The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-25

Gol: DfoAdw1tef,N oAtliek life in this STATE
makes Y difficult 70 secure 4 full ana aeon.
wsnt from Missouri q Colorado % durinr Il. Il.
gold excitsHsnt in that territory. MOI
long AfterwArd gold VA found in Montan.
ana hs came with 4 band OF v0nturesom1
spirits TO this nsw Asld. Flo was Il
yiIginia City In 1853 and there sre
rensmbsr him u that ttms. III passed nv ii,
winter OF 1s83-84 With John s. Psmbertcn
on Warm Spring crack thFss miles aboyt
ne present asylun, II Deer Lodge county
They had charge Of King and Gillette
cattle during that time snd in the sprinf
frsighting train belonging to that 6rm sne
rsnninR from Fort Benton south. He lsf
them and beoame conRocted with Capt
Nick Wall. who represented John j. Roe
20. q y. Louis, the founders Of th,
famous "Diamond H. line. Frsighting ii
thsse days was q grsat industry. All rood
shipped TO Montana came up the Missour
river and were transported long distances
"a great cotton coversd wagons drawn bI
lines OF bull teams. IL Was I businesl
inst required the executive ability, close
attsntion and energy needed in the man
lines. Here u WAS that Broadwatsr ex-
hlbltod the qualities that afterward
marksd his success ia all lines OF business
ne Was general superintendent Of the .'Dia.
mond 4" until the spring Of 1868. when
Matt Carroll, George Steel and X. q. Maolay
purchased the outfit IN the name OF II. G..
Maclay d Co. Col. Broadwater remained
a. superlntenent until 1870, when no was
made partner. From 1870 he continued
IN charge of TRANSPORTATION and contracts.
In January, 1873. George Steel retired, and
IN 1873 Mr.. Carroll followed. Mr.. Maclay
retired IN 1879. Railroads were coming
close and transportation no lOngor paid.
Col. Broadwater, through his connection
with the "Dianond Il" had formed an
acquaintance with 0ovsrnnasnt officers. and
when tbs bull teams no longer dotted ths
country ne tarnsd his attention TO govern
%ent n's s;s contracts: He was very successful in
contract for furnishine all materials
tor tho construction OF Fort Assinni-
boine, work recurring unusual sxecutivs
talent. It was on the frontier, materials
had TO Be transported up tho Missouri TO
Benton and thence overland and the timo
was limited to six months. Broadwatsr
srmies Of French Brules overland from the
BED river country. found a clay
suitable for brick making on he
ground and drove the work 80
that It Was completed within tho given time
to tho entire satisfaction Of the govern
msnt. ni He made great deal Of money BY
hls close management Of this enterprise.
Afterward he filled similar contract for
Fort MaRinnis and became I leading part
ner in traderships at both posts. Al the
former he was associated with r. L. NcCul-
loh, now cashier Of the Montana National
bank. and at the latter With EX-SENATOR G.
j.. MeNamara. who now has joint interests
with Col. Broadwater in cattle and msr-
chandiss in northern Montana.
The transition from owner and master of
wagon transportation was easy and natural.
When in 1855 James J. Hill, Of the then
Manitoba" saystem, now the Great North
ern, concluded to extend his operations
should have local representative ana
manager. For this responsible post he
chose his friend, Col. @. A. Broadwater.
and when the Montana Central Railway
company was organized Col. Brcadwatsr
was elected president Of the corporation,
Tho great railroad men OF the day gradu-
ate in the business. Genersliy they begin
at the bottom and work their way mp. II
was wholly different in the case of Col.
Broadwatsr. He had never had the slight
est experience in railroad const uction OF
management. and the details Of depart
msnt work were not in tho line either Of
his experience or study. In his case the
presidency of the road was not conferred
because he had purchased literally OF the
conpany's bonds, nor was it in any sense
an honorary title. It carried with it direct
management and incessant care and toll,
He was the head and front Of the great en-
tsrprise in Montana duriag the aggressive
period of construction, aud later in the
operation of the road. To him was given
the task of securing right of way,
surveys. selecting routes, Or
ganizing the forces of the various
departments, gathering friends to the
way taking the control and direction of
Mr.. Hills vast Montana enterprises. In
this great undertaking he was found equal
to every emergency and always master of
The situation. II was work to his liking
and he was never happier than when he
scored point on the opposition. In this
connection it would be we'll to remember
that the Northern Pacific naturally did not
ook with particular favor upon the advent
II this rival road and in his movements
and maReuvsrs Col. Broadwater had often |
20 contend directly with this formidable |
|oe. The attempt to prevent the Montana
central from crossing the Northern Pacific |
rack and the spirited races of the enci- |
leers to secure prior location in tho Boul-
lsr and other canyons will be remembered
10 evidence Of this contention of the COR
'oratiOns. Bat Broadwatsr always man
ged to ''get there" His resources in =
light OF that kind, or for that matter in any
Inc OF contention. were simply ine1haust-
BILE. Where the difficulties were thickest
lis talents shons out most brilliantly, elic.
ting the admiration OF friends and foes,
The lines Of railway built and operated
lnder his supervision as president are the
Central, from Butte via Helena to
treat Falls, and the RiInini, Marysville
nd Nsihart brxnohss, system psnstrat-
ng our mountain fastnesses, and of the
ighest consequence in developing tho re-
ources of the great state that was the
ride and Joy of him who ia 10 deeply
aoufnsd by its citizens. But it was not
a the building or the operating of these
mes Of railway, important a. was that
'ork, shat Col. Broadwater did tho great
st service to his state. He WAS chiefly in
trunental in interesting President Hill,
the Great Northern, in Montana and in
ringing about the extension of that sys-
am into the state. To this end he laborsd
ssidionsly and by his tact and per-
stencs gave the state com-
citing line of railway much
,oner than il would have Mad
ithout his efforts. Before many had even
reamed OF line of railway extended :
CROSS she plains of North Dakota, along
10 Missouri and Milk river valleys and =.
ito the heart Of Montana, Col. Broad
ater was In 81. Paul labosing with Mr..
Ill and seeking to convince him of the {
nsion OF his Manitoba railway. He I
rouRht Mr.. Hill to Helena and Great Falls &
vice before the work was undertaken and |
bored In and out of season to accomplish
le important result sought, aud with what Y
lccess 1t is not necessary to advise INDE- '
sNpENr readers. In this undertaking. AZ !
many others brought to a successful tor, /
nation by him, his efforts were not solely G
his own behalf: the inter0sth Of Helena