The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1916-10-19
MADE FIRST ROAD
ACROSS ROCKIES
PIONEERS WHO BUILT HIGH
WAY FROM FORT BENTON
TO DALLES, OREGON.
Captain John Mullan and Party Had
Desperate Battle With Elements,
Forests and Mountains to Build
Road Across Mountains.

Forests and Mountains to Build
Road Across Mountains.
The completion of the park-to-park
highway under the direction OF for
estry service engineers is justly re-
garded as big achievement, but the
difficulties involved in the con-
struction of this highway were child's
play compared with the obstacles
that stood in the way Of the first big
road project in Montana, wagon
road from the head Of navigation on
the Columbia to the head Of naviga-
ton on the Missouri.
A few days ago at Missoula there
was dedicated monument to the
memory Of Captain John Mullan,
military engineer, who built this ear
ly road that still bears his name. This
is the first of series Of monuments
that are to be erected in Captain
Mullan's honor at Great Falls, st.
Regis, Drummond, Deer Lodge and
Bonner by the Montana Pioneers and
the state geographical societies. At
the Missoula dedication among those
who occupied seats on the speakers
platform was Dave O'Keefe, one OF
the surviving members of the original
road building expedition. Mr.
O'Keefe delivered no address but
was introduced by General Charles 5.
Warren of Butte, who gave a his
torical sketch Of Captain Mullan s
achievement and told something OF
the richness Of the territory through
which the road was constructed. A
vet more significant monument to
Captain Mullan's foresight is the
route taken by Northern Pacific rail-
road which follows the army engi-
neer's highway through western Mon
tana.
Whole State Interested.
Statewide Importance will be at
tached to the remaining dedications.
Among those who will take part in
the programs are Governor Stewart,
Frank D. Brown; w. Y. Pemberton,
state librarian, and General Warren.
In the middle of the last century
the great highways that led into the
northwest were the Missouri river, fol
voyagers from the middle west, and
the Columbia, for those who ventured
inland from the Pacific coast. Those
who came the latter way followed
Clark's Fork, or He'll Gate river, tc
the mountain passes, but there were
no roads, merely trails that could be
traversed only by packs animals
These were what might be termed ma
tural highways, that directed, or were
determined by, the mjgrations of the
wild animals of the forest. They were
trod by the Indians on their way te
the buffalo hunting grounds east OF
the mountains and by the trader anc
trapper and the Jesuit missionary.
After the discovery of gold in Cal
ifornia directed the eyes of the ma
ton upon the far west the need of {
wagon road that would connect the
head of the navigation on the Missouri
at Fort Benton with the head OF nav1
cation on the Columbia at the Dalle'
began to be felt acutely, particular,
by the United States military forces
: Congress made an appropriation TO?
such a highway and Captain Mullan
) then lieutenant under instructions
. from the war department, undertook
t the work in 1853. He made pre-
liminary survey from the Oalles II
the Snake river, but further pro
gress was halted by an uprising o
Indians throughout the Columbia riv
err country. Captain Mullan trans
l ferred his approximation by order 0
: the department and reported with hi
command TO Colonel Geor"e Wr'"h
: at Fort Walla Walla. The lndl''
: war was soon ended with a battle o.
r the Snake river in which 'ho's"nd
= were engaged.
Another Approximation.
Congress made another anoronria
: ton and in 1850 CAPTAIN Mnllan he
j gan the actual construction of N
o road. With his party he hewed hi
S way through the wilderness. maxim
e two or three miles of roadway oac
e day until the rigors of an nnnsn'll
# severe winter forced temnorar
s halting of their labors. A heav
r snow cut off all supplies and Car
It tain Mullan and his commend we'
= obliged to kill all their horses in tho,
o fight against famine. Word of the7
y plight was carried TO the few whit
II men in the Bitter Root vol'eN and
friendly Indians. Fad il "o' h""
e for the assistance received from th'
= quarter, all must have nerished.
% In July, 1860 the little common
# reached Fort Benton, their 'ho'
2 completed. There CAPTAIN Mnll"
8, met Major Blake with a marty OF "
L cruits ordered to the northwest, WV
lie detachment traversed thn newly ""'
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