The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1903-10-03
HISTORIC BENTON
FULL OF PIONEERS
TRAIL 81 AYERS GATHER IN THE
CRADLE OF TREASURE STATE
TO DISCUSS OLD TIMES.
COME TO BUTTE IN 1904
John Caplice of This City Was Elected
President OF the Montana
Association.
SPECIAL 10 rur INTER MOUNTAIN.

ncers of Montana who drove their stakes
at this picturesque old town i'll the early
days, and those residents who have come
later, are uniting today in entertaining the
Society OF Montana Pioneers.
One hundred and fifty OF the men who
made the state are here today. They came
from Great Falls in special train leaving
that city at o o'clock this morning and
arriving here about 10 80. While they
are hrimmng over with delightful stories
| of the good time they had yesterday, they
| are entering into the spirit of the rccep-
| ton here with all the enthusiasm OF a lot
of youngsters. 1t is the happiesi loi OF
| excursonists that ever came to Benton.
II is sngulary fitting that the goth an.
| nual meeting OF the Society of Montana
| Pioneers should adjourn its meeting to
this place. Fort Benton has been aptly
termed the cradle of civilization in Mon
tana. This is the place where the boats
arrived. This is the cntrepot through
which came many of the pioneers and
trailblazers of the state.
Beginning away back in the old fur
trading days with the starting of the first
steamboat up the upper Missouri by good
old Pierre Chouteau head OF the American
Fur company, and extending down to the
time OF the completion Of the Northern
Pacific Railway company, Fort Benton
was distinctly the" town OF Montana.
Up from St. Louis, battling with hostile
Indians on the way, rustling firewood
along the banks. encountcring unnumbcred
| perils came the steamers, cutting the
muddy water Of the shallow and treacher-
Gus upper river They were laden with
supplies, mining machinery. poneers--the
things that went to build up Montana
And then from here ran the stage lines
and the bull trains that distributed all
these over the length and breadth of the
state.
Today the pioneers are telling one an
other all about this. They are relating
with an unconscious sadness the stories
Of the time when II st. Louis steamers
could be seen, end to end, lying AT the
Fort Benton levee a living testimony to
the growth Of the territory that has be
X come known as the Treasure State"
II The history of the establishment Of Fort
I Benton as fortified place and trading post,
away back in the SOS, and its christening
by Colonel Culbcrtson on that famous
Christmas night wn.n the patronymie,
borne so bravely by Missouri's favorite
statesman, was applied to the little settle
ment, is too well known to need repetition
ut this time. Today all the visiting pio-
ncers could find of tho old adobe fort is a
battered bastion and traces OF the crumb-
ling walls OF the onc-timc formidable
fort.
On the arrival OF the special from Great
Falls there were gathered about the depot
all the vehicles that the town possesses.
! Public or private they were there to carry
the visitors the short half mile down the
slope TO the pretty little town There were
wagons, drags, carriages, phaeions-eycry
manner of horse drawn eqnipagc.
The town itself was found handsomely
decorated with flags and bunting. The
entire population seemed 10 have consti-
tuted itself committee on reception. All
Benton turned ont to assist in showing
the visitors the sights. Some of them
needed no introduction to familiar points
There was Colonel Sanders Of Helena,
for instance. He led party To where
he could show them hill across the river
from which he celebrated the Fourth Of
July, 1903, in his own vehement manner
On that day he rousted out ali old cannon
at the post, hitchcd it 10 a mule and
dragged it across 10 the hill to fire the ma
tional salute. Without going TO the
trouble OF unhitching the mule he lit the
fuse. The mule objected to the sputtering
bit Of fire and began to run around in a
circle. Now, il SO happened that the can
non was loaded with a ball.
1t is quite needless to remark that there
was CONSERVATION in the crowd Some
one would find the muzzle Of the gun
trained on MIN with the full expectation
that In another instant it would go off
The colonel led a mastery and expeditions
retreat towards the tall timber. The re-
treat was in progress when the fuse
reached the charge. The ball landed
across the river in the town, but no one
was hurt.
Bernard Quinn, who in the old days was
freighter, having several mule trains
running out of Fort Benton, but who is
now dignied resident Of Butte, had
many stories to tell. 1t is 90 years since
he visited the place. II was here on July
3, 1867" said he, "and then | was the last
to shake hands with General Thomas
Francis Meagher. ! spent the afternoon
his last afternoon alive--with him, trying
to persuade him to hire one of my mule
trains to go ON the trail Of Indians who
were then on the warpath to the south.
That night bade him goodbye and shook
hands with him.
That very night he was drowned in the
Missouri river, falling from a steamboat
II is foul SANDER to assert that he was
intoxicated at the time.
II carried the sad news to Mrs.
Meagher, who was then at Virginia City.
She was grateful to me for my efforts in
bringing her the intelligence and wanted to
reward me by giving me gold and silver
mounted saddle. declined the gift /
am sorry now. II had that saddle today
would not accept 81 900 for it."
The society is holding a meeting this
afternoon at the Chouteau house to wind
up its business, and early this evening the
party will return to Great Falls. At the
meeting several new members will be
elected. Resolutions Of thanks to the peo-
pie Of Great Falls and others who have
contributed to the entertainment Of the So
cety will be presented by committee
| ard adopted. The society is enthusiastic
| &c tLa h1.s1a;tal;t,. af tlaa Gr1at