The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-06-18
Unable to Endure the Solitude of
Helena They Foot it to
Great Falls.
Hungry ana FOOtsOre They Final
Iy Reach Home Once
More.

by traversing back streets in order to
avoid meeting any friends or acquaint-
ances and thus escape the necessity OF
answering unpleasant questions. They
were non professional "tie-walkers' and
their names are Frank Atkinson, Z. b.
Gallagher, J. w. Stanton. and r. w.
Cooley.
1t seems the gentlemen left Great
| Falls about a week ago full OF hopes and
dressed in neat attire, typical representa-
tives of the great and growing city OF
Great Falls. They visited the rustling
villages of Bozeman and Helena, the lat
ter being the place where the state OIL
Gals temporarily reside until the people
of Montana give voice to their preference
for Great Falls as the place where the
state capitol shall be erected.
As the 4uartette were preparing to
begin the homeward journey it occurred
to them that they. as IA matter of court
esy, should tarrv yet another day in
Last Chance gulch and pay their respects
to the governor and state officers.
l. dtdl btCIlSloil' l. itNt 'oy 'oSh"
them in Helena with no hope Of reach
ing their comfortable tiresides for an in
definite period, the storm which swept
over this state several days g having
washed away many miles of railroad
track and rendered travel utterly impos-
sible between Helena and Great Falls.
Nevertheless, buoyed up by the hope
than possibly the storm would soon sub
side and the damage repaired in a few
days they concluded to s%ojourn in Helena
vet a few days and try to imagine they
were having a good time.
This they did for four long. dreary
DAYS. but finally overcome by the un-
t endurable solitude of the place and an
uncomfortable yearning to return to the
bosoms of their families, the quartette
: afore mentioned made an heroic resolve
! TO brave the wilds of the UNEMPLOYED
country and make one supreme effort to
return to civilization. There were Others
. who accompanied the quartette from
; this city but they determined not to
! undertake the homeward journey. beset
by So many dangers and hardships.
: At I o'clock yesterday morning the
small party of four determined men left
+, the village of Helena and turned theiI
q faces toward the goal of their present
a seeking, home. They were assisted on
the first seventeen miles of their journey
| by the good-natured conductor OF a
supply train which took them to Billy
Johnson's water tank. From there they
walked to Wolf creak and then o five
miles on a handles on the road TOWARD
Craig. Another walk of two miles
= brought them again to ii portion of d
railroad track still remaining. and {
..:t,l np1inn f,rnlGhnI the TnntSDrt
travellers conveyance TO the Dearborn
bridge. Thus they continued theil
'r Journey. sometimes riding d few miles OF
a hand car or in a farmer's wagon. bu
generally walking. The road was rough
re sometimes leading up and down TIT
Is mountains and sometimes through 4;
'e long stretch of mud.
Finally they reached Hardy and thel
IT. they waited for Il work train, Whicl
p brought them into Great Falls.
~ They are not likely to soon forget tn
trip. The long walk taxed their endul
ance to the utmost and more than one
they felt like resting. but the mudd
he banks and slippery rocks were not yer
a inviting and they continued on thei
De way. Wednesday evening as they wer
al dragging themselves along one of tn
party suddenly spied a farm house
short distance ahead and at once in
= parted the joyful news to his compar
ions. saying: I'VE can get IA good rest tc
night at least Revived by the we
come sight the weary pilgrims hastene,
their pace and in IA short time foun
themselves ON the bank of
wide and turbulent streams with no pos
sibIe means ofgetting to the further shor
where. unfortunately for them, tn
farm house was located in PLAIN view
II was extremely aggravatinG. to Toe SURF
but there was nothing to do but keep o
walking and after one last, long look q
the inaccessible haven of rest they pul
sued their muddy way until nightfa
brought them to a section house. Hel
they were made welcome and comtor'
able for the night, being provided wit
the soft side of a pine board to slice
on. theirs coats wrapped around block
of wood serving as pillows. But they al
at home now and although the
friends are anxious to gree
them and congratulate the
on their wonderful performance they WI
hardly appear on the streets beto'
nightfall. During the whole trip the
were constantly being assured that IN
few DAYS more a stage line would be pr
on temporarily or a string OF sadd
horses provided for travellers. but tn
kindly meant information was aggrava
ing in the extreme since none OF II
means of conveyance were for!hcomir
at the time. ,
Mr.. Gallagher of the Tim house wi
was one Of the party was seen by
TRIHrNE reporter late last night al
aside from Il rather worn ont appearance
"A muddy suit Of. clothes. and the rer
nants of Il pair of shoes and a rather III
gusted expression ON his face, he lookt
none the worse for his journey. tie sa,
he is not particularly DESTROYS OF Il
tempting to walk from Helena 10 Gre
Falls again very lie also says TN
the damage done 10y the storm along Il
Montana Central is IN There
scarcely IA bridge left and for miles |
trace Of "A railroad track can hc foun
In some places bridges were wash,
away and the ties and rails still spannt
the streams, furnishing n prrcari"t