The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-06-04


Dan R. Conway ing firms in the his
tory Of the Northwest, and which
conducted an immensely profitable
business for many years following it's
establishment at Fort Benton in
1855.
Those of the younger generation
who are interested in that great big
historical story of how the western
part of the continent was cleared, can
find no narrative more absorbing
nor more educational than the his
tory of merchandising activities at
old Fort Benton, the head of naviga-
ton on the Missouri river.
AS the WOOdman in clearing the
land leaves heer and there some stall
wart elm or oak, which long years
after stands alone in the midst of
some green and fertile field, a soil
tary representative of the past, so the
grim Reaper, in his relentless harvest
of men, has spared here and there a
pioneer who forms a connecting link
between the past and the present.
Today, in Montana, these lonely
"elms and oaks" are becoming very
very few. Each has had his story,
a tale of experiences and accomplish
ments which are to p~Osterity, a
wealth in historic lore. Many have
passed and in their passing have TAX
en- with them important knowledge
of MOntana's past which can never
be retrieved. It is just this very
thing which is true of the greatest
business institution to operate in the
state of Montana during the latter
decades of the last century,. G..
Baker & Co.
All of the partners of this famous
old firm have long since passed and
in going the story of their enter
prise has been lost so far as detail is
concerned.
Greatest of all early-day merchan-
dising concerns in Montana, and
long forgotten except among histor-
ians and in the memories of the piO-
nee of old Chouteau county, I. G..
Baker & Co., of Fort Benton left a
story that constitutes one of the out
standing business rOmances of the
Old West.
Unfortunately this story, as i'm
pOrtant as it is in it's bearing upon
the history Of Montana, has never
been adequately written, and the
major portion of the details of the
vast extent of this great firms Oper-
atoms and the important part it
played in the development of this
state are not now Obtainable..
I have searched the records con-
tanned in many historical volumes
and all of these available have failed
to disclose any detailed account of
1. G. Baker e Co. Warner Beers &
COmpany's History Of Montana, pub
lished in 1885, in the personal his
tory and "reminiscences of G. E. Con-
rad, has the following to state OF
the company which, though very
brief and inadequate, gives some idea
of the extent of the firms opera
tiOns:
&C. e. Conrad is one Of the firm Of
/. G. Baker & Co., Of Fort Benton,
wholesale and retail dealers in general
merchandise. Mr.. c. 3. Conrad and W.
G. Conrad being the resident members
Of the firm at that place. Com
ing to Fort Benton in the sixties, Mr..
Conrad served in the capacity Of clerk
for I. G. Baker & Co., until 1873, be-
coming In that year a member Of the
firm and so continued for one year. Mr..
Conrad and his brother, w. G. Conrad,
at that time purchased the interest Of
Geo. A. Baker, since when the business
has been conducted under the name OF
I. G.. Baker & Co. In 1874 this firm, in
COMPANY with 7. G. Power & Co, built
the steamer Benton, and in 1875 I. G..
Baker & Co, bought the steamer Red
Cloud. In 1876 they built the steamer
Colonel McLeOud. These boats run for
a number Of years between Fort Benton
and ST. Louis, Mo-, and between Fort
Benton and Bismarck. The Steamer
Colonel McLeOud sunk in 1879 and the
Red Cloud went down IN 1882, while the
Benton was sold in 1882 TO q. G. Power
g. Bro. From 1855 to 1874 this firm did
an immense business with the Indians,
having trading posts at fourteen differ
ent points at one time, and collecting
9nnualy some o9gSy DetLaAo ropes 444
Canadian government sent into the c0un-
try 500 mounted police, which i. O..
Baker q Co. supplied with everything
were Gnanciai agents 9or the Canadian