The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-31
LIFE OF R. 0. BAILEY
Said to Have Been Once Acting Gov
ernor Of Montana.
A SOUTH DAKOTA REPORT
He Was an Early Resident OF This
: Territory-OldT Timers Do Not
Remember That n e Ever
Held office.

. A copy Of the Spearfish Weekly Reg
lister published at Spearfish. Black
Hills, South Dakota, of the date Jan.
rs, 1896, contains a lengthy report Of
the death of man named r. o..
Bailey in that city. An extended re-
view of his life is given, which locates
the deceased as a we'll known Montana
pioneer and relates incidents of his life
in this state. A number of old-timers
in this city familiar with those days and
- times, were interviewed but none of
them are able to locate in memory the
man. Most of them think that there
must be a mistake somewhere.
In the obituary sketch 1t is stated
that Bailey was at one time acting gov
ernor of Montana, but his name is not
found on the roster of state officials
as given by the History of Montana in
any capacity. The flour riots or upris-
ing in Alder gulch is remembered, but
the important matter of there being
one exception, in that raid, is not re-
called.
The death of the pioneer was very
sudden. He had been employed in
sawmill as bookkeeper and general
manager. He visited friends in Spear
fish, during one evening, and on the
+ way to his room fell over a bannister
9 to the ground breaking his leg. He was
given the best of attention but one
night few days later, he died in his
bed. A son r. o. Bailey, jr.. was To-
Gated at Smyrna, Maine: The sketch of
the life as published, is herewith repro
duced, as 1t will be of interest to old
timers who may by IL add another
chapter to the unwritten history of the
state.
Q Capt. r. o. Bailey was born on a
farm in Cookshire. Quebec, in the year
1927. His school education was linn
tied to the bare rudiments.
When quite young, tired of the
drudgery of farm life, he ran away,
went to Boston, and shipped before
the mast ON coasting schooner One
trip satisfied him that life ON the
ocean wave" was worse than farming,
and when the vessel returned to the
home port he deserted" and tramped
back into the country. hired out to a
well-to-do farmer who, attracted by
his industry and faithful performance
of duties assigned him, loaned him
books and offered to send him to school
IL he would stay permanently. but,
after little over two years absence
Che returned home, apprenticed himself
to millwright in neighboring town,
and applied himself closely to learn
ing that craft. theoretically as well as
practically, so that at the age of 10 he
Owas contracting for himself.
Shortly after attaining his majority
he moved to Iowa. The Pixies Peak
excitement of '59 caught his fancy and
he drifted to Colorado among the gold
seekers, and engaged in mining and
merchandising in the vicinity of Breck-
inridge. and on the Blue river, meet
ing with rare success in his mercantile
ventures.
When the echoes of the civil war
reached the remote mining districts,
he sided with the union, though he
had always been a democrat, and the
majority of his party in the mountains
favored the rebel cause, many men of
rebel proclivities having drifted thith-
er to avoid compulsory service in the
southern army. preferring to shoot off
their mouths on the frontier to carry
ing a musket in the ranks. Notwith-
standing the secession proclivities of
most of his customers and neighbors.
the captain was always outspoken and
finally, when Colorado's governor call
ed for troops, he raised "a company of
so men. who insisted that he should
be their captain: the company was in
tended for the Second Colorado, but
was merged into the Third: the war
soon closed, the regiment did not see
the front. Shortly afterward the cap
tain was induced to stand for the legis-
lature, and though the district was
strongly in the majority against his
credit. his strong common sense and
integrity carrying him on the right
side; such men as Chafee and Henry
NJ. Teller were his colleagues and
friends; next session of the legislature
he was returned with hardly any OPP
position.
When the news of rich placer finds
at Alder gulch, Montana, reached Cen
trail Colorado, the captain sold his store
and mining interests, went to st. Joe,
Mo-, bought a train and heavy stock
of general merchandise. and pulled
across the long. dangerous trail to the
new Ell Dorado, and established the
Miners store in Alder.
His business was successful, and his
reputation for fair dealing so well es-
tablished that when the miners of AL
der and neighboring camps rose en-
masse against the storekeepers for
putting up the price of flour from $40
to $40 a sack, on the plea of scarcity,
and threatened famine before spring
stocks could be brought in, Bailey's
store was the only one not molested:
from the rest the miners took all the
flour in sight.
When Green Clay Smiths predecessor
as governor of Montana decamped for
his health. Captain Bailey, under legal
advice, assumed the Office, notified the
authorities at Washington, and was by
them recognized as ad interim COVER
nor, pending Mr.. Clay's appointment,
and arrival six or seven months later.
thus earning the title of governor"
by which he was known among his ia
mifiars. Wealth poured in upon him
through the success of all his business
ventures, his check being. at one time,
good for $4,000; to invest his surplus
capital. he embarked in the stock bust
ness as a side issue; during his en-
forced absence from home attending TO
the ranch a fellow whom he had be-
friended and trusted. betrayed him, and
broke up his home This caused him
TO neglect his business and reverses fol- |
lowed in quick succession until in the
winter of 1877 he came 10 the Hills
broke" resumed the occupation OF