The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-21
Who Has Been Visiting in kalispell
This Week.
CAPTAIN CECIL EDWARD DENNY
His Life Has Been a Strenuous and
Interesting One Entertains His
Friends by Telling Them Tales Of
the Early Days in Montana.

Soptolll SSCll W dl u DSuuS, lol
merly an officer in the Canadian
Northwest mounted police, but now
forest ranger for the ST. Mary's dis
trlct. has been in the city this week.
awaiting the return Of Forest Super
visor Haines.
Captain Denny is one of the best
known of the old timers of the north
west, coming west with the first de-
tachment Of soldiers sent out by the
Canadian government. Formerly an
officer in the English army, Captain
Denny resigned his position and came
to Toronto, Canada, in 1870, at the
time when the government was or
ganizing the police. He was appoint
ed captain on the force. and left with
the first detachment for the North
W est territory. The men travelled in
two special trains, coming to Fargo.
OF the Northern Pacific
At that point. the wagons were put
together and the long overland march
commenced. The men We're all
strangers to the country through
which they were passing. and the
usual hardships of pathfinders
through an unknown country. When
ir the vicinity of the Sweet Grass
hills. in Teton county, their horses
began to die off in alarming numbers
CnI thor. yiSinny hoino N.t
Eausted. death stared them in the
face. Captain Denny. realizing that
help must come without delay. rode
tC Fort Benton, many miles distant,
for assistance, Fort Benton, at that
time was only a small trading point,
Tut being the only place of conse-
Quence in northwestern Montana, bust
ness was brisk. I. G. Baker & Co.
and T. G. Power & Co., were running
stores there, and an intense rivalry
existed in The matter of the patron
age of the Canadian government. G.
L. Conrad was connected with I. G..
Faker & Co., at the time and he re-
turned with Captain Denny to the lat
ter's camp and rendered valuable as
sistance both at that time and later
on. For his services the contract
vas awarded to his company. The
contract in all amounted to several
million dollars, and was the founda-
ton of the Conrad fortune.
The Canadians, after recuperating
proceeded to the present site of Fort
Mcleod. which was established in
1874. The post at Calgary was
founded in 1875. Captain Denny re-
NAMED in the service for about 10
years longer. when he resigned and
vas Immediately appointed Indian
agent for all the northwestern In
dams. He remained in this position
Tor about 10 years. when he again re-
signed. Since then he was engaged
in the mining business, until about
three years ago. when he became
connected with the United States
government survey party that laid
the lines for the great st. Mary's
canal. He was afterward appointed
forest ranger by Supervisor Haines,
anu udS oIIlIt ulltu Tic pOSlllOI Will
great credit
Although he was born in the old
country, Captain Denny is now full
fledged citizen of the United States,
taking out his first papers three years
ago, and his final papers during his
present stay in Kalispell. Despite
his adventurous career, Captain Den
ny is hale and hearty, and while mod
est and reticent regarding his many
adventures. yet when he sees fit to
adventures, yet con-aetth :. :. -.
relate his experiences. the time
never grows long. A man of much
education, his stories of the early
days are related in an interesting
and graphic style. and the fact that
they are true but adds to their inter
est