davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23
50 PRODUCERS
SINCE JULY !

Fifty new producers within five
weeks for a total of 1O8 CONNER
cial wells is the record of the Kew
in-Sunburst field, and the develop
ment thus summarized has proved
a stimulus to activities there. -Four
of the SO came in last week. AL
though the price of crude remains
at only 20 cents, operations are
continuing at a normal rate and
apparently the industry will not
only maintain its normal stride,
but gradually show increased ac-
tivity.
The California company has COM
pleted a camp on the oil field high
way and a landscape artist has
made Of it a beauty spot. The Ohio
camp also is making improvements
and the camp is one of the busy
spots in the field. Thousands Of
dollars worth of casing and pipe
have been unloaded and stacked
behind the little cottages there and
rumors that the big companies are
laying off men and curtailing OPP
erations are without foundation.
The Mid-Northern and Mutual
camps show considerable activity
and not only are these companies
pumping producing wells, but r
drilling and spudding in at new
locations. The Mutual company's
gas plant, which will be used to
pump the wells on the Helmer1ch
lease, is about completed and with
in a few weeks six wells will be
pumped with this equipment The
Western Petroleum Exploration
company and Homestake Explora-
ton company both r working
large crews and show no signs of
decreasing their forces.
Many independent operators r
at work in the field and every day
new outfits are to be seen at work
on location. l.. @. Stevenson of
the Sunburst interests stated Sat
urday that the pipe line put in by
Ohio and his company will be able
to furnish water to any operator
In tho field. He saw no eason
why development work in this field
should shut down during the win
TER.
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

gravel beds, a huge, raft-like equip
ment floated into the canals and the
gravel is washed from the side of the
hills. Since gold nuggets are heavier
than common rock, the gold is left
behind. But no n knows how
much gold is being attracted in this
way, only that the cost of operation
is considerable and that since the
company has been carrying on this
work for several years, it must be
more than a paying proposition. One
pioneer of that section tells the story
of how he acquired wealth in this
way. He succeeded in working his
claim to a $4,000 advantage and
probably would have continued to
prosper had not the vein of ore he
was mining given out. His ore as
sayed at over $4,000 to the ton but
the vein was nothing more than a
small, wedge-like formation in the
rock.
The Earliest Cities
With the first settlers in this new
territory, such as trappers and min
ers, and after the many government
Indian trading posts were established
emigrants began arriving with the
express purpose of establishing farms
homes and business. Federal posts
which dotted the country in a short
time encouraged settlement and the
once great distances between trading
centers and towns gradually dimin-
ished. Among the earliest cities
were Virginia City, first known as
East Bannack, Alder Gulch, Helena,
Fort Benton and Bozeman. Butte
was also one of the earlier communi-
ties founded, but it was several years
after the mining camps dotted the
gulches and mountain bases of what
is now Silver Bow county, before
there was any intense interest taken
in civic government. In 1867, a
miners comment is noted: Eyes,
they have laid out Butte at last" said
a doubling Thomas in a moan of de-
spondency, "and if it had any friends
now that it is laid out, they would
bury it," Butte now is the largest
city in the state and Silver Bow
boasts the highest valuation,
although it is the smallest in Mon
Fort Benton grew as a trading post
and because of its favorable position
at the head of navigation of the Mis-
souri, river. For several years col
who came to Montana pre-
this route to the long, tedious
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

first store in Montana being bull
there as a trading post by F. l.
Worden on the site now bounded b,
Main street on the Higgins avenue
The sign over this old log cabin read
Hell Gate-Worden & Co., 1860"
There are few of those even init
mately acquainted with the earliest
history of Great Falls who know thai
there was a small beginning of G
town at the other end of the present
| Great Northern railroad bridge be.
fore the present city was founded
The original plans were conceived BY
John Largent who was one of the
earliest pioneers of the Sun River
valley and the town of that name
The anne of Johnstown, called that
presumably, because it was Johns
town. He had plated area for a city
there but the future city was more
ideally located on the present site.
thus deferring further building.
Just above the site of the present
Great Northern railroad bridge there
was a ford over which teams bound
from Fort Benton to Helena, Virginia
City and White Sulphur Springs were
driven.
John Largent was a pioneer mer-
chant and inn keeper of the town of
Sun River and he maintained a gen
eral merchandise store and hotel for
the convenience of travellers. The
official records of this phase of the
story of Great Falls and Cascade
county are rather vague. 1t is also
thought he kept horses there to ex-
change teams with stages bound
over these trails. When Mr.. Largent
rave up this venture he settled in the
town of Sun River.
Senator Gibson Pounds City
Great Falls was founded on the
bright vision and remarkable fore
sight of one individual-the late
Senator Paris Gibson, father of
Great Falls" He first saw the Great
Falls of the Missouri river in 1882
while he was grazing a band of sheep
and he came here a year later to in
vestigate the u of the coun-
try. True enough he had valuable
and timely assistance, but his ideas
we're the foundation of Great Falls.
1t was through his extraordinary ge-l
MUS as an executive and his indefati-
gable efforts and patience that re-
suited in the establishment of this
city. In 1888, he a. living in a
tent on the bank of the Missouri
liver busily engaged in his inspiring
work of plating the site for the fu-
.ure city.
He enlisted the assistance of Jas.
r. Hill, president of the St. Paul,
Minneapolis and Manitoba railway,
alter the Great Northen railway. The
lite for the town was surveyed in
and Paris Gibson worked for
ONE time after that securing titles
O lands to be included in the town
lite. The railway was completed to
Falls in the early part Of the
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23
WAS GREAT FALLS RIVAL BEFORE PARIS
GIBSON FOUNDED CITY ON BANKS OF THE MISSOURI

fall of 1887, and connected with the
Montana Central railway. The fol-
lowing year the new railroad wal
completed to the Pacific coast.
The natural assets of the territory
contiguous to Great Falls were taken
under consideration to a great extent
at the time of it's founding. Among
these is the available water power at
the Great Falls of the Missouri riv-
er, the Rainbow falls, Black Eagle
falls and Golfer falls. There are in
estimable acres of coal in the Belt
and Sand Coulee territories and 1000
acres of iron ore in the Little Belt
mountains. The farm lands extending
in all directions make a veritable
land of promise to the home seeker.
Wheat grown north of Great Falls is
of the hard variety which is world
famous and it always commands a
high and a ready market.
The cattle and sheep industry has
been one of the greatest in the state
for several years. The vast ranges
over which once grazed cattle and
sheep by the tens of thousands are
now broken up with fences bounding
grain fields and homesteads. The
highways now cut unbroken channels
through these great pasture lands,
but still stock raising continues as
n of the most profitable assets in
the state. One coming industry in
Northern Montana is the raising of
hogs. Accomplished scientifically,
farmers acknowledge that this bust
ness has been woefully neglected in
the past.
Oil and natural gas prospects
promise a bright future for Great
Falls. Oil refining looms as a COM
ing industry. The refinery, zinc
plant and wire mill of the Anaconda
Copper Mining company add in
creased wealth to the city and pro-
vide employment to fathers of hun
dreds of families. Meat packing,
milling, printing and the railroads
are also industries which comprise a
foundation for a greater Great Falls.
But these are only a few of the es-
tablished Industries which have al
ready made Great Falls such an at
tractive city for investments.
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

a French half breed, commonly re-
ferred to as Benetsee, who came
here from the Red River country. He
may have been the first to see the
yellow metal but he is recorded in
history as never approaching the val
ue Of the treasure, and he didn't at
tempt to preserve any of his find.
The first attempt to find gold in
Montana was made in the late SOS
in the Kootenai country, but this
met with no success and was given
up as hopeless. From the time of the
discovery on Benetsee creek in 1862,
miners flocked in from all parts of
the country, crazed with the desire
for gold. 1t took but little time for
the story of Montana's rich strikes
to be broadcasted verbally among
pioneers on other boundaries. The
Stuart brothers were on their way to
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23
DHE OLD TRAIL-BLAZERS o.

lDHE OLD TRAIL-BLAZERS OF
Montana are becoming fewer
each year and 1t will not be
long before only historical accounts
of these great, fearless men will re-
call to our memories the deeds which
they SO nobly accomplished. 1t will
not be long before it will be impOssi-
BILE for a small group Of them to as
semble to talk over the stirring days
and exchange tales of the time when
the Indian was the principal man in
the country and when it took real
nerve to venture out in the wilder
ness in an endeavor to carve out,
steps for a future civilization. Still
it took hardened characters like these
to "cOnstitute a state"
When the coasts of America were
settled, when the Puritans and the
Pilgrims ventured from their ances-
trail homes in England and Holland
either to escape bondage or in quest
of adventure, they sailed to the very
doorstep of their future homes. When
Argonauts of another period migrat-
ed to California they skirted the
coasts of two continents. In a sim
liar way many of the immigrants to
Oregon and Washington founded
their new homes.
But the hardy frontiersmen who
fought their ways through the wilder
ness to reach Montana, we're obliged
to make their homes 1000 miles
from any sea in any direction. There
we're hostile Indians on the plains
who were determined that the white
men should not steal their lands,
drive away or exterminate their wild
animals and disorganize their gov
ernments.
Pioneers Risked Lives
There was the long journey across
the scorching plains in none but COW
cred wagons, usually drawn by slow
moving Surely such dangers
these are unprecedented in the his
tory of the settling of a new country. j
1t seemed more like a forbidden
beaconing disaster and failure
to whOmever would attempt such a
trail. Not even on the mighty Mis-
souri, could the pioneers advance in
for never were they out of
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

California. Gold was also discovered
on bars in Salmon river where the
grains were said to be as thick as
wheat on a threshing floor, and about
the size and color of wheat.
During the same year, 1852, gold
was discovered at Big Hole and at
Wizards creek. The yellow dust was
then seen near Bannack and this
caused a virtual avalanche of pros
pectors to rush there, deserving Gold
creek. A party of miners started
from Bannack for the Yellowstone
country in 1853 but Indians drove
them back and caused them to camp
at Alder gulch, where the richest
gold deposits in the world have since
been uncovered.
1t is a historical fact that gold has
been PANIED there as high in value
IS $500 to the pan, and for several
years fabulous amounts were taken
out of these mines. This wealth was
discovered June 1, 1863, by Fair
weather, and it was surely then
that the initial fair weather for the
Treasure state began. 1t is conserv-
atively estimated that 500, 900, 900
worth of the yellow metal has been
mined out of Alder gulch alone. Of
course, this seems rather exaggerated
but, in a few of the rich strikes in
Montana that old timers tell about,
it would not be hard to extract close
to a million dollars worth of mineral
in a short time. But figures we're
never kept to show the amount of
ore that was taken out of the ground
because each prospector tried to
keep this a secret. With such des-
peradoes as Plummer and his organ
lied bands watching each move of a
miner and each development of the
treasure seekers, it was not only dan
gerous to their fortunes but also to
their lives to make their wealth a
matter of common knowledge. Much
of either the gold dust or nuggets
was not turned into the banks of
but was taken out of the
state, and for this reason, the banks
have no way of accurately estimat-
ing the total amount of wealth the
many mines produced.
In that day, but few miners
thought of working their claims very
far below the surface. When no
more gold could be found in the dirt
and gravel top it was usually consid-
+ that it was time to move on to
another location. 1t was not until it
found near Butte that after the
gold supply in one of the claims was
exhausted, silver was found beneath
there was much interest taken
n deep mining. This developed into
ne rich deposits of copper, later
found embedded in the mountains
Butte.
Il. MOdernized Mining
At present there is a company en-
ragged in washing gravel near Alder
.ulch, not far from Virginia City,
)eep canals are dug close to the
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

and more dangerous overland trail.
There was also a garrison of federal
militia established there. At Boze-
man, gold was the initial attraction.
Miners found first traces Of wealth
there in 1864, and John Bozeman,
one of the earliest pioneers in the
state who met an untimely death not
long after his arrival, made famous
his new cutoff. Bozeman trail,
through the present site of this city.
Later developments established farm
ing in the fertile Gallatin valley and
the manufacture of asbestos became
important. There are also extensive
coal deposits there.
Virginia City, Bannack and Alder
Gulch we're stimulated wholly on the
strength of gold. Missoula was
founded later as a trade center, the
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

range of the lurking savage, whose
arrow darted forth from hidden
inches in the ~sheltering woods, pro-
%nouncing death on many a man just
as he entered the gates of his prom
ised land" caught the breath Of
mountain liberty and sight of @the
Land Of Shining Mountains"
That is the way the pioneers came,
but their means of earning a living
we're just as dubious as the course OF
their westward journey. The lives OF
some shine out as grand examples of
prosperity and success achieved
through one or more of the various
channels of industry; of wonderful
and extraordinary accomplishments
in the sphere of scientific research;
in the forum, or through the medium
of special qualities which leave a
marked impress upon the tablets of
memory and history both of which
will live forever. Others did not per-
form such successful careers to pros
perity, some were unfortunate, but all
worked equally for himself and his
fellow comrade in such. times of
stress. They did not emblazon their
deeds for personal satisfaction, or
from motives of ambition to commit
some act which would mark them for
a time as central figures. On the
contrary, the greater majority of
these home seekers we're those who
were ever recognized asfhat splendid
type of manhood which the Creator
made it possible for all men to be-.
In their presence n can feel that
magnetic sense which commands a
higher attention and a higher respect.
1t is from stock such as this that
younger generations are able to pre-
serve the integrity and life. of a state.
Montana was settled by these hardy
frOntiersmen who came here for sew
eral reasons. Primarily, they were
hunters and trappers who were in
spired by the legend of Lewis and
Clark's travels which was issued in
book form by the government. These
came to different parts of the state,
irrespective of routes, for there we're
no established routes other than the
and instead of settling down
in any one particular location, they
were accustomed to roam over the
country. The first white settler in
is now known as the state of
Montana was a man named Dixon.
Discovery Of Gold
Others were lured by gold discov-
The men given the credit
the first gold discoveries are
Granville and James Stuart, brothers
who were driven to Montana by Nor
mons In Utah, who had declared a
general war on all gentiles. This
was in 1862, and the discovery was
made on what is now called Gold
,reek, then as Benetsee creek, at the
end of the Deer Lodge valley.
some authors give the credit of the
discovery of gold to Francois Ffnlay,
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23
Montana Coming Back

Just returned from a trip east,
Paul Wedge, cashier of the First Ma
tional bank of Miles City states that
he is more firm than ever in his con-
vcton that Montana is coming back
to a stable foundation faster than
many sections and that the farmer
and stockman is better off to stay
right here if he has his equipment
and will just divirsify and take adj
vantage of supply and demand. +
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

Mexico City-Representatives Of
the United States and Mexico have
signed the records of the conference
that has been in progress here, m
bodying the agreement designed to
make possible resumption of dip1o-
matte relations between the two ma
lions.
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23

Some people scott at the magni-
tude of predictions made for "a city
on the prairie" but others who have
watched the rapid growth since its
founding and who appreciate the
value of the natural resources of the
territory contiguous to Great Falls
and such advantages as its g%eograph-
ic position relative to the great
northwest, base their comments on
a wider plane and Of equal scope.
The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23
Simms Big Wheat Yield

Large crops in the vicinity of
Vaughn, are being reported continu-
ally. According to advices received
from that section, some crops are
doped to go as high as 60 bushels
to the acre for fall wheat.
Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-13
KEASBEY JUNIORS COME
BACK AT THE ORIOLES

KEASBEY, Sept. 13.-In
to the protest of the Oriole baseball
team, made by their captain, Anth-
ony virgillo, Manager william Nc
Graw, of the Keasbey Juniors,
back with a communication setting
forth the Keasbey views.
The communication follows:
1.-THE article in Mondays edition
of the Evening News protesting
the game won by my team, Sunday
afternoon, was entirely uncalled for,
inasmuch as the Orioles have no Just
claim whatever in protesting the
game, on the grounds that an unfair
decision by the umpire, was the
predominant factor in bringing vic
tory to my team.
I'm the first place, the ball hit bv
one of the Keasbey players, was
called a fair ball by the Orioles own
umpire. The Keasbey umpire had
charge of the decision on the bases
during that inning and therefore
was not in authority to render a de-
cision on a hit ball. This refutes
the statement of the Orioles that
both umpires called the hit ball, a
foul.
"The Orioles cry of unfair treat
ment and charge the Keasbeyites
with poor sportsmanship. The ORR
oles were treated with due respect
under the existing circumstances.
I'm their statement of poor sports
manship, the Orioles are simply
throwing stones at their W glass
houses. Lest they should forget,
we still have r~ecollections of the
way they stalled in their second
game with us or the Perth Amboy
grounds, when my players were
leading 5 to 0, and rain halted the
game just in time to prevent the
Orioles from a shutout. This was
due to their stalling and wasting
time so that the required four and
one-half innings could not be played
before 1t rained. Is that an ex-
ample of good sportsmanship, may
] ask them?
ITO be candid, it appears to me
that every time the Orioles lose a
game, they have some alibi to offer.
either the umpire, a weak team or
poor sportsmanship. Criticism
starts at home and it might be well
for the Orioles to try it.
81 am willing to have my team
play the Orioles for the third and
deciding game, as a preliminary con-
test on the Copper Works field with
a neutral umpire"
civilian M'GRAW, Mgr.
"Keasbey Juniors"
Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-13
]. N. BARBER
CAME SATURDAY
AmboyS Travel to Trenton
Play TottenvilIe Here on
Sunday

Ed Poulsen's Perth Amboys will
travel to Trenton this Saturday af-
ternoon to cross bats with the ]. N.
Barber nine in a Three county base
ball league engagement. This will
be the first meeting of the two COM
binations on the diamond.
The Amboy team won one of three
league contests to date, taking the
measure of Yardville on the local
field and bowling to Freehold and
Hightstown on the Freehold and
Hightstown diamonds, respectively.
Amboy also o from Freehold in
an exhibition contest on the Free
hold diamond.
Buddy" Mayo, Buddy" Wilson
or "Dopey" Smith may start on the
mound for the visiting team in this
contest, and AL Lorenzo will do the
receiving. The remainder of the
lineup will be chosen from Stinson,
Flynn, McEnroe, Loeser, McAuliffe
and Rudy.
TottenviIle Sunday
No announcement has been made
by Manager Romer, of the Aque-
honga nine, regarding his pitching
choice for Sundays encounter on
the local field. This is the first game
of an annual series and Manager
Poulsen won the toss of a coin for
the staging of the game on the Am
boy diamond. 1t has been rumored
that a New York-Pennsylvania state
league twirler will do the 1inging for
the Aquehonga nine, the, pitcher
credited with turning in a win for
the Allentown, Pa, nine over the
New York Yankees.
Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-13
ARE READY
FOR CHAMPIONSHIP GO
AT GIANTS BALLPARk

probable that the champion will be
on the offensive from the start, to
test the defensive ability of the
Bull" This swi1l result in Firpo
giving his entire attention to de-
Tense, unless he figures taking every
thing the champion can send in. In
this event, the challenger will depend
upon one of his wild blows to settle
the fight.
News Service
The blow by blow report of the big
fight will be given by megaphone
from the News office tomorrow
night, and the results of the other
bouts, also will be announced. The
main bout is scheduled to go on
promptly at 10 o'clock and the other
contests will be timed accordingly
that the big battle can go on at
that hour.
"A great many fans from this CITY
have planned to attend the Polo
grounds tomorrow night. There win
be no baseball game at the New
York National league park tomor-
because of the fact that the Nc
Graw men II in the west.
In case of rain, the fight will be
Saturday night.