The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-02-01
MAN WOULD
MOVE A RAILROAD
STRANGE BATTLE OF MISSOULA
COUNTY FARMER AGAINST
NORTHERN PACIFIC
Cannot Sleep Because of Noise of
Trains Rushing by His Place; De-
fies Injunctions and Whips Section
Boss; Puts Logs on the Track.

In a canyon IL miles from Mis-
soula, near the crest of the divide
near the town of Evaro, lives an ole
man who wants to nov a railroad
The man is Peter Perry and his rea-
son is said to be good. But although
Perry has long petitioned the North
ern Pacific railway, whose tracks he
abominates, in court and in person,
he has not been idle in trying to set
tie the matter in more practical ia
shiOn.
Perry is a sailor, rs years old, and
a Wo~od-cutter. The little homestead
in the gap of the mountain pass is the
grant of the government for his valor
in Civil wal battles. The patent reads
lone hundred and sixty acres" and in
cludes no mention of the "pesky"
railroad. In 1880 the Northern Pa
cific railroad constructed one of the
steepest and most valuable pieces of
track then in existence over the Evaro
pass. Working on the right of ''emi-
nent domain" the engineers ~traversed
the m and only pass over the north
branch of the Bitter Roots, in the
long trail to the Pacific. Near the
crest of the grade they marked the
path across half a mile of the land
of Peter Perry claims.
Perry knew nought of the railroad.
The railroad knew nought of Perry.
Perry came to Montana before the
railroad, in fact before he had a cal
endar.
The Spirit OF 81 Awakes
A few years ago., long after the
froinc hol rvnro ont fbo orfrf,o1 roi1ct
in the long climb over Evaro pass and
incidentally over Perry's homestead,
Perry learned what seemed the truth.
Some friend read the papers and fired
the spirit of 81. To all intents and
purposes the railroad land and his
one. Old Seaman Perry" has
dedicated his last years to moving the
railroad. He cares not if it costs
something like five million dollars
'or the railroad to turn the trick. 1t
must be done. And one of the ,
'trangest stories ever heard of, is un-
in the annals of the court
If Missoula county.
To date, according to the old man,
le has spent two years in harassing
he company into moving onto more
Welcome territory. He has skidded
ogs onto the track; he has whipped
he section boss. He has moved the
smbankment-that is, such land as
lie considered his, into his W yard.
Besides this he has sat up each night
the long snake-like passenger
trains have crawled by the little log
cabin and dreamed of a night when
he could sleep undisturbed. Last of
I'll attempted to build a fence along
both sides of the tracks. The post /,
were between the ties at each =
end. The company's Injunction pre- :
vented his putting in a gate across :
10 charge toll. The fence passed into :
memory. Perry tackled again. :,
Goes to Jail-Then Surrenders
In turn, the railroad has failed :
fence the land. Sparks from the !
rains have set fire to the timber adj '
iacent to the tracks. The section men :
nave laughed at him. The officials !
nave cajoled and cursed. The rail- ;
Injunction oon became a scrap :,
If paper. Their offers were discard
ID as Perry had been ignored in the =
early days, according to the old mans >
story. This Christmas, the law of =
he country the old sailor fought for, =
reached out and took him to jail. He y
went to Jail because he would not .
promise to abide by the decision of :,
he court. Three days later Peter =