The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-01-07

uted the credit for the discovery of the
Virginia mines and the opening up of
the Yellowstone country, according to
early writer's.
The new mining camp of Virginia
City contributed to its own exploring
expedition, the Snack River enterprise
of 1868, Captain De Lacey in charge.
They left Virginia City August 3,
1868. An account of the expedition
says, they arrived at Blacktail Deer
Greek August 6, where a number of
men had assembled to go on STAN
pede.' They went up the Blacktail
Deer Greek, reached Red Rock creek
on the 9th and Camas on the 18th.
They returned to Virginia City in Sep
TENDER "after a trip of 500 miles,"
The first Official map of the terri
tory of Montana was made by Captain
De Lacy 'for the use of the governor
and his legislature" The state APP
proved of the map and paid him 1925
for the service.
In 1869 Montana was still terra in
cognita and Cook and Folsom headed
party that went up the Yellowstone
to the lake and thence acroses the di-
vide into the Madison geyser basin.
The year 1870 saw another explor-
ing OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to Bozeman
undertaken. This unit intended to
explore the Big Horn and the Black
Hills. AS they were about to start
the secretary of war instructed the
commander at Fort Russell to stop
them unless they promised not to visit
the places mentioned. Some of the
party went up on their own" and
were killed by the Arapohoes. Others
came into Montana bearing with them
the cannon known in Montana history
as "the Big Horn gum
Comstock, the discoverer of the
famous Comstock, Nevada, lode, and
who was again poor man, joined the
expedition at Miners Delight, Wyom-
ing, and came through to Bozeman.
Topping says Comstock twas at times
Respondent to the verge of lunacy.
During one of these spells he COM
mitted suicide by pistol shot during
the ensuing fall"
In 1870 Montana was still being ex-
plored. General Washburne and Lieu
tenant Doane set out at the head of
an expedition formed in Helena. Doane
and N. P. Langford, who was with
them, wrote the first authentic and
comprehensive report on Yellowstone
park.
The exploring BUSINESS was becom-
ing attractive and General Sheridan
began a series of such ventures in
1871, and these were continued into
the early 80's.
The Hayden Geological Survey dis
covered Mystic lake-now wonder
hydro-electric plant of the Montana
Power company, in 1871.
Roberts expedition of 1872 Tex
plored the Missouri river from Three
Forks to Fort Benton"
Survey Boundary
The northern boundary survey was
made in 1874, and concluded October
20, 1874, "at the summit Of the Rock
les, near Chief mountain" where a
monument was erected.
The iron pillars marking the line
were all placed on October z, 1875.
This work was done under the boun-
Diary treaty of 1916.
The Jones expedition to mark mil
itary road went out in 1873, and the
Yellowstone wagon road expedition in
1874.
The Forsyth and Grant expedition
came in 1875. The commanders were
Lieut.. Coils. j. w. Forsyth and Fred D.
Grant. They came to determine among
other things, the practicability of OPP
Grating steamboats, on the Yellow
stone.
The closing exploring expeditions
of the SOS were those of the Northern
Pacific railway engineers, the surveys
ordered by the sureyor-general of the
territory, and those of the United
States engineering corps.
The founders Of Montana were quite
aware that they were making import
ant history, for one of the very first
acts was the organization of the Mon
tana Historical society incorporated
under act of Feb. 2, 1865. Wilbur F
Sanders was the first president, and
Granville Stuart the first secretary
The act establishing the Montana
public school system was passed Feb
7, 1865. The pioneers early provided
for the education Of the young. The
first school census was taken in 1867
and showed 1859 persons of school
age, with an attendance of 704. In
1882 the number had increased to 49,
1872, with an attendance of 1914.
Establishment of Religion