Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-03-02

10y W. III. DtNtlIl)
IF THE proposed federal highway from
Red Lodge to Cooke City becomes a
4 reality. O route not only OF great scenic
beauty but of considerable historic In
terest Will be made accessible to the ma
TONS travellers. Through Clark's Fork
pass by slightly divergent routes, Indian
bands. troops of soldiers and mining par
ties made their way from the Yellow
stone park. country to the fertile lands
Of the Big Horn and lower Clark's Fork
and Yellowstone, during pioneer days.
The Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone
rises near the northeast corner of yell
lowstone park across a low divide from
Cooke City and after flowing southwark
for about 20 miles, 1t makes a great bend,
passing through Clark's Fork canyon,
part OF which is impossible, and then
turns ~northward to meet the Yellow
stone.
The earliest travel followed the water
grade largely, swinging south of the can
yon n then through some rough u
try back to the stream again. But it
was soon found that much time could
be saved by shortcuts over the plateau
to the north Of the canyon, especially
during the summer months when the
upper levels were free from snow.
The proposed highway would follow
the shorter way n in fact Will take q
shorter path than any of the old trails.
BY a ~switchback system 1t will climb the
sides of a mountain canyon with a less
than s per cent grade to the top of the
plateau. The plateau at It's highest point
is about 10000 feet above sea level and
nearly a thousand feet above timber
line. The engineers in planning the road
have paid especial attention TO snow pro-
lection SO that the road can be kept open
for as long a period as possible each year.
The route down the Clark's Fork was
first q trail of the Indians, who in their
turn, as with SO many other famous
routes, followed the paths Of the game
animals who instinctively picked out the
easiest and best grades. The Bannack
Indians are said to have frequently come
across the trail from the west to visit the
Crows and other tribes also found 1t
convenient in their migrations.
1t is difficult to say at what date the
first white men came down the upper
Clark's Fork. 1t is possible hat some Of
the hardy company of fur traders n
trappers Of the days of John Golfer and
James Bridger followed the trail in their
many travels.
A tragedy in the year 1859 gives the
first historic incident of the upper
Clark's Fork. Prospectors at Emigrant
gulch were industriously combing the
mountains north OF Y%ellowston park for
AlcW otIlhcS. oLe party Vi lllLcIS dIlSE
prospecting rou the headwaters Of
the Boulder and Saltwater crossed over
to the Clark's Fork and started down
the stream, prospecting as they went.
AT the first large stream to the right
near the head of the canyon, the party
divided, most Of the men going west
over the divide to the Yellowstone can
yon. Two men, Crandall and Finley.
stayed with the intention Of going
further south. A few days later another
party coming down the stream found the
two men dead in the camp. They had
been killed by a and of Arapahoe Indi-
ans who had come north into that Sec
ton although the identity of their as
sailants was not known until the fol-
lowing year. The stream where they
camped is now called Crandall creek.
The expedition which came north by
the Big Horn and Clark's Fork on it's
way from Cheyenne to Bozeman In the
spring of 1870, prospected around the
Shoshone, then called the Sinking
Water, and the country north and also
encountered the Arapahoes. 1t was this
gun which afterwards figured in several
Indian campaigns, to Bozeman.
Near Stockade lake, which is ON the
plateau only O short distance from the
proposed highway, are the remains of q
pole stockade which is said to have been
tuiOWl up ny LIE llluldIlS III 10 IL. ltlcTc
are various stories about the ~stockade.
One is that a band of cattle rustlers had
their rendezvous here and hat they were
chased out by the ranchmen with sew
eral of the bandits missing.
When the Nez Perces under the leader
ship of Chief Joseph and Looking Glass
made their long fight for freedom, they
came over the same route after traversing
Yellowstone park. The little group Of
miners on Soda Butte creek took to the
tall timber. 1t is said that Sam Shively,
who had been one Of the discoverers Of
the New World mining district where is
now Cooke City, was captured by the
Nez Perces and used as a guide. After
leading the dusky nordes into the mazes
Of the mountains, he managed to escape
from them. The pursuing Howard a
almost caught up with the Nez Perces
when they finally got back on the right
track,
Although unfamiliar with the country
he was traversing, Chief Joseph was more
fortunate in the next break of luck. The
discounted generals blamed some Crows
whom the Nez Perces CHANGED upon for
the bit of strategy. General Sturgis. who
had hurried from the Yellowstone to