The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-30
IT'S DIFFERENT NOW
Conditions in Montana Have Changed
Since Jimmy Coates Time.
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
He Wants to Know How the Trap
ping Is In These Parts-Wart-
man Sentenced-A Fire on
Conroy's Ranch.

Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Bozeman. March ga letter re-
ceived In Bozeman this week from
James Coates. at present a resident Of
Pearl, ILL.,, has set a few Of the Oldest
timers here to refreshing their memoir
les. 1t shows an acquaintance with
this country at a time when there were
no game laws, no restrictions on hunt
ing and trapping, but whel these were
the principal means of earniog a livell-
hood with the early settlers. Mr.. Coates
writes:
Postmaster. Bozeman, Mont, Dear
Sir-ls ii asking too much for you to
give me the particulars regarding the
hunting and trapping IN your part Of
the country? / was in the train with
Mr.. Bozeman when he went through
and located the town of Bozeman in
the year 1864, otter and beaver being
plentiful then. Are there now many OF
ter, beaver. mink or other fur bearing
animals or do you know of any place
where man could find good trapping
and what kind would be found mostly,
now? If you can give me any irfor-
nation please do so. Respectfully
yours, James Coates"
The party which Mr. Coates refers to
was one of two which went through
here, bound for the then new gold
of the summer of 1864. These parties
were headed by two of the famous
guides of that day, Jim Bridges and
John BoZeman, they having each start
ed from Missouri with a train of emil
grants at about the same time, end
their courses being different there
was a race between them to see
which would reach their destination
first. There were only a few hours
between the two trains as they came
up the Yellowstone, Bridges being I'm
the lead, but John Bozeman reached
this place first, and ii was due 10 this
fact, and BoZeman's owning & large
part Of the land upon which the origi-
nal townsite was laid out, that this city
was named after the famous guide.
Bridges, who came by way of the Big
Horn mountains, left the Yellowstone
at point near Livingston and, MAX
ing a long detour came into this val
ley by way of the canyon, which has
been given his name. This was the
old route. but John Bozeman having
discovered the pass over which the
Northern Pacific railroad now comes,
he followed this new trail. bringing
the first party into Bozeman over what
was afterwards the principal trail used
by all emigrant trains bound for this
part of Montana, which was by way
of Fort Smith and Fort Kearney and
the Bozeman pass.
This was known after that time as
THE Bozeman trail" The land upon
which is now built the city of "Boze-
man, the Beautiful" with it's 1000 in
habitants, was then three ranches,
owned by d. +. Rouse, w. II. Tracey
and w. j. Beall, and John BoZeman,
there being only half dozen log cabins
here.
BY this letter it would seem that Mir.
Coates still has no impression of the
xpn fIIl mid wit fnh lie
country has been settled and built up,
in the SO intervening years between the
time when he entered this valley with
the great guide, and the present day.
Mr.. Coates was one of the few who left
Bozeman's party here. he having lived
here for a number of years. He was a
justice of the peace in Bozeman and
with another man built the large livery
barn now occupied by Ed L. Fridley,
on Bozeman street. Mr.. Coates was
a freighter and built this barn as a
feed stable, it being the stopping place
of all the early settlers in those days.
He left here in 1868 or 1869, and his
whereabouts were unknown until the
receipt of this letter which locates him
at Pearl, Ill.
David Wartman, who was arrested
for killing elk last fall, by Game Ward
en- Keown had his trial before a jury
here to-day. 1t will be remembered
West Gallatin canyon as he was COM
ing out from the basin with a num-
Der of pack horses, upon which were
his camp outfit and a quantity of elk
meat that he escaped from Mr.. Keown
at this time but was latter recaptured.
A number of witnesses were present
at the trial, from the West Gallatin
basin, and their testimony was that of
the game warden, resulted in the con-
viction of Workman, who viii lserve go
days in Jail for the offense.
II. 3. Mccoy, receiver. to-day sold
the Schumacher, Langohr & Co. stock
of groceries at auction, the stock and
fixtures going to Mr.. Langohr for
81, 900. Mr.. Schumacher will now re-
tire, Mr.. Langhor continuing the bust
ness in his own name.
There was quite a fire on the ranch
of G.. w. Conroy, two miles east of
Bozeman. this morning. Mr.. Conroys
house burning to the ground with all
it's contents. Mr.. Conroy's family have
resided in Bozeman the past winter and
had lust begun TO move their furniture
back to the ranch. Mr.. Conroy and one
son were in the timber. few hundred
yards from the house. about IL o'clock
this forenoon, when they saw smoke
issuing from the house. which was a
two-story frame structure. They hur-
ried home and, after 2 hard fight,
thought they had succeeded in ex-
tinguishing the flames, but upon going
upstairs found the flames had gotten
into the walls of the building and they
were unable TO fight them longer. The
house with contents burned 10 the
ground and will be a heavy loss, as the
amount OF the Insurance was small
The fire department here was called
out at 10 O'Clock on Wednesday even
ing. there being a slight blaze in little
house Just back of Kreiling' livery sta
BILE. The house belongs TO Mrs. G. W.
Wakefield Of Livingston and, as there
was no one living there, the fire must