The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-06
JOE KIPP IS IN TROY
The Pioneer MOntanan EnlightenS His
New York Friends.
HIS INTERESTING STORIES
A Typical Product of the West. He
Strikes the fastener as Being
Man of More Than Ordinary
interest, Which He IS.

Great Falls. Feb. 5.-Joseph Kipp. the
well-known merchant of Blackfoot, is
now visiting friends in the east and
the Times Of Troy, n. Y, gives the
following interesting history OF MS
eVentful life in Montana:
Joe Kip, of Kip, Mont, is visiting
friends in this city. He Is typlcaI
product of the best class in the Far
Wost-strictly honest, self-reliant ana
of undOubted courage. Brought UP
from childhood among the Indians, he
has been successfully and successfully
a cowboy, a hunter, n government
scout a dealer i'm furs, an Indian res
crvation trader and proprietor of horse
and cattle ranches. kipp was the scout
who i'm 1870 led the American troops
at the Baker massacre on the Marlas
river. and he has always been held III
the highest esteem by government au-
thorities for faithful services RENDERED
in preserving peace among the warllkc,
aboriginal nation. lie speaks huently
five different Indian languages and Is
invariably selected an interpreter Wheh
the red men have their pow vows
with Uncle Sam either on the Plegah
reservation or at Washington.
The life of this hardy Westerner
would furnish ample material for many
sensational stories. Kipp's father was
one of the first white men TO go up
the Missouri river after the explorers
Lewis and Clark; his mother was
daughter of an Indian chief. He is
taciturn, and the following facts were
learned by the writer in confidential
hours" while riding beside Joe" seven
years ago on 500mile ride over the
plains and among the Rockies on
hunting trip. At the age of IA years,
determined TO obtain educational ad-
Vantages, Kipp laid in a supply of pro-
visions and drifted in bateau down
the Missouri and Mississippi rivers to
St. Louis, through a country infested
with savages-a distance of 5000 miles
where he supported himself and at
tended school for year. His thirst
for knowledge and his natural perse-
verence combined enabled him to ac-
quire an education which placed him
far beyond his companions upon his re-
turn to his Western home.
When Joe was sixteen years old there
was a general uprising among the In
dams against the whites at Fort Ben
ton and the inhabitants were threaten
ed with massacre. Relief could only
be obtained from United states troops
at Helena, about $50 miles away and
the path lay among hostiles. -Four
white men attempted and failed to get
through the Indian lines. Joe deter
mined to take the desperate chances
of effecting a rescue. His perfect COM
mand of the language enabled him TO
pass DN large DanuS OF say ages Oh tlle
warpath. while al other times he was
obliged to run the gauntlet of arrows
and an occasional bullet.
Ten miles from Helena the brave boy
was pursued by the Indians on fresh
ponies. He knew of shanty occupied
by white men a little out of the way,
and thither he turned with his enemies
close upon him. Crying out In English
who he was the settlers opened the
barred door and he actually rode plump
into the house on horseback! After dark
Kipp crawled past the Indians who
had surrounded the house and succeed
ed in reaching Helena. The distance
covered to the shanty was ninety miles
the time, twelve hours, and the ride
made on one horse! For this service
the boy was presented with purse Of
$500
Upon another occasion Kipp showed
wonderful horsemanship and endur-
ance. He owned 1000 buffalo robes and
several thousand wolf skins. The mar
ket at Fort Benton "slumped." and Joe
learned at Fort Mcleod, Northwest
territory, it was still strong. 1t was
before the days of telegraph. over
So 800 was at stake and would be his
If he could reach the trading post
across the border before news of the
drop i'm the prices got there. The jour
ney was 900 miles, over hills and
across prairies. and il was made on
one horse in thirty hours
Mr.. Kipp's knowledge of the north
west country and its people is extern
sive. and probably included a territory
Of at least 1000 miles north. south, east
and west At present he is devoting
considerable attention to a ranch near
BlaCkfoot station. on the Great Nor
thern railway, on which he owns up
ward of 900 head of cattle and Is pro-
prietor of two stores at different points
ON tho pfppau reservation Mr.. kim is
postmaster at Kip. named in his hon
or, and has built for himself a commo-
dious residence, equipped with bath
rooms and complete plumbing arrange
ments. which is looked upon with won
dcrment by tho Indians and regarded