The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-04-18

which was a serious matter at this
time of the year.
1t should not be forgotten that
Deer Lodge was originally named
for Captain Joseph LaBaTge, LaBarge
City.
While the Civil war was waged,
most of the pilots and captains on
the Missouri and Mississippi rivers
were southern sympathizers. AL
though born in st. Louis, and slave
holder, Joseph LaBarge was one of
the few river men who took the oath
of allegiance to the United States,
and before the end of the war was
in full sympathy with the cause of
the north. Another allied instance is
that of Mark Twain, who was also
a pilot. Clemens experienced a change
of heart on going west; and it is pos
sibIe the western country had a SINH
lar influence on Joseph LaBarge.
He was of striking appearance, and
his features and complexion pro-
claimed Enthusiastically his French an
cestry. Although well advanced in
years when | saw him, he was re-
markably distinguished looking man.
Joseph LaBarge entered the fur
trade at the age of seventeen, con-
tracing with the American Fur COM
pany for a period of three years, dur
ing which time he received the NUM-
ficent sum of seven hundred dollars.
His first post was at Council Bluffs.
Some years later he severed his con-
nection with that company but con-
tinued to act as pilot or captain on
HH5cc0rr; Ea o11f1iuad r%iuoy@ M
vigation and died at the age of 83.
While the river meant little to us
who were passengers, and who re-
garded it simply as waterway to
reach our destination, it was replete
with memories to our silent, white
haired captain. Every bluff and
every bend of the tortuous stream
was peopled with phantom shapes he
alone saw. There stood fur post,
long since destroyed. Here was
populous Indian village. In yonder
wooded bank lurked hostile savages.
And by him swept the brigades, bear
ing their rich burden of furs to the
st. Louis market. Manned by Cana
dian voyageurs, he heard again the
loved refrains of the boatmen's songs
as they drew near, passed, and were
lost to sight and sound.
One of the Sisters who accompan-
led us spent most of her waking
hours in reading a small volume in
which she was so intensely interested
that she was apparently oblivious to
the insect tormentors that swarmed
about her. A fellow passenger, NOV
ed by curiosity, ventured to ask her
what she was reading. With gen.
tie smile. she replied, 'It is called
Thoughts on Death
Our captain needed no book to re-
mind him of death, who was en-
.hroned on either river bank. He
once said that if the graves of those
who had died there were marked, the
banks of the Missouri would be one
ong cemetery, from its source to its
mouth.
1t is told of him, that due to his
many tragic experiences, Captain
Joseph LaBarge was sometimes sub
ect to moods of depression. These
only occurred when he was inactive.
Soon recognizing this fact, he learn
I'd to Danish them by what is legiti-
nately never a curse, but blessing
work. His last remun-
srative work was to aid in compiling
/ list of steamboat wrecks on the
Missouri, and was undertaken but
.wo years before his death. cal
hough," writes Chittenden, "the
number of these wrecks lacks but five
If three hundred, the Captains men,
Dry embraced them nearly all, and
most of them with, great accuracy of
letail."