The Bozeman courier., 1927-06-17

FOrty-five years ago a point Just Op-
pOSite the present city of Billings the
now forgotten town of COulsOn-Was
the head of navigation on the Yellow
stone river. A regular line of packets
was maintained to bring supplies up
river for the Northern Pacific railroad,
then building through that section of
the state, and COulsOn was the last
landing point.
Memories of the Coulson Packet COM
pany's line; Of Captain Grant Marsh Of
whom 1t was said that he could pilot
his ship on morning dew" Of Marsh's s
Josephine and kindred characters and
craft of river traffic days are being re-
vived in connection with arrangements
for observance Of the 45th anniversary
Of the founding Of Billings, July 2, 8 and
4. The anniversary is being made the
occasion for a celebration more preten-
tious in the way Of entertainment than
this city ever has attempted before.
At a point a little west Of south of
Billings, Captain Marsh, greatest of river
captains, swung about the steamer Jose
phine, after reaching the highest point
on the Yellowstone ever attained by a
river craft. This was on June z, 1875,
and to a tree west Of the old town of
Coulson, Marsh tied his ship. For many
| years this giant cottonwood bore the date
and the name Of the boat. They were
carved into the wood. The tree, how
ever, long since has uprooted and swirled
down to the Missouri by the restless
stream.
The Josephine was built at Freedom
Pa, as an addition to the Coulson fleet
under instructions from Captain Marsh
who was one Of the owners of the line
1t was intended for his special use. She
was of light draught and was especially
designed for use on the Yellowstone. The
trip Of 1875, drew only 20 inches oi
water. She was registered 800 tons bur
den. The Coulson Packet company haC
the contract for moving government sup
plies and troops and the Josephine wal
selected for the work with view to con
venience Of military operations on th'
frontier.
Early in 1875, General Phillip Sheri
dan, after a consultation with Commo
dore S. B. Coulson, manager Of the com
pany, arranged for an exploring eXpedi
ton to the head Of navigation on tn
Yellowstone which resulted in Captain
Marsh's achievement.
The trip was made with little inciden
until after the mouth Of the Big Horl
was passed. At the Big Horn which wa
reached June 2, the Prov Of the Jose
phine was turned into its strong curren
and the boat assembled for IL miles wher
the channel was broken by chutes an
mudbanks and further progress was i'm
possible. The following year, howevel
while accompanying the expedition
against the Sioux, which ended in tn
Custer disaster, Marsh assembled beyon
the confluence with the Little Big Hor
in the Far West from where he race
against time bringing Reno's wounde
to Bismarck, after the tragedy and tn
news Of the wiping out Of Clusters com
mand to the world.
OF the Josephine only the bell re
mains. 1t is one Of the treasured relic
displayed in the Parmly Billings Memo
rial library. Marsh engaged in carry
mi
= sions in the subjection Of the IndiaI
: until 1882. Later he conducted varioJ
. steamboat enterprises on interior wate
: ways, rounding out a career Of mo-
! than go years on boats on the Mi
= sissipi and its tributaries. One of IL
- last contracts in which he was active
. engaged was carrying concrete on IL
= steamer Expansion, from Glendive to tt
=. Lower Yellowstone irrigation project da
= at Mondak in 1906.