The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-10

1t<C" tAAVasn VI ~ l0Ioi tORUk aRly
to see mai he had been led a wildgoose
chase. lasting through the night. Lynch
and Conrous protested that they had
an overpowering desire for the land
they had just taken up and nothing in
the world would induce them to relin-
quish their holdings. There was MOTH
ing left for Russell save to return to
Helena and report his failure to VIII
lard. II Is possible that on the home
ward journey he noticed that the dis
lance between Johnstown and Sun
River had been marvelously shortened
during the morning or possibly some of
the sur River citizens gave the joke
away. AT any rate. il crept out and
was enjoyed by the old-timers for
years.
Conrous took up 100 acres covering
h spot where the roundhouse now
stands and Lynch had the claim di-
rectly to the north and joining 1t. The
square loghouse which is now stand
ing on the west side is the cabin which
Lynch put up and occupied all through
the spring of 1871. OF course it is not
now on its original site. 1t has been
moved several times, but as near as
one can calculate at the present time.
after the ground has been repeatedly
surveyed and resurveyed, il is proba-
bly, on the extreme edge of the Lynch
claim. Lynch and Conrous lived here
during several months, long enough to
establish their claims to the and. Then
either because the railway schemes
were dropped or because the Indians
became too troublesome they left. in
tending to return in the following
spring. Lynch, however. quit the coun-
try In a little while n nothing has
been heard Of him since. Conrous wan
dered about through the state but after
q lapse of nine years he returned to his
claim and relocated 1t. j. NJ. Matkin
later jumped the Lynch claim and sold
Ii only a few years before his death in
this city, which occurred i'm 1890. Con-
rous also sold his claim later to local
parties.
At a point in the Missouri river, Just
below the present railway bridge, was
formerly a natural ford for buffalo and
other game and for the Indians of this
state also. Sometime & George A.
Wells, now in London, in speaking of
the matter said hat the first time he
visited Great Falls-sometime in the
10s@he and a companion attempted
to ford the river at this natural ford
ing place. They had gone part of the
across the stream when they were
met by an enormous band of buffalo,
came down from the bluffs on
the west side of the river and waded
into the stream, apparently without
least fear of the strangers. They
were so numerous and so determined
to get across the river that they threat
ened to overwhelm Mr.. Wells and his
friend n the latter were obliged to
around and get back to the shore.
idea of the immense herds which
were met in those days can be gained
by the recalling of the fact hat i'm the
cypress hills, so miles north of Fort As
siniboine. there were packed i'm 1879 for
shipment down the Missouri by way of
Benton, 10000 buffalo hides, and
the next year. 0 1000 were packed.
The Indians, too, appreciated this
ford, n whenever the Piegans and
the Bloods, or the Crows or the Ne2
went on the warpath they were
sure to find their way. sooner or
alter, to this particular spot. In the
of the Indians and half
breeds who sometimes visit this city
there is a story that Sitting Bull
his horde of warriors once came
here. Naturally, this was not a healthy
pot for white men to settle. Up at
Tim, on the estate of the late Dave
Churchill, the good fathers of st. Pc
-ers' Mission were obliged every little
while to get out among the sand hills
dodge the arrows and bullets of the
'edskins, who failed to appreciate their
rood intentions. So at this point, where
very band of hostiles passed, the life |
" a white man was a matter of the |
yreatest risk. 1t was likely. therefore.
hat this had much to do with the re-
roval of Lynch and Conrous.
The cabin of the first stood not far
rom the river bank and was used by
Ill travellers. white or red. two or four
Dotted. In the spring of 1874 John Rock
nd his brother. Peter. came down from
River to do a little hunting. At
hat time and atan nc Ia 70 M IN
go, the big bend which the Missouri
makes just below the ford was the ia
'orite resort and feeding ground of
reese, ducks, swan and all manner of
Wild water fowl. So. too, was n Sun
liver. II was after this species of sport
hat the Rock brothers came. They
amped in the Lynch cabin and then
n the early morning took their shot
'uns and went out. During the day
hey separated. Peter swimming the
river and hunting in the sloughs
o the south of that stream, while
h went up the nearest bank. Peter
1as returning just at sunset. we'll
Daded with wild geese and ducks. and
about to swim the Sun river. Look
ne to the north he could see his brother
Ohm walking along the bank of the
f%issouri with his shotgun over his
boulder and a big bunch of game sus-
ended from it. He watched him ap-
the cabin in this careless man.
er. Then there was a fusilade of
hots, Peter saw his brother fall to the
round and a band of Indians in war
amt rush forward to take the dead
lan's scalp. Peter fired both barrels
Z his shotgun in the air and the ruse
roved successful, the Indians start
lg down the river on a run and never
lrning back. doubtless believing that
here was a considerable party of
in pursuit.
Peter crossed the Sun river and went
p TO his brother, whom he found quite
cad. Eleven rife shots had passed
him and the end must have
ome almost instantly. The surviving
took the sad nancs u thn uttla