The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-06-19
MEYERS CAME
IN EARLY DAYS
WELL KNOWN PIONEER PASSES
WAS FACTOR IN STATES
DEVELOPMENT
Mined in Alder Gulch and Last
Chance; was pioneer cattleman;
Brought first saw mill into north
ern Montana.

Ira Meyers, we'll known pioneer,
died in Great Falls a few days ago.
He had been a resident of Montana
for 60 years, and was active in the
states early day development. He
mined in Alder Gulch and Last
Chance, was one of the first to en-
gage in the cattle business, brought
the first saw mill into northern Mon
tana, established the first electric
light plant in Great Falls and was
one Of the first owners of the street
car system in Great Falls, the motive
power for his cars being mules.
Mr.. Meyers was born at Mansfield,
Ohio, December IS, 1889. He re-
eeived an academic education at
Mansfield, but when eighteen years
Of age he moved westward to Daven-
port, Ohio, where he took a position
as clerk. He remained in Davenport
for a short time, but the call of the
west was ever present and in a few
years removed to st. Louis and Kan
sas City.
In 1859 Mr.. Meyers started west
with the gold rush to Colorado and
and helped to create the Colorado
City townsite company. For three
years he followed the development
rush through Colorado and in 1862
went to Denver to open a hotel bust
ness.
In April, 1863, Mr.. Meyers Joined
an expedition headed for Montana,
which was not yet a state, and ar
rived at Bannock, then the outpost
of civilization of Montana, in May
of the same year
Pioneer StOckman
MI. Meyers went to Alder Gulch
and in 1866 was successfully operat-
ing placer mines at Blackfoot and
later at Helena, where he made his
home. An attempt at hydraulic min
ing at Diamond City proved a fail
ure due to the high cost of water,
and Mr.. Meyers returned to Helena,
remaining there until 1876, when he
started mining in the Black Hills. He
sold out and returned to Helena. In
1879 he formed a partnership with a
Mr.. Buck and engaged in the cattle
business under the name of Messrs
Buc kand company. He purchased
$500 head of cattle in Oregon and
drove them to range in Teton county
while in the stock business which
proved successful.
In 1883 he moved to Fort Benton
and the next year to Great Falls,
where he became associated with
Edgar G. Maclay, Sr., in the building
of the first sawmill in northern Mon
tana. Although misfortune was at
tendant on it's opening they resusci-
tated the business and when they
sold in 1892 the mill had a daily "a
pacity of rs, 900 feet of lumber. Lum-
Der from this mill was used to build
Great Falls and a part of the first
log sawed is now in the Great Falls
public library.
Started Street Railway
Mr.. Meyers and Mr.. Maclay next
built the first light plant in Great
Falls, where the Ideal laundry is now
located. 1t was a steam power plant.
The next work was the organiza-
ton of a street railway system, the
tracks for which we're laid on First
north. The cars were mule
drawn and they continued to oper-
ate the railway and power plant I'M
It'd they were sold to the company
which preceded the Montana Power
company. They next built a water
and sold it after completion to
L. G.. Phelps, who in turn sold it to.
The city.