The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-04-22
Early Days.

Gd1AJ Lays De
Before the tide of immigration
brought the homeseeker into Eastern
Montana, it had witnessed the pass
age of hundred years full of grip
ping human experience. This was
the era of the explorer, missionary
and the fur trader. Without doubt
in 1742 this part of the state was
traversed by the gallant Verendrye
and his adventurous companions in
their quest for the western ocean. On
April 26, 1905 the Lewis and Clark
expedition, in their canoes reached
the mouth of the Yellowstone river,
where it is joined by the Missouri.
He pronounced this spot an excellent
situation for trading post. Clark
paused for only short time and
then passed westward. In 1929 the
American Fur Trading Co. establish
ed a trading post on that point. 1t
was called Fort Union and became
the most formidable fur trading es-
tablishment ever erected in the
Northwest. 1t continued a point of
trade for over forty years. A con-
slant stream of boats, during the
favorable season, arrived from St.,
Louis and points south on the Mis-
souri,, unloaded. their cargoes and re
turned south loaded with rich bales
of furs.
Happy Hunting Grounds.
Northeastern Montana was the
hunting ground for the Sioux and the
Blackfeet Indians. The plains were
given over to buffalo, deer, wolves
and fleet bands of antelope that
passed like clouds before the hunt
ers; ferocious grizzlies infested the
willow thickets, wild fowl filled the
air; creeks and backwaters swarmed
with beaver. The Indian hunter af-
ter carefully treating his furs, haul
ed them on travOis, or crossed
sticks dragged by a cayuse, to Fort
Union. There he would exchange
them for products of civilization,
which the thrifty fur trader had
taught him to desire, or the fire
water for which he thirsted.
Cow Outfits Arrive.
When the fur traders had cleared
the streams of beaver and the plains
of buffalo, the rich pasturage fur
nished suStenance for a different
commercial product. When the land
had become freed from the menace
OF Indian warfare, when "Sitting
Bull' and Chief Joseph withdrew
; their activities westward, cow out
fits began to hold their cattle on the
, well grassed ranges. The Mn out.
fit from Texas was perhaps the larg-
est of these nomadic frontier outfits
to pass through this district. The
cattle market at that time was locat.
ed south of here. Omaha, Kansas
City and Dubuque were the destina.
l lions of most of the cattle fatteneC
, on eastern Montana grass.
River Transportation
4 The principal means of gettine
t supplies into the country was by
boat as far as Fort Union, which act
ed as distributing point. Canoes
keel boats and flat boats brought
|, their cargoes from st. Louis. II
i 1850 the first steamer made its ap
> pearance at Fort Union. After tina
: the Fur Company sent up from two
to four steam boats each season. II
r 1868 the first railroad reached Siou2
City. After that the boats were
e loaded at that place for points as faI
west as Fort Benton. Transporta
/ ton was more frequent and reliable
:. though often disasters overlook tn,
: passengers and cargoes.
To the casual adventurer, eastern
: Montana presented an unpromisin,
a appearance, he regarded it for tn,
q most part as a useless waste to b,