Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-09-12

and the Blackfeet, preferring horses
to scalps, withdrew from the attack,
rounded up the ANIMALS and drove them
away. But for then desire for horse
flesh the little party might have been
annihilated.
After the abandonment of st. Mary's
mission, the fathers and lay brothers
were sent to the different missions that
had been established in the northwest.
st. 1gnatius mission, from which has
developed a flourishing reservation
town, was established by Father Hook
IN in 1851.
In l847 the Hudson's Bay company
established a trading post on Grow
creek, with Angus Mcdonald in charge.
In 1850 Major Owen came to the Bitter
Root, purchased the Improvements at
the Catholic mission and began trad
ing with the Indians.
Trappers Become Traders
Some time along in 1849-50 a num-
Der OF trappers and hunters abandoned
the chase and turned their attention
to trading with the emigrants who
thrOnged the overland trails to Oregon
and California. Among the leaders of
these men were Joseph Lampre, Will
liam Rodgers, Ben and Jim Stmons,
Ben KeiSer, Gabrielle Prudhomme and
others.
These men led a nomadic life. SPEND
ing the summer on the emigrant road,
they would trade for large numbers
OF sore-foOted cattle, which they would
drive to some good Wintering place
ley and trade them with the Indians
for horses and sell the horses to the
emigrants on the Oregon trail. In this
way q regular trade was built up be-
tween the Bitter Root valley and the
Road" as 1t was called, which on
tlnued for many years, and by which
many Flathead Indians became pos
sessed of large herds of fine cattle.
This emigrant trade brought a num-
Der OF persons into the valley to trade
with the Indians. among whom were
Thomas w. Harris and Caleb E. Irwin,
later Of Deer Lodge. Along about 1850
an old Mexican adventurer by the
name Of Emanuel Martin, known as
Old Emanuel" brought wagons into
the Bitter Root from Utah.
Part Of Washington Territory
In March, 1853, the territory of
washington was organized and Isaac
|. Stevens appointed governor. He was
entrusted with an expedition to make
d preliminary survey to determine the
practicability of a route for the North
ern Pacific railroad. Stevens expedi-
ton arrived in the Missoula country
IN 1853, bringing with it a number Of
men who afterwards became citizens
Of Montana, among them Captain C. P.
city of Missoula, Thomas Adams and
F. H. Burr, who were for many years
residents of Deer Lodge and Missoula
counties.
In the fall of 1853, Lieutenant John
Mullan, a member of the expedition,
was ordered to establish his winter
quarters in the Bitter Root valley and
TO make certain observations during
the winter. His party consisted Of a
few soldiers and some citizens. He
built four log structures at the mouth
OF Willow creek, in the valley, and
chrlstened 1t Cantonement Stevens, in
honor OF the commander OF the ex-
petition.
In the fall of 1855 Neil Macarthur,
an old Hudson's Bay trapper, having
retlred from the company's service,
came to the valley, accompanied by
L. r. Wallet and Henry Brooks. Nc
Arthur brought with him a band of
horses and a small herd of cattle, and,
Locating IN the abandoned buildings
OF Cantonement Stevens, engaged IN
stock raising.
Peace Treaties Signed
During the summer Of 1855 Governor
stevens concluded treaties with the
Blackfeet, Crows, Flatheads and other
mountain tribes of Indians, and the
Blackfeet raids into the valley, in q
great measure, ceased, and life and
property was comparatively safe.
The treaty between the United States
and the confederated Flathead nation
consisting of the Flatheads, Pend
dCreilles and Kootenai tribes, was con-
GUIDED at a council held IN July, 1855,
In a large pine grove, about eight miles
below where MiSsoula o stands. The