Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-02-28
DOWN THE MISSOURI
Long Bateau Trip for a "A Year
Old Boy.
THE CAREER OF JOE kIPp
Once Owned 1000 Buffalo Robes and
Several Thousand Wolf skins
Indian Fighter.

Joseph Kipp, the well-known mer-
friends in the east and the Times of
Troy N T., gives the following inter-
esting history of his eventful life in
Montana:
Joe Kipp of Kipp. Mont, is visiting
friends in this city. He is a typical
product of the best class in the far
West-strictly honest, self-reliant and
OF undoubted courage. Brought up
from childhood among the Indians. he
mas been successfully and successfully
cowboy, hunter, a government
scout, dealer in furs. an Indian reser-
walton trader and proprietor of horse
and cattle ranches. Kipp was the scout
VINO in 1870 led the American troops
at the Baker massacre on the Marias
river, and he has always been held in
the highest esteem by government au-
thorities for faithful services rendered
IN preserving peace among the warlike
aboriginal nation. He speaks fiuently
nve different Indian languages and is
invariably selected as Interpreter when
the red men have their "pow vows
with Uncle Sam either on the Piegan
reservation or at Washington
The life of this hardy westerner would
furnish ample material for many SEN
sational stories. Kipps father was
one of the first white men to go IN
the Missouri river after the explorers
Lewis and Clark; his mother was the
daughter of an Indian chief. He is tao
turn, and the following facts were
learned by the writer in CONFIDENTIAL
hours" while riding beside zoe" seven
years ago on 500 mile ride over the
plains and among the Rockies on a
hunting trip. AT the age of IA years
determined to obtain educational adj
vantages, Kipp laid in supply of pro-
visions and drifted in a 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
tar beyond his companions upon his re-
turn to his western home.
When Joe was 16 years old there
was a general uprising among the In
dams against the whites at Fort BEN
ton, and the inhabitants were threat
ened 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 by large bands of savages on the
warpath, while at 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 a 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 he Indians who
had surrounded the house and succeed
ed in reaching Helena. The distance
covered to the shanty was 80 miles;
the time, II hours, and the ride made
on one horse! For this service the boy
was presented with a purse Of $500.
Upon another occasion Kip showed
wonderful Craftsmanship 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 ter
ritory, it was still strong. 1t was be-
fore the days of telegraph. Over $500
was at stake and would be his If he
could reach the trading post across the
border before the news of the drop in
the prices got there. The journey was
900 miles, over hills and across prairies,
and it was made on one horse in 80
hoursl
Mr.. Kipp's knowledge of the north
west country and it's 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 1000 head of cattle and is pro-
prietor of two stores at different points
on the Piegan reserva ton. Mr. Kipp is
postmaster at Kipp, named in his hon
or, and has built for himself commo-
dious residence, equipped with bath
rooms and complete plumbing arrange
HleHlSt WnlSn lOOhGd upOI Will WOU-
derment by the Indians and regarded
by white neighbors as the acme of 10Th
century style. The introduction of a
telephone service between his home
and Blackfoot, a few miles away, has
afforded Mr.. Kipp much amusement
with the aborigines, who after listening
to the voice of their old friend carried
over the small wire, are convinced that
-. 80 I,A
cine man the tribe had ever seen in its
palmiest days.
Insnlt to the Dean ana Charter.
Westminster Gazette quotes delightful
ia ~, ono IF ba SppalrarS at the