The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-08-22
BY Martha Edgerton Plassmann

, travellers from the eastern
5 states in 1868, as there are toda,
one by water, and one by land
The ocean journey could be short
ened by crossing the Isthmus O
Panama, but the traveller might pay
dearly for his desire to avoid round
ing the Horn, as the malarial condi
tions on the Isthmus often PROVED
fatal to those who, coming from {
northern climate, were exposed tc
them. The time required for the
overland trip could be lessenec
only by using horses or mules in,
stead of oxen as motive power. The
greatest danger on this route arose
from its passing through a country
claimed by many hostile Indian
tribes.
At first, after his appointment as
Chief Justice of Idaho, my father,
Sidney Edgerton, decided to go
with his family to Lewiston, the
capital of the new Territory, via
the Isthmus, and all preparations
were made for an ocean voyage
when, for some unknown reason,
that plan was abandoned in favor
of the overland trip. My mothers
fear of being on the water, may
have had its influence. Then, too,
my mothers younger brother, Ben
jamin Wright, who had crossed the
plains in 1850 to California, advised
that we should go bv land.
When it was known that we con-
templated this journey, many wish
ed to accompany us; but my father
consented to accept only two of the
applicants-L. A. Gridley, a bust
ness man from Hiram, Ohio, and a
Mr.. Booth who was to act as guide.
The claims of the latter were based
on his once having made the trip.
He also owned spy-glass which
He would bring with him, and by
observations taken through it, our
party need not be surprised by In
dams, he assured us.
Col. Wilbur F. Sanders, my
fathers nephew, his wife, and two
children, the eldest not four years
old, young girl, Amoret Geer,
were to go with us, and Henry Til
den, a seventeen year old boy, who
later figured in Plummer hold
up. Our own family consisted be-
side my father and mother, of their
four children, and my fathers
niece, Lucia Darling, who was de-
stined to teach the first school in
what is now Montana.
Our little company, together with
friends and relatives, left Tall
madge, Ohio, June 1, 1868, for the
little town of Cuyahoga Falls,
three miles distant where we would
take the train to Cleveland. 1t was
the loveliest of summer days, and
seemed an suspicious beginning of
our long pilgrimage. The train of
four or five cars was ready to
leave when we arrived at the sta
ton, the small engine vigorously
putting out smoke from its smoke
stack, shaped like an inverted bell,
gave evidence that no time would
De given for protracted farewells.
Not a tear was shed although
hearts were wrung with sorrow
1t the parting. AS we moved slow /
y away, we looked from the car
windows on smiling faces, and
leard CHEEKY voices saying, Good
~! Good-by, and safe journey to .
rou all"
That evening we drove from our !
lotel to the Detroit boat. Lake ;
erie, as is customary with that
hallow body of water, was rough. :
This, together with the boat smells {
f tar and bilge water made us all I
cry seasick. 1t being my first ex-
erience with the complaint, I won
cred if | could endure such misery d
ntil we reached land. / did and :
yas able to go on deck the next af- i
ernoon, and watch our approach T
} the wide Detroit river as the sun |
Tas setting. 1t was a magnificent :
Gene, and one I was old enough to !,
njoy. y
On disembarking l made the :
range discovery that I could not
ak straight; my rolling gait be- Il
lg decidedly nautical. do not G
now whether the rest of the party e
ere likewise affected; if they were G
e must have presented a singular Il
as we reeled through
lie hotel dining room.
From Detroit we went to Chica-
o, and thence by the Hannibal and
t. Joe railroad to St. Joseph, h,
[issouri. The great extent of .,
at Drairie land in Illinois almost -