Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-14
Bridge, Most Noted Western Hronhesman Discovered Great Salt Lake,
Was One of Group Of Daring Explorers Who Bhzod Trails of Far West


VI N1dICu, ICLL, on OsN
vertisement appearing in the
Missouri Republican of St.
Louis, offering employment to
one hundred young men in the
Rocky Mountain fur regions as
trappers and hunters, caught
the eye of a youth Of eighteen
years. His name was James
Bridger, a blacksmith's appren-
tice, and when he applied to
Andrew Henry and William
Ashley, leaders of a new fur
trading enterprise in the far
west, he began a career that
was to make him famous as the
greatest frontiersman a n d
guide in the western country,
discoverer of the Great Salt
Lake, and one of the immortals
among the American trail
blazers.
Ashley and Henry were two shrewd
frontier business men, who saw that
the western fur trade, which had suf-
fered greatly from the effects OF the
war of 1917 and because of disturbed
conditions in Europe, was about to ex-
p~erience a revival, and when they made
plans for their expedition to the noun
tains in 1922, they assembled under
their leadership, entirely by chance:
one of the most significant groups OF
explorers ever brought together on the
continent, whose discoveries during the
next half dozen years were of almost
as much Importance as those OF Levi
and Clark. OF this group Bridger was
to become the bright particular star.
Unfortunately he had as a youth little
schooling and left no written record OF
his travels, discoveries or adventures:
and today less is known of his life and
achievements than Of any of the famous
frOntiersmen of the old west.
Bridger was a native of Richmond.
Virginia. where he was born March L.
1904. His father was a tavern keeper
(" until 1872, when the family removed to
ST. Louis. During the formative years
of his boyhood he lived in the colorful
atmosphere of the frontier village on
the banks of the Mississippi, where
each spring mackinaw boats from the
Upv2r Mississippi landed at the
wh:Ses their cargoes of furs and their
crews of mountaineers. come DOWN for
an annual spree. Stirring tales of. adj
ventures told by the trappers inspired
in the youngsters heart an overwhelm-
ing desire to see the enchanted land
they described, so he was ripe for the
opportunity to 60 up the Missouri to
the mountains when it came.
New System of Obtaining Furs
Ashley and Henry were aware that
the system of obtaining furs from the
Indian tribes through the establishment
of trading posts, where the red men
brought their peltries, had failed to
a large extent because of three OBJ
~stacles. These were the difficulty
found in keeping these posts supplied
with goods for trading. the frequent
inability of garrisonS to hold the posts
against hostile attacks of the red men.
and the vaccilating attitude of the
tribes in respect to visiting the vari-
Gus posts with their peltries and hides.
1t was therefore determined that, in
stead of relying on Indian trade for
their furs. they would employ white
men as trappers. In other words,
under their plan. the trapper was to
supplant the trader. This innovation
in the fur. trade was destined to have
a ~far-reaching effect in the develop
ment of the west.
The expeditions: more than hundred
strong. travelled with keel boats up the
Missouri to the mouth of the Yellow
stone river. overcoming many dangers
and difficulties, but with the loss of
one boat and goods valued at $4,000.
Before the journey was completed:
young Bridger had displayed qualities
that marked him as a natural leader
in the wilderness. Cool-headed. daring
and resourceful far beyond his years,
his ability and good judgment won the
respect of his employers and comrades.
In person, tail and slender. erect and
energetic, Bridger had a quiet, agree
able manner, but was somewhat re-
served and expressed himself usually
only after he had weighed his words
well. He had keen. gray eyes with
level glance. His hair was brown and
long, and he looked the typical western
mountain man. His courage and pOise
were unfailing in the face Of the great
est hardships and dangers.
Takes Place Among Famous Explorers
This youth took his place quite nat
urally among q group of men who had
great qualities as explorers and path
finders, and who now found themselves
dSSOIidbCu uhuCI tHt iCauVISHlP Vi
Andrew Henry. The latter was an ex-
perienced mountaineer of the older
generation, who had joined the Mis-
souri, Fur company in 1909 under Man
uel Lisa and had borne the brunt of
the terrible struggle with the Black
feet at the Three Forks of the Mis-
souri,. He was the first American
trader, to carry the fur business to the
Pacific side of the Rocky mountains.
The only other veteran of this out
standing group of adventurers was
Edward Rose, a mixture of white. |
Cherokee Indian and negro blood, who
in his youth had been a Mississippi
river pirate. but who by 1912 was rec
ognized as the best authority on west !
ern travel routes. having acted as guide
for the Astorians through the Crow
country in 1911.
Others Of the party who became not
abIes were Louis Vasquez, a fur trad
cr who knew intimately the western
country and who later became Bridg- .
cr's partner; William l.. Sublette, lead
er of many expeditions that made i'm
portant geographical discoveries and a
successful trader; Hugh Glass, hero of
several astonishing adventures in the
1Jpper Missouri country; Thomas Fitz-