The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-07
FOR NEARLY 500 MILES
State Land Agent Hickman Travelled
That Far With His Broken
Right Arm.
The Accident Happened In the
Flathsad Country on Sat-
urday Last
From Thcn Until He Reached Helena on
Thursday He Was without Medi-
teal Attendance

A broken arm ia not an unusual thing In
this or any other country. But to break
sne's arm and then travel thirteen Miies
over a wild and rough county, twelve miles
BY boat. forty miles in . dead.axe wagon,
and 400 miles by rail before getting the an
jared member attended to. 10 a thing SO
unusual that the journey will bear descrip-
tien. That ia what happened to state Land
Agent Richard Q. Hicknsn. In company
with his predecessor, g awhile stuart.
Agent Hickman started ont on Sept. II to
look at some land with the idea of taking
u mp on behalf of the state. With two
saddle horses M q pack animal they
started into a valley about sixty-iive miles
frsm Kalispell. II was heavily timbered
and the ground very soft. An old trail.
evidently made years sna years ago by tho
early traders. enabled them to make fairly
good progress, though IL was q ziRza9 and
tortuous journey. with fallen trees and
brush at frequent intervals. To add to tho
other discomforts il rainsd almost contin-
uously. The horses had their share of the
hsrdships as they sunk into the ground
frequently up tho hook.
On Saturday morning the horse which
Mr.. Hickman was riding st. uck the root OF
q tree with ono of its hind feet. which at
the same time sunk into the marshy
ground. In thrsshing around to got free
he animal shrew M. Hickman against the
sree with great foroe. His right arm struck
and the bone was broken near up 70 the
socket. He foil from his horse as If shot.
It required but a few minutes for the two
travellers 10 realize that one Of them was
disabled and many miles from any Settle
ment. The backward trail Was saken at
and painful. that back was even worse.
A. every jolt or misstep of his horse Mr..
Hickman could feel tho ends Of tbs broker
bone grinding into each other and into tbs
muscles of his arm. He gritted his teeth,
however, and kept on with the broken am
hanging in q sling made Of two pocket
handkerchief, Once the trail was lost
and Nh. Hickman undertook to ind IT..
Mr.. Stuart wanted to do that, but as his
hearing was bad and NJ. Hickman wac
afraid they might get separated through
his not being able to hear a call, the land
agent thought II better to go himself.
Leaving his companion he proceeded on
loot some distance over what apten ed to
be = part Of the trail. II ended abruptly.
however, at q point where she old traders
had abandoned j. and gone back to find n
better route. Mr.. Hickman went back to
where no had left Mr.. Stuart, and then
struck into another trail which fortunately
proved q right one. On the way back.
however, in jumping over q fallen tree. his
foot caught and he fell heavily On his right
shoulder and head. He says IL was the
mcst excruoiatinR agony no ever uader-
went.
Ths journey on horseback was kept up
until Saturday night, when ths two men
came TO a cabin where two ranchsrs were
living. They received = hoypitxble well
come and were only too glad TO accept.
They dried out their clothing and 50 CRATE
ful was she change 10 the injured man that
they spent all Sunday there. On Monday
enother start was made and from there
Mr.. Hickman was very glad TO ACCEPT the
oaeE of . boat to take him down the lake.
Ihs change from horseback to the boat was
4 very good one for him. as it saved him
much Of the panied caused BY riding over
the rough country. After a twelve miles
trip In tho boat they found q rancher who
was about 10 take . load of produce to
kalispell. Mr.. Hickman rode on the dead
axe wagon of the rancher. 1t was even
worse in one sense than being on horse
back. but rough IS 1t was it gave Mr.. Hick-
man a chance to care for his injured arm,
kalispeli was reached on tuesday even.
Ing. The arm had now been broken for
oveT three days and without medical atten.
lion. and was swelling greatly and causing ,
intense pain. Being on a railroad line Mr.. .
Hickman concluded ii would not count for {
much if he waited a little while !onoe-. I
Until he got TO Helena. before having the
zone set. On Wednesday at noon he left y
lelispell and on Thursday evening reached ,
lone. D. VIM. Treacy attended to the :
broken arm at once, and now Mr.. Hickman j
8 feeling even better than might be e. d
,ectsd under the circumstances. During
he five days or mo that the arm re- il
unattended to be was very nervous a
md did not average over two hours sleen in
wenty-four.