The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-04-06
SHERMAN HELD Up
0NM0NTANAR0AD
THRIFTY GATE KEEPER RE-
FUSED TO ALLOW GENERAL
TO PASS WITHOUT PAY.
As Result Of Incident Commander of
U. s. Army Forced Secretary of
War to Change Attitude and There
after Military Trains Paid Toll to
Montana Toll Gates.

One hot summer day in the year
1877, General William T. Sherman
commander-in-chief of the United
States army, was riding along the
old stage road through the Prickly
Pear canyon with his staff officers,
the party having come to Montana
to confer with General Gibbons and
to inspect military posts, when they
came to a gate, guarded by an aged
Scotchman, who halted them.
"a toll gate," said General Sher-
man. How much will it cost us to
get through"
"Three dollars and seventy-five
cents" replied the ancient Scot.
"Well," said the general, you
know the war department does not
recognize toll charges on public
roads, and refuses to pay toll. I am
General Sherman"
general or no general, yell not
gang through this gate till ye COON
over with the siller," replied the
gatekeeper IF ye're short O. cash
We can ride oop the mountain an
doom tn ither side," and the old man
proceeded to fill his pipe leisurely.
General Sherman, highly amused
and convinced that further argu-
ment would be unavailing, was pull
ing out his wallet to get the money,
when Billy Johns, we'll known old
timer and the owner of the Johns
ranch near the present station OF
Johns on the Great Northern line,
appeared on horseback.
Recognizes General Sherman.
Recognizing General Sherman,
whom he knew was in the vicinity,
he greeted him and invited him to
pass through the gate free of charge.
'"This is my gate, General" he ex
planned, cor rather is belongs to
Nick Hilger and me. I realize that
the government does not allow for
toll charges, so We'll have to make it
free deal"
"Thank you," replied General
Sherman, "but 1 cannot take adj
vantage of your offer. 1t is unjust
on the part of the war office to re-
fuse to pay toll charges, and pro-
pOoC W "ohC LlAo 1ACIuOAC CAC VIVA
sion of an effort to force a change of
Therefore, if you will make out
due bill from yourself to the COM
mander-in-chief of the United States
armies, will endeaver to force pay
ment by the government, at the same
time guaranteeing payment person
ally in the event of the war depart
ment refusing to pay.
AS result of this interview, on
dated August 3Oth, 1877, from the
post quartermaster at Fort Shaw
forwarded to the chief quartermaster
of the army for instructions an order
dater August Goth, 1877, from the
general of the army Tor payment for
his party at the toll gate on the Deer
Lodge road. The post quartermas-
ter made the notation that the laws
Of the territory prohibited the pay
ment of tolls, also abiding to pre-
vious case in point where decision
had been given by the war depart
ment against payment of tolls in
Arizona.
Sherman's Statement.
This order, however, carried the
following endorsement signed by
General Sherman:
81 am personally cognizant of the
facts in this case. Men on the eX-
IRENE frontier sometimes built
bridge, or cut away bluff, where
by travel is greatly facilitated. TRAY
elers are benefited and pay toll vol
UNFAIRLY. Treasury officers have de-
cided that such men cannot enforce
toll, and consequently that military
trains cannot pay toll.
"This is wrong, cruel and unjust,
and I assert that the government of
the United States ought not to sane
ton such practice. The case in point
is one. The road across the noun
tain was impossible, and certain in
dividuals have expended much labor
which all people pay toll willingly
and thankfully, and we should also.
If the United States will not pay this
bill, will; but that is nothing. Had
the quartermaster paid $50 or $500
to make good road, it would have
been right and lawful, but to pay
1878 is declared unlawful.
II beg the secretary of war to un
do this most unjust Interpretation of
precedent and law. There is no law
fOrb1ddlng such payment-Only an
inference that where there is no
charter there can be no tolls.
"The men who built that road are
benefactors in advance of the law
and organized authority as our
country develops, and their work
and labor are entitled to the COM
pensation guaranteed by the consti-
tuition of the United States.
"W. T. SHERMAN, General"
Tolls Paid Thereafter.
AS a result of this communication
the war department changed it's de-
cision in the matter, and thereafter
all military trains paid toll when
they passed through toll gates on
Montana highways.
This particular toll road lay be-
tween what are today Mitchell and
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