The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-05
Twelve Thousand on Fourth
See Old West Brought.
to Life Again.
SPECTATORS DAZED
BY DANGER THRILLS
Little Ruth Parton of Top-
penish and Nep Lynch
of Plains Heroes.

Twelve thousand people saw the
Old West resurrected at the county
Fairgrounds yesterday afternoon. For
a huge crowds holiday, time was
turned back 25 years, and for four
hours the sturdy, picturesque Mon
tana Of the open range days existed
once more. The cowpuncher the free
Indian. the bad man and even his
majesty the Bison were conjured up
out of the past to make the Missoula
Stampede
1t was bright, gay, spirited spec
tacle, staged on a wide arena, against
magnificent background. The tre-
mendous audience, which overflowcd
from grandstand and blcachers to
FENCES and even stable roofs, enjoyed
every minute of it, cheering now for
some brilliant bit of daring. now gasp
ing at sudden danger.
Dangers Startle Crowd.
Dangers were frequent, too. Twice
the crowd was startled by grim re-
miners OF the. accident on Tuesday in
Which Max Hood received injuries
which yesterday caused his death.
During the cowgirls' relay race a man
In charge of one of the remount
strings was knocked down by a run
ming horse and rolled over and over
IN the dust. He staggered to the fence,
unhurt, and was cheered loudly as he
waved his hand at the crowd. A few
moments later Ed Mccarthy, a cow
puncher. was knocked down by q horse
ne was trying to saddle. He, too, es-
capped injury by some miracle and
slipped out from under the animals
flying hoofs.
Ruth Parton and Lynch Heroes.
Heroes of the afternoon were little
Ruth Parton. brilliant girl rider from
Iorpenish, Wash. and Nep Lynch of
Plains. Both riders have won prizes in
In former Stampedes, and when they
rode under the wire to victory yester-
day the crowd cheered madly. Miss
Parton achieved a big lead in the cow
girls relay race, and Lynch, after a
thrilling brush with SLEEPY" Arm
strong. 1915 champion. gained a four
second advantage in the mems relay.
Both races will be completed today,
the last day of the Stampede.
Many Other Favorites.
These two-winners in the most i'm
portant events on the program-did
not monopolize applause, however.
Other contests, if less important were
more exciting. and the crowd was
generous. Scoop Martin, fancy
rider: George Weir, fancy roper: Ed
Mccarthy. buckaroo, and sleepy"
Armstrong. winner of the Wild-horse
race. We're favorites.
6ulldoqgina on Program,
Steer bulldogging added excitement
to the Stampede yesterday. The reck-
less sport, which is the swiftest of all
frontier spectacles. delighted the
crowd, especially when two steers
came away winners.
But then, the whole afternoon was
exciting. 1t was sort of living vers
libre rendition of Buffalo Bill--all
color and dust and motion and noise.
Gathering hoofs, mad races. swift
flashes of color, sudden crises with
horse or steer-a Kaleidoscope view of
frontier days Is the third Stampede.
For eueking Contest.
The judges announced last night
that the following men had qualified
for the semi finals of the bucking
contest in the Stampede today: Will
liam Brown. Dutch Heyller, James
Grinder, Scoop Martin. James Had
dix, Ben Oakes. Jay Miller. f. Nc
Carthy, Dick Hosfeld and Fred Peet.
Three Of these men will be chosen for
the finals.
Grand entry.-Out onto the track
came blare of sound and color. Be-
hind the Poison Cowboy band, bright
in fanciful shirts and gaudy chaps.
rode Indians. painted. blanketed and
beaded; buckaroos in dime novel cos
TUNES: pretty girl riders, and brave
miscellany of western "atmosphere'-
stage coach. burros, ropers and what
Continued on Page Five.h