davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-12-08

John B. Ritch of Lewistown, Montana born and
reared, has written of the old west in verse that should
live forever. A few of his friends have been privileged
to read his verses-or some of them-but in the role
of a poet he is unknown to the mass of Montanans.
Ritch was born and grew to manhood in those pictur-
esque, formative days of our states history when the
distances were great and people few. Life was not as
conventional as it has since become; of necessity the
pioneers of the state were more self-reliant, more de-
pendent on themselves for entertainment, and they de-
veloped a philosophy that was distinctive, broad in it's
viewpoint and appreciative of all that is big and strong
and fine in life. This philosophy of life is characteris-
tic of the people of the Rocky mountain states, and it
has produced interesting types of men.
In the old days there were striking types-the pros
pector, the stage driver, the cowboy, the gambler. Rus
sell has depicted them on canvas as no other artist
could, because, together with his marvellous genius, he
possesses an Intimate knowledge of the detail of their
Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-12-08
Thanksgiving Day
Half Century Ago
Bandits Were Busy

Fifty years ago A. Nj. Hotter,
the Helena pioneer. spent his
fnrst Thanksgiving in Montana.
II was a day of unusual interest
Tor him. He passed 1t fighting
the bandits of PIummer.
He wears a scar on his fore
head, the result of an encounter
with George Ives, one of the
most desperate of the Plummer
gang. Ives was afterwards
hanged by the VigIlantes of Vir-
ginia City.
We We're too busy during the
month of November of that year
TO pay much attention to
Thanksgiving" he says. "And
as for turkey-there was no
such bird in Montana in those
DAYS. We were thankful enough
TO come through the days trou-
pies with a whole skin and
alive.~
Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-12-08

If anyone should ask a Montanan
today what animal is particularly en-
titled to honor in this state, as the
"golden bear' is universally adored
and ~apotheosized in California, he
probably would nominate the Rocky
Mountain canary, alias jackass, alias
mule, but while the mule is entitled
to "a large measure of respect for the
strenuous part he has played in the
development Of the Treasure state, the
most famous animal of the pioneer
days was a horse. This steed, chris
tened "Gray john" was known ev-
erywhere among the gold diggers of
southern Montana as "the gray
horse" He was the property of Mar
tin Barrett and Joseph Shineberger,
who settled on Horse prairie in 1868
and became the first ranchers in
southern Montana. The farm itself
came to be known as "the place of
the gray horse.'
Many were the tales told of the
speed and endurance Of this horse
and Martin Barrett testifies that ne
rode him from Virginia to Bannack,
70 miles, in six hours.
Coveted by Road Agents.
1t was natural that "Gray john
should be coveted by the road agents.
When Barrett rode to Bannack in the
early part of January, 1864, he en-
countered a swarthy man about 40
years old, riding a buckskin horse.
The stranger, who was no other than
Dutch John, a notorious desperate,
suggested a trade.
AS a good saddle horse was the only
means of joy riding in those days and
as Barrett was fond of JOY riding, he
refused to swap for the buckskin al
though the bandit offered ali the ac-
~cessories of a livery stable as addi-
tional inducements.
Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-12-08

lives that makes his pictured history authoritative. Frank
Linderman, in his stories and verse of old Montana,
depicts so wildly the people and scenes of which he
writes that the reader can almost imagine that he,
Montana has produced many talented writer's, artists and
poets, who have been inspired by the wealth of romance
and the picturesqueness of Montana's history. Volumes
have been written and thereare volumes to Gene, but
much will never be written of the pioneer life of our
state and future generations of Montanans may we'll
treasure the records of those who saw and 6 eng,
left their stories in permanent form in verse, prose and
on canvas.
Among the poets of Montana none has written with
a surer pen than Ritch, or tells in a more graceful, yet
the very atmosphere of the Montana he knew as a boy
and as a young man, and many of his pen pictures of the
men he knew are classics. @
Ritch has been slow to "break into print" and has
Recently, however, he was persuaded to allow one of
his poems to be published by the Popular Magazine.
Monte Jones' is the name of the poem, and it follows:
MONTE JONES.
BY John b. Ritch.
copyrighted.
Drivers name was Monte Jones,
One o. them good rOIlin' stones,
Not accumulatin' MOSES,
(An such idea he disowns),
Likes his whiskey, loves his bosses
Stagin's bred right in his bones.
Monte yanks us out o. Benton, strings his six across the
flat,
Heads 'em down the trail for Billings, sets the gee string
on his hat,
Pulls the hill and makes for Highwood-gad, them
leaders humps and trots,
And that coach amt hittin' nothin' but the landscapes
highest spots;
Montes THROWN silk and cussin', says we're goin' good
and fine
Explains that cussin' helps make schedule on most any
six-hoss line.
Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-12-08

Gets to workin' in his heels
Runnin' mostly on two wheels.
Hits the Highwoods all a blowin; stocks been changed
Ten big miles an hour we're driftin', amt a boss there
On through rollin'' bunchgrass stretches, long past
Gross the benches to the Judith; here's where nature
Her choice colors on the scenery like some gorgeous
Monte swears 'twere fixed and put there for the Ben.
ton six-hoss line.
Says he'll never understand
How some folks can't see the hand
OF the Master Range Boss smiin'
Like a song all through the land,-
All the green and all the blossoms
Tells me how he's allus staged it,-herded six along the
Watched the clouds from off the mountains drive down
Down to where the g ass is wavin' and the winds go
Where the nights is filled with echoes of the gray VOLTS
Refused two drinks in all his lifetime-then he tells me,
once a fellow didn't ask him; the other time he wasn't
Times he's heard the stage wheels groan,
Driftin' down before the blizzard
Out there in the night alone,
Like the devils very own.
Knows stage bosses talk like humans cause he's heard
When the snow whipped down in whilrw1nds and death
Every Twin thing that faced it, as it dashed and tore its
When the cold had crushed and dazed him, and he tried
Till he heard the big, gray wheel-hoss tell the Others,
straight and plain,
Something's wrong up there behind us guess the
drivers drunk again."
Sometimes stage roads seem to him.,
AS they winds there, long and dim,
On, on, cross the endless benches,
Then up near the mountains rim,
Like the trail on to Forever
Like the last drive, stern and grim.
Then again it seems the waybill's jest the record of a
load
OF the tired ones, of the weary, maxim down that hap
less road
To the station cross the ferry, and the outfit hits a
gait
That's a hummer, for no driver wants to make that
station late.
And the coach jest chucks and joggles while he drives
and ponders why,
Then the thought comes up plumb sudden,-that he
never was so dry!
Oh, the Monies that we knew
In the wild, rough days, it's true,
How they drove the pace that does you,
How they hiked their skies through;
How they loved their broncs and whiskey,
How they loved the women, too.
Cussin' helped him make his schedule into every mimi
camp,
Every road ranch all through cow-land knew this reck-
less, cheerful scamp,
But his coach has chucked and joggled on its last trip
down the line,
For a steam boss pulls the mail sacks and an iron road
finds the mine.
Where the stage road crossed the benchlands wave wide
fields of golden grain,
And the trail is closed to Monte,-he'Hn not pass this way
again.
Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-12-08
KEATINCS LIFE
ONE BIG LAUGH
STATE AUDITOR is GIVEN PALM
AS BEST HUNDRED MAN
IN ALL MONTANA.

Bigger Than Everett True and With
out the True Crouch; Has Smiled
His Way Into Nice Berth; About
the Silver Service that Everyone
Contributed to.
Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-12-08
"Monte Jones' Is a Classic


That big coach just rocks and reels
Like a drunken sailor feels
When his overstay on shore leave
Gets t o workin' in his heels,
And she cathops like a broncho,
Runnin' mostly on W. wheels.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
Census.
AGRICULTURAL DEPT.

The bureau of chemistry was con-
a steel oven in the carbohydrate lab
oratory blew out both ends. The ex-
plosion was due to the defamation of a
chemical left in the oven.
DR.. F. A. La Fargo was the only
person in the room at the time. it being
about 4: 35 o'clock. He was standing
at one side of the oven. when the
chemical detonated, hurting the ends.
weighing about twenty-five pounds
Fargo had narrow escape from death.
The laboratory was damaged to the
extent of $1,000.
Mrs. Emma S. Thompson of the bu-
reau of crop estimates has been i'll
since January 3.
Harry W. Michaels of the bureau of
crop estimates left Tuesday on annual
leave, to extend through January 20.
Miss /. J. Gallenne of the bureau of
crop estimates has been on the sick list
since January TO-
Mrs Louise x Locke of the bureau of
crop estimates has been i'll since jan
Mrs. Helen Z. Gray of the bureau of
crop estimates has been ill since jan
uary II.
John H. Wharton of the bureau of
crop estimates returned to his desk
yesterday following annual leave,
which began Monday.
Mrs. Gertrude Fisher of the bureau of
crop estimates was on the sick list re-
Gently.
Mrs Marion w. De Loss of the bu-
reau of crop estimates was on the sick
list Monday.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

Daniel F. Mooney, United States min
lister to Paraguay, who was in Wash
ington last week. has gone to his home
at st. Marys. Ohio. to spend the re-
mainder of this month. and will then
return TO his post
DR.. Benjamin L. Jefferson, United
states minister to Nicaragua. who has
been In this city on business. has gone
to his home at Steamboat Springs, Col,
to spend a vacation Of several weeks
George Reuter-. clerk in the civil
service commission and in the office of
the auditor for the Post Office Depart
ment for the past two years has been
appointed clerk in the United States
legation at Port au Prince, Haiti. He
IL now on his way to that post
George II. Pickerell, United States
consul at Para, Brazil. is at the shore
ham.
Luther X, Zabriskie. vice consul at
Moscow, who is in this country on
leave. is at 1Ti5. G street.
Carl u. Meinhardt vice consul at
Chefoo. is ! nthis city on business with
the State Department. He is at the New
Ebbitt.
NJ r. Kirk. consul at orillia. Canada,
was in this city last week on his way
to his post
Claude !. Dawson. consul at Tampico.
is on visit to this city. He Is at the
Hotel Driscoll.
Thomas D. Bowman, consul at From
terra. was recently at the University
Club.
Claude T.. Guyant. consul at Progreso.
Mexico. was recently in this city on
his way to his post He was registered
al the Powhatan.
Edwin Atherton of 3S05 New Hamp-
shire avenue northwest has been APP
pointed d clerk in the consular service
at Genoa. Italy. Atherton was gradu-
ated from Central High School last
summer. He expects to sail from New
York about February /.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
DISTRICT BUILDING.

These are busy days for the Com
missioners When they are not in at
tendance at congressional committee
hearings they are kept busy by a
crowded calendar at the District build
ing. Within the next few weeks they
will be expected to adopt a standard
for street car service. promulgate regu-
lations to increase the safety of traffic
over the Aqueduct bridge. and decide
whether they are to ask Congress for
an appropriation for Harvesting the
water power at Great Falls. These
are few OF the more important mat
tiers they will have to dispose of at an
early date.
Commissioner Newman's ideas about
the establishment of community CEN
ters. as expressed by him in an address
before the Monday Evening Club last
week. are to be put into execution by
the Park View Citizens Association.
This body is preparing to organize
Washingtons first community center
and VIII work along the lines suggest
ed by the president of the board of
Commissioners.
Commissioners Newman and Brown
low. Corporation Counsel Syme and
Superintendent of Insurance Nesbit
before public bodies last weei: on sub
5ects related to local government af-
fairs. The proposed change in the
school system and other changes in
the administrative machinery Of the
District suggested to Congress by the
Commissioners were discussed
This is an off season for week end ex-
cursions, and few leaves of absence are
applied for. The fishing season has not
begun. and the nimrods of the District
service have done about all the hunt
ing they had planned for this season.
Mark Hale of the surveyors office.
the champion fisherman of the District
and viii be among. the first out for
rockhsh in the spring. He has en-
gagged accommodations at F'ietcher's.
John Edwards, jr., assistant engineer
surface division, has resi- gned from the
District service to accept a position
as assistant engineer, interstate com
merce commission. railroad valuation
rgton Tuesday night for Newport
News. Va. where he viii take UP his
new duties.
Joseph Lee field party man. highway
bureau. is taking several days leave
of absence.
Tom Dulin. bookkeeper. engineer of
highways. has been i'll with grip, and
has left Washington to recuperate at
his dauehter.s home. Germantown.
Philadelphia. Pa.
Fl. j. Hunt. jr., trees and parking
Office, has been awarded a large num-
Der of prizes. about fifteen in number
for his entries. pullets. cockereIs. etc.
in the poultry show at the Arcade Mr.
Hunt has fine collection of birds. and
had on view at the Arcade two hand
some silver cups won in past exhibit
tions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
aeE!lla'HHhll!Aill''''''''A "''' GG1sI NrssI
= The, Lhs :S,earchli8ht ;sss$;sa
| ID Han IASRHRaNIuuHyuump- h,NfsssgHIoN
0iling the Ocean.

The experiences of several seamen
would seem to show that it is possible
to clear a way through a fog by pour
ing oil on the water beneath it. The
question has not been closely enough
investigated to make it possible to say
whether this method of clearing the
atmosphere would be effective in all
kinds of fogs. as fogs are due to diff
ferent causes, but it has been known
to work in some cases. The hydro
graphic bureau is collecting all the in
formation available on the matter. since
something of the sort would be I'M
mensely useful in crowded waterways.
The seamen who have seen the trick
done say that when vessels of oil were
accidentally broken in foggy weather
the oil ran out through the ships SOUP
pers, and over that part of the water
which was covered by an oil-flm the
fog quickly cleared away. A puff of
wind would blow it in again from the
banks on either side; but by oiling the
whole surface of the water in some
land-locked and populous inlet. such as
New York harbor. ii may prove possi-
BILE to keep clear weather, no matter
what nature tries to do.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
NAVY YARD.

William Andrews, machnist of the
breech mechanism shop. died at his
home. on Georgia avenue northwest.
Thursday, after an Illness of three
years. His funeral was in charge of
the Odd Fellows. A delegation from
Columbia Lodge, No. IA. ]. A. of NJ.
consisting of George Joynes. Charles
Savage and w. n. Webb. also attended
the funeral as pallbearers.
William Bryant, toolmaker, re-
signed Saturday to accept similar
position with the American Can Com
pany, at Edgewater, n. J.
Stuart G. McAlister, machinist of
the miscellaneous shop. is being con-
graduated upon successfully passing
the District bar examination wednes-
day.
w, n. Culleen. a machinist of the
the Sibley Hospital. Where he UNDER
went "A serious operation
r. L. Donithan. II. Richards and F..
l.. Scott, machinists of the breech
mechanism shop, were promoted from
$4.24 to s4.4S day within the past
week.
At the regular meeting of Columbia
Lodge. No. ia, |. A. of NJ the legisla-
tive committee was instructed to try
to obtain fifteen days additional leave
for the workmen in the navy yard At
present they receive fifteen days. while
the employees of the rest of the de-
partments receive thirty days annual
leave and thirty days annual sick leave.
ID. Brown and Clyde Engle, machinists
of the erecting shop, have been pro-
NOTED from s4.24 to s4.4s per diem.
George Topper. a toolmaker. with
his family. returned from a visit to
relatives and friends at Frederick. Md.
Notice has been posted announcing
the postponement of the examination
for quartermen and leading man from
January 81 to February Il.
Arthur Oblinger. leading man of the
tool shop. is absent on five days leave.
f. W. Robinson of the boiler shop
returned to work. after an Illness of
three weeks.
Harry Ragsdale. George H. Fisher.
John B. Byers and w. n. Butler OF
the miscellaneous shop we're promoted
from S4.24 to $4.4S per diem.
j. NJ. Earnest, machinist of the mis-
cellaneous shop. has resigned to de
vote his entire time to real estate busi-
ness.
J. B. Bremen. sr.. a coppersmith. died
last week. He was one of the oldest
employees in the yard. being a Confed-
crate veteran. He participated in the
famous Pickett charge at the battle OF
Gettysburg.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
A New Diving Suit.

An apparatus by which the diver be-
comes independent OF the air cables
which connect him with a pump on
shore or in a boat mas been patented
by a German inventor. He provides a
bag of air which the diver carries on
his back, thus insurinE an oxygen sup
ply. The sitting carbonic acid gas
which is thrown off in process of
breathing. is taken care of by cer-
tain chemicals. These chemicals abb
sorb the gas, probably Transforming il
into a carbonate. and SO the limited
air supply is purified.
Simplified form of this apparatus
is being tested in the German navy for
the benefit of submarine crews in case
of accident. The simplified suit is built
without diving helmet. and is SO
compact that ii can be carried in
pocket Should il become necessary
for the men to leave their craft and
make for the surface. the air-reser-
voirs in the suits are inflated and the
crew can be drawn up without hurry;
safely and in comparative comfort.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

Miss X. W. Bastianalli of the diyi-
been i'll for about ten days
Max kohrn of the division of salaries
and allowances left the past week for
vacation extending through jan
uary %.
Mrs. S. T. Shields OF the miscella
neous transportation division was on
one days leave the past week
Miss Emma F'lannery of the postmas-
ter appointments division has been
account of illness.
L. j. Collins. an employe of the Post
Office Department since 1885, died Sun
day at his home here, after a lingering
illness. He was born in Ireland and
was appointed to the government serv-
ice from Minnesota. He was in the
stamp division at the time of his
death.
Mrs. Estelle Dillenback of the dead
letter division is i'll at her home.
Il. F. kimball of the office of the
chief inspector has returned to duty
after three days vacation.
Mrs. Mary +. Frick of the dead let
ter division has been away from Office
va ACCOUNT vi iiihCSS siiitc T.
Miss Gertrude Rosenthal of the divi-
sion of rural mails is on sick leave
T. ID. Hagerman of the postma ste r
appointments division is on sick leave
Mrs. n. l.. Spencer of the dead letter
division was on two days leave the
past week.
Henry G. Rothrock of the classified
ton division has been away from office
since the early part of the month on
account of sickness.
Edwin p. Craig of the foreign mails
division is also on sick leave.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

Capt. E. =. Bertholf, commanding the
coastguard, has a record as an arctlc
hero, and is known to have slept IN
snowbanks with the thermometer "a
degrees below zero. If draft blows
on him he now orders: CLOSE that
window"
Sumner ]. Kimball, on retiring as SUI
perintendent of the absorbed life-sav-
ing service, has presented to Assistant
Secretary Byron r. Newton the ships
clock that had adorned his desk for
many years. The clock strikes the bells
of the watch instead of the hours. the
massive case is of brass and the clock
is an accurate timekeeper. MIR. New
ton will keep it on his desk until the
time comes to pack his trunk.
Assistant Secretary Andrew j.. Peters
lin charge of customs; Frank NJ dol-
stead. chief of the customs service: j. u:
Nevns and E. K. Depuy. law clerks. and
Miss Eileen Sweeny, stenographer. of the
customs service, and II. NJ. Gilman, con-
fdential clerk to Assistant Secretary
Peters. attended the conference in New
York this week of the special agents of
The exclusion of paid guides from the
Treasury Department building followed
the discovery of a practice OF charging
visitors wishing to be shown through the
Du1lulnS ana tieiIi oNci " thc
free guides maintained by the government
for the instruction oftvisitors. Since then
the paid guides have not been barking
for the exhibits in the department. A
wife of one of the employees of the Treas
ury Department, with a party of out-of-
town guests. was about to enter the build
ing when one of the paid guides on the
outside halted the party, and offered to
take them for a price through the War.
State and Navy building. observing that
there nothing worth while to be seen
in the Treasury building. you'll except
my husband, who is employed there?*
suggested the loyal wife.
Second Lieut.. c. II. Dench has relieved
First Lieut.. William Williams as as
sistant to the detail officer of the coast
guard. They exchange places. Lieut..
Williams proceeding to join the coast
guard cutter Tallapoosa for sea duty.
Lieut.. Dench was transferred from the
Tallapoosa to office duty at headquar-
tiers.
Mrs. Theo. f. Alexander has been
transferred from the Philippines serv-
ice to the law division of the internal
revenue service. Edmund S. Fakes has
been transferred from the position of
storekeeper and gauger at Owensburg,
second district of Kentucky. to clerk
ship in the tobacco division.