The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-19

state is statement that will be a mat
ter of surprise to the average tender
foot and it will doubtless be received
incredulously by many of this genus,
yet it is fact that at one time in the
early days of transportation in Mon
tana, there was herd of camels which
threaded its way through the winding
passes and along the valleys of the
western part Of the state, carrying huge
packs of merchandise and heavy loads
of gold dust. These beasts of burden
novel for this part of the world were
imported as an experiment by the
United States government for use in
Southern California and Texas. With
the discovery of gold in Montana's
gulches, the subsequent building of
towns and the development Of mercan-
tile enterprises in the new state, the
problem of transportation became an
important one. There were mule trains
and horse trains wagon trains and bull
teams, but there was still room for i'm
provement AS a railway was at that
time out of the question, some ingenious
fellow, hearing of this herd of camels
in the Southwest, negotiated for seven
of the animals and brought them up to
Montana.
Most OF those who We're in Montana
in, the early sos remember the excite
ment that attended the arrival of these
queer pack animals when they first came
to the state. When it was known that
the camel train was due, there was
sure to be crowd to see it come in
and there was always a good delega-
ton to witness the loading for the re-
turn trip. 1t is said that the expert
ment was successful and that the
owner of the herd did good business
with his peculiar property. The camels
did well in this climate and the loads
that they packed were the marvel of
old packers.
They were used principally to freight
out of Helena first. They carried mer-
chandise to the camps in the gold-pro-
ducing gulches in the western and
southern parts of the state and the
miners in Bear gulch, Alder, Gold creek
and Deer Lodge became accustomed to
the arrival of the camel train. At
length the train was put on the old
Walla Walla trail out of Missoula and
made trips to the western country in
stead of doing local work among the
Montana camps as at first Then came
another change and they carried bur-
dens along the coast south from Wash
ington, .t s. g,g ,-7,
AS has been stated. there were seven
in the herd that came to Montana, but
there were only six when it went away.
The fate of the camel whose remains
were buried in this state was related
the other day by Charles w. Cannon to
an interested audience. 80
Il can't recaH,' said Mr.. Cannon, "the
name of the man that owned the cam
els, but remember that they used to
load in front of the store of CASTOR G.
Simpson at the upper end of Main
street in Helena, back in Sc. They used
to carry tremendous loads, too. They
would be loaded with sacks of flour I'M
til YOU couldn't see anything of the
camels except their heads and legs |
They would carry all you could pile on
them, and never show that the pack
was any load for them at ALL They
would go up and over the mountains
in the toughest and steepest places and |
never refuse to keep moving along in /
their slow way. They would be loaded |
at the gulches with gold dust in nail |
kegs and bring the dust into Helena. !
zone of the camels met his fate in I
Montana, and the way it happened was
peculiar The camels were grazing one |
day somewhere on the route between |
Helena and Deer Lodge. There was a |
crack shot from Kentucky who was |
great hunter. His name was James |
McNear He got sight Of the camels !
and mistook them for moose. He |
crept slowly and carefully over the |
brow of the hill, fearful that the moose |
would scent danger and run away. |
He took careful aim at the nearest |
one, blazed away and brought down |
his prey. 1t died without struggle. !
McNear was just drawing a bead on J