Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-05-06

"
Arthur j. Dickson, teacher in the
Lame Deer public schools, and historI-
cal writer, has come int possession of
a document of great interest HISTORICAL
~, a part of the diary of a traveller over
the old Lander trail I'm Wyoming and
Idaho I'm 1867, giving in detail the
routes taken, and distances Travelled
each day. The writer of the diary Ia
Ira III. Butterfield of East Lansing.
Mich, who was one of a party of ~
men who drove a herd of GOO pure
bred cattle and a band of purebred
sheep from Nebraska City, Nebr.. to
sacramento, Calf.
Besides being the only mpan known
to have driven purebred stock over the
overland trail to California, Mr.. Butter
neld's expedition was unique, In that
while travelling several hundred miles
through the territory of hostile Indians
at a time when the plains tribes were
particularly troublesome. they were never
molested by Indians.
Previous to the time of the expedition
to which Mr.. Butterfield belonged, cattle
and sheep had been shipped by way of
the Isthmus of Panama to California.
This was very expensive, but the risk of
loss by Indians and lack of water had
prevented stockmen driving overland. A
Mr.. Patterson OF New York state, organ
lied an expedition to drive stock to Cali
1ornia. Mr.. Butterfeld's father being in
terested in the stock. he was sent along
to look after his fathers interests.
The expedition had Just gotten start
ed when news Of the Civil wal reached
them. 1t was too late to turn back. Mr..
butter1eld, who was then a boy Of Is.
kept a diary OF the trip, giving locations
passed n incidents of the trip.
The diary is especially valuable to Mr..
Dickson as 1T throws considerable light
IN tho IL ~ fhN IL A--44
through Wyoming. Mr.. Dickson is pre-
pairing a book based largely on the story
Q Ia party OF emigrants who passed over
this route In going to the gold fields of
Montana.
Mr.. Dickson has obtained and had
blueprinted a map drawn by Capt. w. t.
Reynolds and First Lieut.. H. e. Maynaid-
er, OF the Tenth infantry. In 1859, show
ing the Lander trail in detail.
The Lander trail was laid out in 1857
or 1858, and was used extensively by
emigrants going to California and to the
Montana gold camps. The Lander trail.
or cutoff. crossed the Continental divide
twice before reaching Virginia City. but
by taking this route, the emigrants es-
capped the deserts In the region of Fort
Bridger and had shorter drives between
Waterholes n good grass.
MIR. Dickson's book, Covered Wagon
Days" is largely a biography of his faith
er. Jerome Dickson of Dayton. Wyo.. who
crossed over the Lander trail in 1864 at
which time the road was still in good
condition considering the small mount
of money expended on 1t, because of
wartime economy. According to Mr..
Dickson, this route has never received
due consideration from historians.
Considerable interest has been aroused
recently in the route of the old Lander
cutoff n an attempt is being made in
wyoming to have an automobile road
laid out over the same trail.
MIR. Butterfeld. the writer of the diary
received by Mr.. Dickson, Is the father Of
Or. Kenyon l.. Butterfield. president of
Michigan State college.