The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-08-28
EARLY RIVER NAVIGATION.
Interesting Facts About Steamboat
Traffic On Missouri River.

Interesting Facts About Steamboat
Traffic On Missouri River.
An interesting sketch of navigation
on the Missouri river in early days is
given by the Helena Independent, in
which 1t is recalled that the first
steamboat to reach the head of nav
igation in Montana arrived at the
Marias, about fifteen miles below Fort
Benton, in 1859, aud the following
year saw the inauguration of a regu.
lar water service.
But, previous to this, the Missouri
had been navigated in Montana waters
twenty.seven years. Up to 1882 the
voyageurs and trappers Of the Amer.
lean Fur company had traded among
the Indians in the region Of what 10
now northern Montana, making their
way up the river in keel boats. They
had established trading posts like
Fort Mckenzie, near where Fort
Benton was subsequently erected, but
the first regular fort about the mouth
OF the Yellowstone was Fort Union,
which was tablished in 1929. In 1881
the factors of the fur company sug.
gested that steamboats, might profit
ably be substituted for the old keel
boats, while still keeping the latter on
use on the upper river in case of &C.
cident or emergencies that might make
it necessary for men 10 get out of the
region when the steamboats were tied
up. This suggestion was f~avorably
considered, and in 1882 the steamer
Yellowstone started from St. Louis,
coming up the river to Fort Tecumseh,
on the opposite side Of the river to
where Pierre, the present capital of
South Dakota, is stu ated. The next
year the Yellowstone came as far as
the mouth of the Yellowstone river,
the voyage being considered n OF
the landmarks Of the early history OF
the northwest.
In 1884 the Assinaboine got to the
mouth Of the Poplar river, some LOG
miles above the mouth of the Yellow.
stone, and for nineteen years this was
the highest point reached. In 1853 the
steamer Ell Paso came l25 miles fur
Their up, or five miles above the mouth
of the Milk river, and there the head
mark of navigation stayed for sir
years.
In the spring OF 1859 the American
Fur company sent two boats up thu
river. the Spread Eagle, owned BY tn
company, and the Chippewa. owned b!
Capt. Crabtree, which had been char
tered by the company for the trip
The Chippewa was a light boat, an
its captain and owner had contracted
to take her to Fort Benton, or as ia
as it was possible to 60 up the river
3 Al Fort Union he threw up the cor
: tract, and sold the boat to the con
: pany for just about what the charte
price for the trip would have been.
> Such freight as the Spread Eagl
> had on for Fort Benton was trans
> ferred to the Chippewa, the Who'll
. making a cargo of about $50 ton:
Capt John LaBarge, who was pilot c
b. the Spread Eagle took charge OF tn
Chippewa, and Chas. p. Chouteau wei
along as the companv's representative
e The boat made her way successfull
t and without much difficulty to With
" fifteen miles of Fort Benton, aud di'
y charged her freight t Brule bottom
a where Fort Mckenzie had stood
e former years. She arrived at tn;
point July II. 1859, forty years ar
two months after the Independent
had fret entered the mouth Of u
'e Missouri from the Mississippi.
i. 1860 the Chippewa and the Key We
n completed the short remaining di
,e lance to Fort Benton, and made ia
h to the bank in front Of the old pc
July 2 of that year.
TT Ga June l6, 1866, the steamer Pet
a. Balen assembled the river above Fo
ii Benton to the mouth of Belt creek, s
miles below Great Falls and thirt
one miles above Fort Benton. Th
trip was made during the June ho'
and would have been impossible
ordinary stages of water. The Pet
Balen, by the way, wac one of t
largest boats that ever assembled t
upper Missouri. In spite of this fes
however, Fort Benton was alwa
considered the head of navigatio
A. The famous little Chippewa caug
- fire near the mouth Of Poplar riv
on one of her trips up in May, Isl
-, and was utterly destroyed when a
of powder that constituted a porti
other cargo was ignited.
We Milk River Valley Fair at Chinoc
ly September II, 10, 10 and 20.
avinr Rails On Milwaukee,.