The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-12-23
Some "reminiscences of the Well
Known Guide and Scout.
GOLD JIM BRIDeER's LIES
Were Not Altogether Publications.
His First information of the Vel
lowstone Park Wonders Was Dis
believed on Account of His Mum
chausen ProcIiVities.

One of the most noted of these
frontiersmen who had an eerly &C.
uuaintance with the Yellowstone
park was James Bridger, the Daniel
Boone of the Rocky mountains. He
was prominently identified with the
Rocky Mountain Fur company for
many years, and while still young
man was recognized as one of the
leading ountaineers throughout the
whole Rocky mountain region trav-
ersed by the fur companies He was
a born topographer, and better
guide never braved the dangers OF
the untried wilderness. His hospital
ity and generosity, added to his
agreeable manners, won him many
friends, and his trustworthmess held
these while he lived. Among the In
dams he was popular. He married a
Shoshone woman, and he possessed
the confidence of all the friendly
tribes.
His name will not soon fade from
the western world, where he played
so important part in early explora-
ton. He discovered Great Salt Lake
and the noted Bridger Pass. He built
Fort Bridger, the scene of many dra-
matte events in early Mormon his
tory and gold seeking. Fully 25
years before the actual discovery of
the Yellowstone park, Bridger knew
it's wonders accurately But for the
most part men spoke indulgently OF
"Old Jim Bridger's lies" and as a
way of retaliation for the disbelief
they manifested, he gradually came
tc weave through the truth of his de
scriptions a thread of exaggeration
brilliantly colored by his magma
ton.
At first he had tried to convince
the world of the reality of what he
described. He went to the editor o
the Kansas City Journal, who wrote
an article for that paper from wha
Bridger had told him of the Yellow
stone region, but suppressed it be
cause some one told him he would b.
ridiculed if he printed such stuff seri
ously as the truth. A few years ag
the present enditor of that pape
wrote of Bridger as follows:
THE interview had with Bridge
was in 1856. He told Colonel r. I
Van Horn, editor of the Journa
which was published at that time
the story of the park with its gey
sers, and at the same time drew wit
a piece of charcoal on a piece c
wrapping paper an outline of tn
route necessary to be taken by a raj
road should it ever cross the cont
nent, which route is exactly ON tn
line that is now crossed by the Unto
Pacific.
I'm this conversation he told til
colonel about the mud springs an
the other wonders of that part of til
country, or to use his own EXPIRE
sion, 1T was place where hell bu
bled up.
1.-THE colonel was much intereste
in the matter at the time and toe
notes of the account, but did nj
print it, because a man who elaine
to know Bridger told him that
would be laughed out of town if 4
printed any of old Jim Bridgel
lies"
Bridger was hurt by the incredl
ity and mocking with which he W
met, but he lived to see the wor
astonished at the discovery of t
very sights he had described to it
long before.
One of the ingenious stories he
vented when he found people wou
not listen to the truth was the tt
of the well known Obsidian cliff,
mountain of volcanic glass. He So
that he came one day in sight OF
fine elk. Taking fine aim, he fir
and was astonished to observe II