Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-10

they unite to form the Mis-
souri,, engineers who were en-
gagged in surveying work in con-
nection with a sewer system
for the town Of Three Forks,
Montana, discovered ancient
relics and portions Of the ruins
of one of the two oldest forts
or trading posts between the
Mississippi river and the Pacif-
ic coast. A musket of the type
used more than a century ago
was uncovered, together with
: some cannon balls. These un-
n doubtedly were left behind by
the survivors Of the expedition
sent out in 1909 by the first
Missouri Fur Company to build
a trading post where the three
rivers flow together and form
the Missouri.
The point where the ancient
musket was found is one of the
most historic spots in the west,
famous first because Lewis and
Clark found there one of the OBJ
jectives of their expedition
the discovery Of the source of
the mighty Missouri; and fam
Gus also because on the exact
spot of it's location there was
built 113 years ago a fort which
was the scene of many bloody
battles between the whites and
reds, and which the trappers Of
the Missouri Fur Company
were unable to hold against the
Indians.
An examination of the
ground surrounding the spot
where the relics were discover
ed showed the searchers some
thing still more interesting.
They found unmistakable evil
dences Of the old trading post,
itself. Time and the encroach-
ment of the river on the land
had destroyed the greater part
of even the ground on which
the fort stood, but on one side
was plain to be seen the broad
which had formed a moat
surrounding the post, and there
were also some of the timbers
visible at one point in the bank.
In order to understand fully
the reason for the fort being
built at the Three Forks and to
visualize the conditions under
which it was constructed and
maintained for nearly a year in
the face of frequent attacks up
on it's garrison by the savage
Blackfeet, it is necessary to
turn back to the story of the
man who, more than any other
dominated the upper Missouri
regions during the first quar-
ter of a century after their dis
covery to the civilized world by
Lewis and Clark.
That man was Manuel Lisa,
the Spaniard, as strange a mix
ture Of character as could well
be imagined and a picturesque
and notable figure in the great
drama of the west. Lisa was
born of Spanish parents in New
Orleans in September, 1772. AS
a young man he moved to st.
Louis, where he began his
careet as a trader-first under
the Spanish regime, then under
American authority. Probably
next to John Jacob Aston no
one man ever so completely
dominated the fur trade. He
has been called the Cortez of
the Rocky mountains.
He was a man of c~uriously
mixed character, combining
with true greatness in some re-
spects much that was petty,
brutal and base. He did not
scruple to use the vilest alcohol
ic mixtures to gain his ends in
trading with the Indians, and
his treatment of his Usage
wife, Mitain, is one Of the most
cruel incidents in the annals of
the time. !
Lisa's Western Career |.
1t was not until after the re-
turn of Captains Lewis and
Clark that the first American
fur company was formed. This
was the result of the keen
sagacity Of Lisa, who formerly
had been with a Spanish COM
pany that operated on the
branches of the Mississippi.
Fearless and daring, the Span
lard was willing to brave the
dangers of the Indians and the
treacherous waters of the Mis-