Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-09-02

HE annual gathering OF Montana
pioneers held at Missoula, was ex-
tremely enjoyable, n SO declared
by those in attendance. h ctti-
Zens of the town spared nothing in the
way of entertainment, and even the
clerk Of the weather was favoably dis
posed. the days being Ike the Little
Bears porridge, neither too hot nor toe
cold. but just right"
Although there was a goodly number
of pioneers in the assembly, several have
gone On the long journey since the
memorable Fort Benton meeting Of last
year. The tru pioneers, those who came
here during the COS or earlier. are rapidly
passing away. 0 the story of their
experiences will cease to be personal
narratives, but take the form of ira
dition which, after the usual custom,
may be strangely warped. his is
already beginning to be the case. For
this reason, 1t is important that all facts
regarding the early settlement OF Mon
tana should be recorded now while those
are living who can verify them.
Either the pioneers of our state are
remarkably virile, or the climate and
life lived here is conducive to old age,
for at this meeting there were one OF
more who had passed their ninety-fifth
birthday, and there were several octo-
genarians, men and women who might
easily have been taken to be twenty
years younger.
Mayor Kemp, in his welcoming adj
dress, spoke of those who came here
sixty years ago. A number arrived at
that time, yet there were many who
arrived in so and SO, and earlier. who
are still living. These have absorbingly
interesting tales to give OF those remote
days, If they can be induced to tell them
What they have passed through seems
+~4rSoI IN fnnyn Thnv nonvnf rnn1izQ
that the facts they can impart will
serve as the foundation for the history
of Montana, which remains to be written
Fully impressed with this belief, anc
armed with pencil and note book ]
wandered from one ~grayheaded pioneer
to another to learn what / could Of
those far off days, now gone forever, anc
preserve historical g~leanings for future
generations. Time for this work was
limited, as was also my strength. II
was impossible to interview more thar
a few, between the meetings and enter
tainments, although I collected some
stories while on the train between Helena
and Missoula. These will appear later ii
this newspaper.
three days together with the eloquent
and Informative addresses of Dean Stone
on "Trailblazers," and DR.. Phillips or
Fort Owen" Meetings were held al
the Rialto, and Wilma theaters, which
which were generously donated for tht
occasion. On approaching one of these
buildings, I CHANGED to glance up, anc
there, staring us in the face, was the
announcement Of the next film, whicf
CHANGED to be THE OUTLAW" 1t was
~singularly reminicent of Vigilante days
and I chuckled inWardly as I read 1t
the more SO hat the address of the day
given by Hon. Lew L.. Galloway, was de-
voted to the Vigilantes. Galloway is 6
good talker," was the comment at it'
close, of the pioneer who sat beside me
Another literary contribution merit
ing notice here, the salutatory writer
by Dean Stone, which prefaced the pro-
gram, entitled Welcome" contained The
following sentence:
THE western slope of Montana which
centers In Missoula is rich in the ira.
dition of pioneer days; 1t has been thu
scene Of some OF the most important
acts in the making Of the state. Here
was erected the first church; here was
discovered the first pay gravel; here
was agriculture first practiced hert
was held the first court OF law in thu
history Of the state. Missoula's interes'
in the pioneers is SO deep, SO sincere tina
1t cannot adequately be expressed II
words" The preface concluded with Thu!
apt quotation:
Light. strangers, and rest your sad
dies"
An exceedingly creditable magazine in.
Guiding his report. was issued by tn
society's historian, Mr.. G. O. Marcyes
IL contained photographs OF Genera
,Gibbon. Chief Joseph, General Miles. thu
present and outgoing presidents of thu
society, Patrick Carney n A. w. Orton
our Historical Librarian David Hilger
Frank ID. Brown, William A Clark Jr.