The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-12-26
Free Hand Ruled

RAOAASAAOAs II AHOAO VI "a
log building would be open, nothing
to hide the half log bar or gambling
tables. Border life was seer in all
its original wildness. American from
tier civilization was in all its free
dom, no prison, no Jail to hold in
awe the lawleSs element.
Everybody carried their gold dust
in buckskin bags and when they paid
for anything it was always weighed.
Six and one-fourth cents was the
least amount that could be weighed.
Everybody kept their greenbacks and
spent the gold dust, while in the
states it was the reverse as gold was
worth 81 r more.
"The counters in the stores were
logs sawed through the center, with
the fiat side up, holes bored in the
half log and stakes driven in to hold
it up.
Shoots a Buffalo
"In those early days the journey
into this new country was a very
eventful one, large herds of buffalo
were frequently seen, and elk, black
bear, prairie dogs and r~attlesnakes
abOunded. While on the way up the
river the boat was landed to take
or trees for fuel that had been cut
down BY the beavers, and to bury a
man who had died with smallpox.
Two soldiers and myself went out
perhaps half a mile on the prairie
and shot the first buffalo killed by
party and wounding another that was
preparing for attack on US. That
day we saw great droves of antelopes
Or white-tailed deer. l shot and kill
ed one. They would stand, stamp
their forefeet and look until they
found out what you were. A shot
at them and they would be gone.
GAS we got farther up the river we
saw abundance of large game. The
noise Of the boat seemed to attract
their attention and draw them to the
river. A herd of buffalo swimming
the river was run into by the boat.
Everybody who had a gun shot at
them. Fifty or 100 dead buffalo
foated down the river. Two got un-
der the side paddle wheel of the boat
and were killed. Several paddles of
the wheel were broken.
Letter Draws Them West.
"The inducement we had to make
this evetful trip and locate a news
, paper in Montana territory was a let
ter Buchanan had received from &
friend that Gallatin City, on the Gal.
latin river, was offering fifty lots il
the town for the first newspaper
Gallatin City is the place we started
for and intended to locate in. On ou1
5 way up the river we met a boa-
loaded with furs and passengers re
{ turning from the gold regions
3 Among the passengers was a prospec
e tor who had been at Gallatin City
y He arrived there on horseback will
n a pack mule to carry his provisions
and bedding. While on the OPPOSITE
side of the Gallatin river from tn
n town he made all kinds of noises an,
d fired his gun to get some person t.
bring over the ferry boat. While re
y naming there he saw a drove of an
n telope or white-tailed deer ru
through the city. He abandoned tn
idea of locating in Gallatin City. H
: gave US a phamplet advertising thi
Gallatin City; it was not only offer
t. ing fifty lots for the first newspaper
TO but was offering ten lots for tn
y first white woman to locate. He toll
e US that Virginia City was the larges
10 and only town in Montana, that ther
i'd were 10000 or 10000 people Their
We Immediately made up our mind
ID to locate in Virginia City, which W
II did, knowing that antelope or white
tailed deer couldn't read.
# Rides Pony 1,4OO Miles
Ii. "We returned over land. I rode g
NJ Indian pony the entire distance, abol
Is, 1,400 miles into Iowa. We saw Il
b. great northern deserts and plains
their primitive grandeur. Numerol
trains of wagons and caravans, be
10 going and coming, e scattered
all along the route and at night t
"a blazing camp fires, made Of buffs
chips and sagebrush frightened Ii