Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-10-19

and | did so, one of the riders falling.
The Crows Immediately pursued
the horse thieves, and, on recount o,
the poor condition of the Crow horses
which the Sioux were driving of, oy,
ertook them about a mile and a half
down Big Spring creek, just below
what is now the city of Lewistown.
One of the Sioux was killed and the
other made his escape. On eXamina.
ton II was discovered that the man |
had :hot was a Crow Indian. who had
been in charge of the herd. Luckily
1t was only a flesh wound in the arm
and he recovered rapidly.
THE Judith Basin Was at that time
the finest game country | had ever
seen. | killed many buffalo right here
where Lcwistown now stands and
white tailed deer we're here in great
numbers. | have killed deer in the
brush along Spring creek all through
where this city now is. Ne We're get
ting out som timber about a mile ard
a half from the post. up Spring creek,
and on my way up there one morning
| shot four white tailed deer. They
were not in one band, either, out sin.
gle animals which | scared up as |
went along. Ordinarily the whitehall.
ed deer are found in the willows and
cottonwoods. but here they Were IN
the pine timber in the coalees along
Spring creek. There were as many
as forty in IN bunch at times.
when | came here in 1873 there
was, so far as knew, not another
white man in what is now Fergus
county, aside from those who were in
m! party. There might have been a
hunter or two in the mountains but
| do not know that there was. The
trading post that we built was, | think
the first house built in the county. |
thought at that time that this part OF
Montana had great possibilities before
IL and | still think so. Al that time
the bunch grass On the foothills STOOD
three feet in height.
in 1874 II was found that the en-.
ate would not ratify the treaty when
| spoke of and the fort was sold out
to T. |. Dawes. He arrived in March
and stayed for a year, when he sold
out to Major Reed and j. j. Bowles,
who moved the main part of The post
building to the point where the Cd
Carroll trail crosse3 Big Spring creek.
This crossing is at the place where
the county poor farm buildings are
now located.
1T is not definitely known where
Chief Joseph crossed this part of the
state when he was being pursued by
Gen. o. o. Howard. Some think he
crossed the Judith Basin at a point
neal the poor farm, where the old Car
roll road crosses the creek, but | am
of the opinion that he did not get
this far west. | think he followed the
Yellowstone river too far east to cross
the Basin, and ! an of the opinion
that he went as far cas- as what is
now the city of Billings and then turn
ed north to the big bend of the Mus
selshell river. crossing the Missouri at
the mouth of the MusSelshell river.
In speaking of Fergus county and
particularly of the Judith Basin as 1t
is today, Mr.. Koch said that he thought
this was the greatest part of the state
for the raising of winter wheat, not
excepting the Gallatin valley Itself
where he now lives. He said that the
foothills Of the Basin are remarkably
free from gravel and the soil is of the
rich black variety which holds mois.
ture much longer than the soil in the
valleys. He predicts a great future for
Lewistown and the Judith Basin.