The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-04-02

of April 1, 1891, is ~republished at
this time in the Bohemian Courier be-
cause the article happens to contain.
besides the name Of William Rea.
ST., the names of several other trail
blazers in southcentral Montana who
will be remembered by many of the
old-timers still living.
The article, under the head of "Old
Time "reminiscences, in which Uncle
Billy Rea Tells a Story of an Indian
Scare and a Bear" follows:
In 1866 and 81 1 was mining in
Emigrant Gulch with Harry Comley,
Tim. COgswell and a Mr.. Drummond,
who afterward kept a store at Deg
Town on Middle creek, near Robin
sons.
Cogswell, our foreman, was an old
"~Forty-niner." He was foreman in
building the road through Prickley
Pear canyon and was induced to go
to Emigrant by Harry Comely. Harry
kept books for King & Gillette before
he came to Emigrant.
Our claim prospected well. Cogs-
well was a fine miner and gave US
every encouragement. We expected
a great deal of money, but made
nothing. We had a hydraulic 100
feet high and piped three weeks and
cleaned up $27.00. We had ran bull
lets out of the lead found in the
sluice boxes. LacrOiX, afterward
publisher of the Helena Independent,
and Owens, Of Deer Lodge, who had
been quartermaster in Blunt's army.
$ were interested with US.
I About the LIST of March in '67-it
was pretty cold then, l tell you
lCogswell, COmely, Drummond and
1 were taking over from Bozeman SOM
t mining hose and provisions. We
crossed the divide just after BOze.
S man was killed. We had eight pace
5 horses and had got down owe Trai
CEEth AlNluG dilu WOlG III NiC SAoA
= near where Byam's coal mine is now
s when fifteen or twenty Indians ap
: peared on the hill and gave warlik'
demonstrations.
Some of us expected to be butch
cred forthwith, but Comley Shove,
t. no more fear than when sitting a
e home.
y Cogswell had an old Sharp's rifle
y in which he used paper cartridge
y Comley, a six-shooter, and 1, a Her
nv rifle with sixteen cartridges in
and lots Of others esides. Drum
mond had nothing but a butche
knife. Cogswell loaded and sale
Now, Billy, let them come; I'm a
ready"
RS l told Drummond to watch tt
d pack horses and if the redskins d
come, to cut the packs off so v
II could run the horses out and say
them, and about that time the Il
dams disappeared ver the hill.
Soon after that we had a rocE
point to o -around and l was afra
T. the Indians were ehind it waitir
elk for -. so / asked Comley to
Of ahead and looI over the ground b
20, fore We went around. He rode
on top and waived his hat and
went on and found no Indians thel
We had a brushy creek to cross so
,ro and Comley again recOnnoitered a
. examined the brush carefully.
lrh never was out with a Drawer m
in than Comley. He was asolutf
without fear of Indians and wor
risk his life at any time for the
who were with him.
After he decided it was safe ]
us to 90 through the brush we we
on. but we saw nothing more
the Indians. j..
At shutdown we had four or Z
imore miles to go before we COZ
reach the Yellowstone river. 20
lev led and we pushed along to
TO the Yellowstone so we could Gro
for fear the Indians would steal
horses.
Before we reached the river 20
lev was bearing off too much TO
left. He did not know the locat
of the ford. 1 did, and L hollered
him, "B'ar to the right, Harry"
turned his horse and came dash
back in a great hurry, asking brea
,rt Iessly, where in the world IS Z
bear?" We had a good laugh
him and he again took the le
is, Though fearless as far as inui
were concerned, Comley was morO
afriad Of bears.
At the Yellowstone the ace
very heavy and we could not CT
IN mo 10