
lth two or three small freight boats y
temporary arrangement. How II
III constructed your road through the y
atcs Of the Mountains is something of
mystery to me as there were consider
Die stretches where the walls were al. h
ost If not actually vertical. dropping -
IWn into very deep water. :"
Very Truly Yours. p
THoNA, i. ROBERTS. Ii