The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-23
READY INFORMATION
Charlie Curtis Writes About the Sc
ciety of Montana Pioneers.
TALES OF EARLY SETTLERS
In the Good Old Days When Flour
Was Worth $50 sack and
"Spittin' Terbacker" SO Cents
"Chaw," First Hands.

c. d. Curtis of Helena. vice president
for Lewis and Clarke county of the So
ciety of Montana Pioneers, has writer
a letter on early days in Montana thai
will be read with interest alike by the
trail-blazers and newcomers. The let.
ter was written to a Great Falls man in
response to an inquiry about the socie.
ty, and is as follows:
THE Society of Montana Pioneers
was organized at Helena, Sept. TO- 1884
Hon. James Fergus was elected presi-
dent, Gov. S. T. Hauser treasurer. and
Judge Theo. Muffly secretary. About
260 old-timers, who had come from all
parts Of the territory to attend the meet
ing, signed the constitution. 1t was a
notable gathering of intrepid men and
women. many of whom whacked bulls
across the plains, fought Indians, swan
rivers, walked over burning sands and
waded through drifting SHOWS; who
subsisted on wormy sow-belly, sour
dough bread. fiap-jacks and camas
roots; who boiled their allkali-water cof-
fee. and bean soup over fragrant 90
buffalo chip fires; who blaZed the trails.
mined the bars, and prospected the
creeks in search of the yellow gold,
whose power to-day is being used to
ruin and crush them; whose valor, en-
durance and intelligence has planted a
civilization and commonwealth in the
grand mountains and beautiful valleys
of magnificent Montana that stands the
peer of the most enlightened. progress
sive and patriotic in the sisterhood of
states. (the unwarranted statement Of
President Cleveland to the contrary
Notwithstanding In the mad rush for
gold religion and education were not
forgotten. School houses and churches
arose like magic in almost every camp
and settlement. Narrow-minded bigot-
ry and uncharitableness had no place
in the hearts of the brave pioneers of
lang syne. Catholic, Protestant and Jew
subscribed literally of their means to
assist each other in building temples to
the living God. Behold! What a lesson
of brotherly love and divine charity.
I'm the natural order of things, the
'old-timers' will pass over the Big
Range but the society they founded
will live and prosper under the foster
ing care OF their sons and daughters,
who will perpetuate in song and story
the glorious achievements of their hon
ored sires-whose exploits and sacrif-
ces will form the most interesting
pages in the history of Montana. At
our annual reunions personal remin-
iscences of early days are related.
many ludicrous. Amusing yarns are
told of the peculiarlties of some of the
local characters of each camp-such as
Andy, Coffeepot Tom. Slip
perry Dick, Sailor Jack, the American
Soap, Slap-Jack Johnny,
Wild Goose Bill, Liver-Eating Johnson.
hummer Dan, Big Drink Jim, Yeast
Powder Bill. Dirty Ike, Tin Cup Joe,
Chief, Coyote George, He'll
L
dy Gurdy Sam, Moon-Eyed Mike, Mush
Head Bill. Sugar-Foot George, The Yaw
Yaw Ditch Boys, Suffering Johnny,
Seven-Up Pete, Sour Dough Tom, Ca
lamity Jane. Fiddler Dan. Sage Hen,
Whiskey Bill, Brass-Mounted Liz, Red
Wagon Jim, Feather Legs. and many
others, whose names / cannot now re-
call.
Stories are told about the fate of the
first boiled shirt, stovepipe hat and UNI
brella attempted to be worn in Helena;
Jere Sulivans first experience at boil
ing rice; PARROT, Sanders and Curtis at
the Methodist mourner's bench; San
ders' midnight ride to Rattlesnake
to head off the notorious des-
perado, Jack Gallagher; Anton Holter's
narrow escape from being robbed and
murdered by some of the Plummer
gang; Pete Romans jokes; Keeley's
joshes and Hugh McQuaid's pleasant
ries; Jim Gurleys adventures by flood
and field: the fun and frolic at hurdy
gurdy dances, choose yer pards, swing
on the corner, promenade to the bar:
the wild and disastrous stampede to
Sun River; the bloody 90 Indian battle
at Lorain's ranch on the Stinkingwater.
and the large number of prominent cit
liens of Virginia City who were shot in
the neck: the sad story OF the loye-lorn
poet lariat of Beaver creek; the humors
of the first kangaroo court held at Vir-
ginia City. and how victims were in
dicted and fined for malodorous
practices; interesting comparisons
are made between the prices of
goods in 1s62-63 and 1864 and the
present time: Flour from $50 to
$3.50 per sack: sugar 60 cents to 81
pound: coffee s1.10 to $3.50 a pound:
tea $3.50 to $500 a pound; plug tobac-
90 s. to $40 a pound; candles rs cents
TO 81 a pound; potatoes 80 cents to 81
r pound; lard So cents a pound: syrup
SO gallon: butter s1.75 TO 50 a pound:
eggs 81 per dozen: dried apples 70
cents a pound: dried currants. So cents
a pound; canned goods. corn. toma-
toes. peas and beans, $25 per case:
Fields steamed oysters $3.50 per can;
navy beans as cents a pound: common
81 25 a pound: nails so cents TO 81 per
pound; horse shoes 30 cents to 81; salt
Il to 81. so per pound; matches 20 cents
70 81 box; shovels IS to $40 apiece;
picks IS to SIS apiece; pick handles 81
apiece: gum boots SIS to S25 per pair;
California wooden shirt $40 to $l2 each;
shirts made at Zipp's factory. Bridge
street. from SO to $50 each: California
blankets $40 TO $50 pair; Cas-. pants $40
md SIS pair: suit OF clothes. including
nat and boots SIS to 500; whiskey:
Bootleg brand. ..........$l0 gal
laoS Llghtnlng..--.... .......... gal
rarantula Juice. ........ : gal
4atter's Rocky mountain dew. gal
sood Bourbon or Rye.....SlO to SIS gal
Dan Flowerree's Nectar. ........ 20 gal
DAY board at hotel or restaurant
rom SIS to SIS per week in advance:
,arbers charged soc. % 75c. for shaw
ng. 81 for hair cutting and si50 for
hampOo: payment was always in
lean gold dust; greenback was taken |
Il half price.
But II prices were high, wages We're !
I'll. TprfFsafss ts-ara mid 80 coo /