The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-10-14
Bull Ding OF the NORTHERN
PACIFIC THROUGH MONTANA

men shOveling snow from the line
Indians also threatened trouble anS
the soldiers detailed to this division
had to be constantly ON the lookout
The road across Evaro hill was espe
cially difficult to build. The North
ern Pacific charter stipulated that ne
grade was to exceed two per cent
Three engineers lost their jobs he.
cause they were unable to construed
road with two per cent grade over
the hill. -
The First Train
The first train into Missoula came
from the west June II, 1883. II
was a mixed train and stayed here.
Three months later saw the compile
ton of the road and the driving OF
the last spike on September 8.
A spike of gold was driven at Gold
creek, 10 miles west of Garrison,
where Granville Stuart end his party
first found gold in Montana. Henry
Willard, president Of the Northern
Pacific, brought his financial friends
from Germany, Holland and England,
as we'll as distinguished Americans
from the east, to the celebration.
There were three trains of about IL
cars each. The celebration was a
private affair and no Montanans
were invited, but with true western
unconventionality they came from all
over the state to see the final cere-
monies. Judge F. H. Woody and
Judge w. ]. Stevens were among
those who went from MissOula.
William H. Edwards, then secre-
tary of state. was the orator of the
occasion. But the speech that the
Montanans who were present remem-
Der best was the one by General
Grant. He turned his back upon the
invited guests and spoke directly to
the unlimited ones. After the speech
making, the Montanans sat around
hungry and watched the visitors
feasting on fried chicken and cham
payne.
Most of the visitors returned east
but one of the cars, carrying repres-
entatives from some of the foreign
banks as we'll as some American fl
nanciers. went through to the coast.
On their way they made some side
excursions that Mr.. Willard had ar
ranged. His purpose in arranging
these was two-fold: He wanted them
to see the country he was boosting so
enthusiastically. and to keep them
away from the telegraph as much as
possible. because many of them, dis
appointed in the country in which
they had invested heavily, were tele-
graphing back east to dispose of their
stock, and were starting a panic. One
of the side trips was to Lake Angus
Mcdonald in the Mission range. Mr..
Willard had ordered a wagon road to
be constructed. winding up the noun
tain and dropping down to the little
lake cleaning like a blue sapphire at
the foot of the mountain. Duncan
Macdonald had charge of the expedi-
ton, and had pressed into service
every available wagon, buggy or cart
on the reservation. A motley array
stood ready for the visitors at Raval-
Ii. Many of them went on the trip,
but some of them preferred the bar
rem hills near Ravalli to the exertion
of riding in wagon even to see one
of natures masterpieces.
After the Macdonald lake trip the
party continued to the coast Trains
soon become common occurrence in
the life of Montana people, new peo-
pie came more frequently, and the
country changed. The railroad had
come and the day of the stage coach
was almost past.