The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1907-10-24
Present Surroundings
of Fort Buford
Mondak, Mont, Oct. l6, 1907.

Mondak, Mont, Oct. 16, 1907.
Editor Pioneer:
The writer together with Mrs. j. and
E. J. Johnson and family had the
pleasure of driving about the country
out here last Sunday. The scene of
our sketch lays at the mouth of the
famous Yellowstone Valley, which is
some fifty odd miles in length and
about twelve or fifteen wide.
The Valley is one of the richest in
the northwest and is adapted chiefly
to farming. The soil is very fertile
and raises the best of crops, such as
wheat, oats, flax, barley and potatoes.
The government is at present INSTALL
ing one of the largest irrigation pro-
jects, which will cost something over
$50, 900, 900. 90. The water is taken
from the Yellowstone river just above
Glendive and'runs along the highest
slope of the valley and into the
Missouri just below Mondak, The
Valley is very thickly populated by
good farmers and several good towns
have already been started and are
rapidly growing, namely: Fairview,
Ridgelawn. Sidney, and Wewlon. A
daily mail route is in operation be-
tween Mondak and Glendive and pass
es up and down the Valley thru the
above named towns. The stages are
of the early western pattern and are
drawn by four large horses. The
coach is enclosed and has a seating
capacity for seven people, with room
on top for baggage. The mail is car
ried in a large leather pouch at the
rear. The trip is made in one day
from Mondak to Glendive, and covers
a distance of I'VE seventy miles. The
teams are changed thr ,e times. on the
trip. The coaches, which are named
"Grant" and "Bessie''. are always
crowded and do a large express bust
ness up thru the valley.
Mondak is situated on the boundry
line of Montana and Dakota and lays
on the north side OF the Missouri
river, just above where the Yellow
stone empties into the Missouri. In
early days, before the great civil war,
| Fort Union was established here where
Mondak now stands. Only a few holes
and stone piles now remain to mark
the spot where many a boy in blue
fought and fell. Fort Buford, which
was built in 1868 by General Hazen,
the former husband of the now Mrs.
Admiral Geo. Dewey, lays two miles
over the Dakota line and one mile
south of the present town of Buford.
The post in those days was one of the
largest in the country and at one time
had over fifteen hundred soldiers
stationed here, the main duty of which
was to protect the frontier from the
Indians and also as an escort for the
builders of the Great Northern rail-
road. which reached here on Aug. End
1887. All of the buildings which was
built at a great cost by the govern
ment have either been torn down or
removed and now only one of the
officers quarters and the ammunition
house remains. The lumber which
was of the very best, was hauled up
the river by boats. There we're in all
over twenty-five large buildings erect
ed at the time. After the Fort was
abanded in 1895 the government dis
posed of all the buildings for a little
of nothing. The building which now
remains, and cost $40, 600. 90, was sold
for $780,, and the balance accordingly
as cheap. Most of the buildings have
either been moved to Mondak or Blu
ford. The commandments house, in
which Gen. Hazen and his wife lived,
was torn down and moved to gilbert
son, this state, and was built into
what is now the large Evans Hotel.
The hospital was removed to Buford
and is now converted into a large
hotel there. In late years the post was
commanded by Major Whit, who later
served as a General in the PHILIPPINES.
We also visited post cemetery, where
a large number of Uncle Sans boys
are layed at rest, a large number OF
which the headstones are marked ''un-
known, while others are marked
"Killed by Indians and giving name
and date.
Yours Truly,
MI T Io&onno~-