Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-09-22
K AND WOOL INTERESTS OF THE GREAT JUDITH COUNTRY

Just moving INTO tnlS section When
he came.
Several pioneers referred to the first
school in LewistOwn. taught by Ed.
ward Brassey, and there was much
regret that Mr.. Brassey was unavoid.
ably absent. David Hilger. Pesident
Barnes and others told Of having WIS.,
tied this famous school. It was de-
cidetl. upon motion of Roy e. Ayers,
that a gavel be made from one of the
logs of this old school house, and used
by the society's presiding officer, F.
f. Wright and james Kane being nam.
ed as committee to procure 1t.
Rufus Thompson told an experience
of some pilgrims who thought they
would do little mining near Maiden
in 1882. They did some sinking, when
the big chinook of that year came
along and carried all their workings
off with it,
An Early Day Trip to Maiden.
]. NJ. Vrooman was called upon to
tell of his experiences at Maiden in
into the camp Maiden, he said was
rived there, with good supply Of
restaurants, etc. Andersonvivlle was
also lively little place. At that time
the Maginnis company was operating
a small plant. with A. NJ. Esler in
charge. The Spotted Horse was al
so being worked. and the Collar mill
was being erected 1t cost the ST.
Paul parties who built it $15O,O00, and
was not success, being soon closed
down. This brought suffering on a
lot of wood choppers and mners. and
during the following winter the com
mandant at Fort Maginns issued ra.
tions to these men. When steps were
taken to organize Fergus county in
| 1856, he and his partner Chas. Fell,
moved the Argus. first published at
Maiden as the Mineral Argus. to Lew
istown. The speaker said he looked
back upon the. years spent by him
at Maiden as among the happiest in
his life. The people living there we're
a big hearted class. and the camp
had many pleasant features. It was
on his trip through to Maiden that he
first met Edward Brassey and Alf. j
Stephens. When the Argus was is
sued at Maiden, John Kemper. one
of the first to discover gold there
paid the publishers S. for the first
copy Of the paper.
H. NJ. Packard. Of Utica. briefly told
of conditions at that point when he
first arrived there.
Alex. 6ranson's Experiences.
One of the most interesting talks
Of the evening was made by Alex
Branson who came here from Jeffer
son in the spring of 1881. Mr.. Bran
son told Of his attempts to take ur
some land. This he did on a number
of occasions, but no sooner did he gel
settled than some breed would come
along and inform him that the lane
belonged to the breeds brother o.
cousin, and insist upon selling it t.
Alex. After this had been repeate'
a number Of times. the speaker final
ly located on Rock creek. being anon,
the first to settle there.
Rufus Poland was called upon. ant
in responding made neat address
He said he had been out Of the count!
13 years, having just returned. HI
found many changes since he left here
the country being full of barb wir'
fences. and all the old short cuts tina
he knew as boy being cut of. Wher
he went to reside in the east. he foun,
many things different from what h,
had been used to here. Now, on re
turning, he discovered that many o
the things that seemed strange to hin
when he went east had been trans
planted to Fergus. But there wa
one thing that remained the same a
least, and that was the spirit Of hos
pitality and generosity of the people
AS it was now nearly II o'clock
the society adjourned. subject to cal
after having spent delightful ever
ing