The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-12-25

Those houses were all at the upper
part of Yankee Flat nestled close un-
der the hills. At the lower end, high
up on the mOuntainside, two or more
dugOuts served as bachelors dwell
ings. They were not p%erceptible at
a distance by day, but at night tiny
lights cleaned out to indicate their
location. There may have been 9TH
er houses at this end of the Flat, but
I remember none.
Beneath these on the mountains,
two bitches or fumes had been con-
structed to carry water for the use
of the miners. At sunset these
fumes were opened, and the ear was
greeted with the musical sound of
falling waters.
Across the stream from Yankee
Flat vas the town, dignified as any
small settlement of the period came
to be, by the addition Of "City" to its
name, and as Bannack City it was
known throughout the Northwest.
An uglier town could not well be
imagined, especially during the
winter when the rude log cabins
stood out in plain relief against the
white background of snOw-cOvered
mountains, and the GrasshOpper lay
hidden under the ice.
Pretense did not end with the
towns name. The larger buildings
used for business purposes, had false
fronts of varying height, often bear
ing the name of the saloon, or what
ever business it housed. A log
building may be beautiful, and hor-
monte artistically with it's surround
ings; but there was no effort in this
/ direction evident in the architecture
of our pioneer settlements. Utility
came first. and even this was not
given the consideration it deserved.
Most of the roofs were made of poles
covered with earth, which served as
protection from the rays of the sun
but not from heavy rains or melt
ing SHOWS.
The inhabitants Of Bannack City
were chiefly males, as might be eX
pected in a pioneer mining town. The
few women residents had nothing o
common interest to bring them to
gether. Today in Montana there arr
few towns so small they do not have
a woman's club to serve as a sOcia
nucleus. At first there was NJ
church service, and had there been
when a representative of the Meth
lodist Church North Officiated, j
could not be expected that adherent
of the Methodist Church South dur
ing war time would attend, especial
the women, for they are less apt t
be tolerant than the men.
There was almost no visitin
among the women; the four Or fiv
girls in town saw one another OC
lcasiOnally. There was absolutely n
community life. Men found the ss
loon a common center, and the dane
and gambling halls provided others
Women remained at home, and ger
orally found plenty to keep them OF
cupied there, in the absence of a
cOnveniences. Marketing could nc
generally be regarded as an amusC
ment, but it would have been in Bar
mack City, as it might have furI
ished a slight change from the wear
some routine Of the WOmen's live
But marketing was not always sal
where pistol play was the chief an
usement Of some Of the male inhab
tants. have already told Of my OF
visit to Thompson & SWift's generi
merchandise store, when Plumm'
had an alteration there with anOthl
man; revOlvers we're drawn, and
and others felt it would be safer on
side. Shopping, it will be unde
stood from this, partOOk Of the n
ture of a fOray into an enemy's cOu
try, and was not lightly to be cOnsi
cred. Among the earliest pioneer
men did most Of the shopping, al
nearly all the gOssipping, this anus
ment being theirs by force Of necS
sity.
There was no sleighing, nOr W
there a child's sled. The nearest a
Apr0ach to anything Of the kind "
piece Of hide on which an Indi