The Irish standard., 1895-01-26
IN THE FAR IVES I,
irish American Pioneers have Done
Much in the Development Of
Montana.
HOW THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED.

HUW lHE1 HAVE E5oUIIEEDEU'
One Of the First Settlers In the
"Rockies' Was Thomas Fran:
els Meagher.
This country is aptly called Montana,
for it is pre- eminently . mountain re-
gion, writes p. A. o. O'Fsrrell to the Dub.
lin Independent. Here, side by side in
the mountain peaks Of the Rockies, y
are the parent springs Of the Columbia
and Missouri rivers. Placed upon van
tage ground upon mountain, I have be-
held on the one side the tributary waters
of the Columbia flowing towards the
Pacific and the setting sun, while on the
other and eastward rolled the Missouri
on it's four thousand miles Of meander-
ipg to the Gulf. Montana is an empire
in itself, and country like Italy is small
by comparison. It's climate is a dry,
bracing, and invlgorating one; cold in
winter, delightful IN summer. Its, win
ters are really not az trying as those
states farther east and. south, for Mon
tana consists Of series of plateaus and
valleys girded on every side by towering
mountains. Its population is yet COM
paratively small, and there is still room
enough for millions Of thrifty and indus
trious folk.
But, before / come to speak Of the re-
sources OF Montana I must recall the
connection of great and illustrious
Irishman with this far western state.
The name Of Thomas Francis Meagher
is inseparably entwined with Montana
and the Missouri river. He was Acting
Governor Of Montana when the tresch-
eroua waters OF the Missouri quenohed
the fre ofaAhatAlIa erona heart and si-
lenced forever that mellifiuent tongue.
In ireland, now, Meagher is little more
than tradition. The generation that
he swayed and charmed by his magnet
ism and his eloquence is gone, and other
demigods have become the popular idols
of the hour. But Meagher is no tradi-
ton in Helena and Montana. His oour-
age, his heroism, his orstory, his prince
~ character, and, above I'LL, his marvel
Gus devotion to his race and country
make his name sacred among his old
companions here. Nay, more, Ireland
had naught to give TO this brilliant and
gifted son but chains and slavery. The
dock, the mock trial, the sentence to the
Ribbet, or the dungeon, were, even in
Meagher's day, the fate Of the Irishman
who loved his country not wisely but too
we'll This is no place to sketch Meagh-
er's career from the dock and penal
servitude to the time when his name be-
came synonymous for dauntless courage,
and he had achieved lmperiehable glory
as q soldier on the battle fields Of the
great Civil War. Stumbling, at night, on
the deck Of q steamboat he fell into the
Missouri, and was drowned before his
friends missed him-a pathetic and
lonely ending to career 60 full of glory,
passion, renown, and romanoel Perhaps
Sparta hath many nobler son than
he," but none in whom the patriotic fire
blazed more fercely.
It is not, therefore, strange that 2
country hallowed BY his deeds and
memory should owe It's growth and
prosperity mainly to the men of Meagh-
er's own race. In Meaeher's time it
was frontier region, peopled only by
adventurous hunters and stockmen, or
by tribes Of Indians whose sayagery and
hate made lie intolerable save to the
reckless and the bold. Helena, now the
capital city Of rich and prosperous
State, was then mere village OF tenta
and wooden sheds. To look at it now,
with it's streets Of granite and blocks Of
brick buildings, eight and ton stories
high, reminding you Of the Rue de Rivoi
or of Broadway, you cannot conceive the
Helena Of generation ago. The villas
and mansions and elegant houses that
line the avenues on the slopes above the
city have replaced the tents and wooden
t'shacks" that sheltered Helena's popula-
tion some thirty years ago.
Civilization, with her. conconitant
pomp, and wants, and luxuries, crossed
the frontier long since, and took up her
T~s a = + ..s s KS
abode ia Helena; and to-day there is not
9 more delightful city in the world to
dwell in than this metropolis Of the
Rocky Mountain country. It has taken
Montana merely one generation % bask,
in 2 glorious sunshine of prosperity,
when other lands keep poor despite all
The accumula ations Iof ages But, then,
Montana = 8 aerlantd 8 tte ffruit.
mi mother of floel herds snd its
shsltered valley anslg 4 & ali iford Tho
staze and III 6; I s crop off. IS