Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1917-04-06
MONUMENT
TO JOHN BOHEMIAN
MAN WHO DEMONSTRAT e ID
FEASIBILITY OF TWO OVER
LAND ROUTES TO MONTANA
A. Clark Has Offered to Advance
the Money; Frank Brown Has Pre-
Pared Sketch; Chamber of Com
merce of Bozeman and Pioneers
Help in Movement.

A memorial monument for John
M. Bozeman, Montana pioneer after
whom the celebrated Bozeman pass
and the city of Bozeman were
named, is to be erected at the city
of Bozeman, if plans suggested by
Montana pioneers and taken in hand
by prominent men of the city named
and the chamber of of
that community are carried out.
Bozeman demonstrated the FEAST
bility of one of the two overland
routes into eastern Montana in the
sixties, Notwithstanding it had been
declared impracticable If not impos-
sible by the celebrated frontiersman
and pathfinder Jim Bridger.
Already the movement to honor
the pioneer in the stated
has advanced to such a point that a
sketch of a suitable monument has
been made by Frank D. Brown, his
torian of the Montana Society of Pho
neers.
The proposed structure would cost
$4,000, and it is suggested that the
fund needed for the purpose may be
started by the school children of
Bozeman and completed by public
subscription. It is stated that for
mer Senator William A. Clark will
advance the money for the work at
once without interest, being deeply
interested in all plans to mark his
toric spots and honor the memory
of the men of pioneer days.
Peter Koch, in his splendid sketch
of "Bozeman, Gallatin Valley and
Bozeman Pass" published by the
Historical Society of Montana, has
the following account Of John M.
Bohemian:
"In the winter of 1923 two men,
John M. Bozeman and John M. ia
cobs, left Bannack for the states
with the idea of looking out a short
er route for emigrants than the
roundabout n up the Platte. They
were set afoot by Sioux on Powder
river and nearly starved, being re.
duced to a diet Of grasshoppers, bur
made their way finally to Missouri
Hostiles Turned Them Back.
"They started back Immediately
to guide a train back by the nev
road. Meeting hostile Indians, the,
were compelled to turn back anS
come by way of Lander's cutoff ant
Snake river.
"Bozeman went back to Missouri
and succeeded in getting a larg,
train to follow him in 1864. Hi
route lay between the Black Hill
and the Wind River mountains, leav
q ing the latter to the west and south
a Br1dger also was taking a trail
q through by his new road west of tn,
o Wind River mountains and dow
Z Clark's Fork and he had denounced
Bozeman's road as impracticable.
But, although Bfidger had sew
q eral weeks start and reached tn,
Yellowstone first, his road into Gal
{ latin valley up Shields river an,
Q Bracket Creek and down Bridge
creek was so circuitous that Boze
man reached the valley ahead o
him, but, lingering there, Bridge
overlook him, and they raced thei
trains from the West Gallatin int
Virginia, reaching that place within
a few hours of each other.
"In 1864 the first house was bull
Ia Bohemian, occupying part of tn
d site covered by "The Bozeman.
During the two following years tn
principal immigration into Montan
was by the Bozeman road and acros
the Bozeman pass, and many of o
leading citizens came owe the roa
IN those years and doubtless coul
II tell many a moving tale of accider
le by flood and field during their Ion
l. overland journey.
i. Forts Reno, Phil Kearney an
70 G. F. Smith were built by. the go
'e eminent to protect the trains on tn
road, but on December 81, 1866, IL
Fort Phil K~earney massacre toe
place, and with characteristic pusi
er