The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-09-15
HE'LL GATES STORY
As TOLD BY BROWN.

As TOLD BY BROWN
aussouLA O6UNrRY y1auRED
m EARLY DAY lalgTORY
OF THE STATE,
Frank D. (0andbar) Brown, his
eorian Of the Society Of Montana Pio-
neero, COMMUNICATED the meeting OF
the society In Nissoula last week. BY
writing something Of the early day
history Of the Missoula country, In
part a. follows:
Fifty years ago the He'll Gate river,
= mountain stream Of clear, pellucid
waters. courssd past the present site
ok this beautiful city to disappear in
the tremendous chasm on the western
side Of the Bitter Root valley where
it waters swiftly pursued their way
to the Columbia. There were but few
settlements to be found within the
great and enclosing ranges Of the
valleys then. White men were here
It IL true, in numbers - lured into
western Montana by reports Of the
rich placer strikes In the Cedar creek
district. The military road con-
structed by Captain John Mullan
from Fort Benton, the head Of nAvi-
cation on the Missouri river, to Wal
L. Walla, Washington territory, had
ton was passing over It, to assist In
building up the great Pacific coast
states Of Warrington and Oregon,
and their inland neighbor. Idaho.
It may be truthfully said that few
II any Of the horde Of immigrants
who wended their way over It to the
west coast had any idea that the fer
tile land Of the valleys ! have named
could grow the enormous crops Of
grain. fruit and vegetables which to-
day has established for them q rec
ord Of productivity equal to that Of
the more favorite portions Of the
middle west.
II we who view with pride the pro-
gress which the city Of Missoula has
made towards the achievement OF q
metropolitan position among the
great cities OF the inland west. It
must not be forgotten that nature has
contributed very largely to such de-
sirable end. The visitor within her
gates will not fail to be more than
duly impressed with her strategic To-
cation In an enormous extent Of az
ricultural and mineral lands, the
magnitude Of which he would have
no conception, save from the intel
ngent publication of their resources
from those familiar with them, and
the scope of this article does not
make permissible other than the most
casual reference to them. Very many
OF the members Of the Society of Mon
tana Pioneers are familiar with the
primitive civilization of this section
Of Montana at the time I speak of,
and fully understand the radical
changes in the agricultural and in
dustrlal life which western Montana
has undergone and particularly Mis-
soula, In attaining its present COM
handing position among the cities
OF the west. To produce such radi-
cal changes required the spirit of
contentment. untiring energy as we'll
as unbounded faith in the country
over which prosperity now bountiful-
~ reigns. From the earliest history
OF the northwest the valleys Of the
Flathead and Bitter Root have been
recorded by their early explorers as
being the most beautiful and roman
tically situated encountered in their
travels through the vast wilderness
OF the north and west, known az the
Loutstana purchase. 4 was upon
July ~. 1906, that Lewis and Clark
came over the Bitter Root mountains
g they journeyed eastward from the
Columbia river, and camped on the
south bank Of the Lolo, q small
tributary Of the Bitter Root river,
and which they named ''Travelers'
Rest creek" Here the command
divided. CAPTAIN Lewis with nine
men to 60 direct to the, Missouri
river. while Clark with q similar
number to make their way through
the Big Hole country and the Gala
tin valley to the Yellowstone. his
party having Sacajawea, the bird wo-
man OF the Shoshones, 40 guide. The
first camp Of Lewis was made on the
banks Of the Rattlesnake and upon
the present site Of Miss0ula, and
within the corporate limits Of this
city.
Father Desmet in 1s46. and Cow
ernor Isaac Stevens Of Washineton
territory in September. 1853, met
~UsSA0 JUAN ~ O4A00s WOV W0T0 the
most important visitors In tho valley
preceding . settlement. Tho thirty
NTH congress authorised the build.
Ing Of the road between Fort Benton
ana The Dalles and Lieutenant Null
laa was detailed from the regular
army to construct Il. The first rec
onnalssance Of this officer was made
- much to secure . suitable railroad
route from the Missouri river 70 the
Pacific coast % It was to build va
gon road over which immieration
might pass between the points nam
ed. Through wise and considerate
treatment Of the Indian tribes whose
lands no passed through while on.
gagged In this work he was enabled
TO complete successfully his work IN
1851. The Northern Pacific railroad
through western Montana practically
follows the survey line made BY Null