Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-08-27

paratory to another seasons contlne-
ment at this anything but enticing
locality. l find a very large amount
of snow yet covering the ground and
rather increasing in quantity rather
than diminishing, by reason of very
frequent snow storms and continuous
teams can reach this point on wheels
before May ! or later and by which
time l think we will have moved ahead
to the new terminus on Red Rock,
though we will not get there any soon
err than that date if by that time. Red
Rock will be about 32la miles nearer
than Beaver Canyon but I rather ex-
pect that you will have TO pay about
the same rate as you paid to Beaver
Canyon last fall. AT least, for awhile"
The approach of spring evidently did
not serve to relieve the situation to
any great extent, particularly as far
as rates were concerned.
April 10, 1880. 1 wrote you several
days since asking if I should ship your
brick and other freight at 2 cents. IT
looked then as though l should be able
to do SO 0 O but 10 it seems rather
doubtful again. Freight teams are all
very poor this spring down this way
and cattle teams will hardly get on
the road to do much good before mid
die Of May, and until that time prices
will be very high. The Glendale folks
are now offering $1,000 per ton on bull
lion. This is to End of Track, which
is about s miles south of Red ROCK.
There is no doubt a larger amount OF
outgoing freight to be moved this sea-
son than ever before. Nearly all the
hides and wool which formerly went
to Fort Benton will come this way"
At times a forwarding merchant was
called upon to act as a passenger
agent:
April !, 1880. "Will attend to secur-
ing q seat for Mr.. Pearce as soon as !
hear from him at Ogden. Think he
had better telegraph me the day he
leaves Ogden, so as to be sure about 1t.
Il have loaded out some Of your
freight on different outfits but have
been unable to make any contracts
without forcing the matter and caniiol
very we'll do that while transportation
is SO scarce, as it is now. The Hecla
folks are getting very anxious and are
after all the teams in the country.
Which has the effect to make freight
ers very independent about the mat
ter. Been showing here heavily for
two days past. Track is blocked north
and track laying entirely suspended.
Over Is inches of solid snow has
fallen"
When the anxious Hecla outfit had
shipped out its bullion a distinct
change in conditions was noted:
May 8, 1880. l learned yesterday
that the Hecla folks had cleaned out
all their bullion on hand and are now
only paying So and not turning out
very much. Think you will have but
little trouble hereafter in making down
shipments
This is the last letter in the series
until the final one next fall, when
freight charges had become compare
lively reasonable. Under date of Nov.
Q. 1880, the forwarding merchant wrote
Williams;
Have written Mr.. Clark asking if
l should ship at Sl.10, which is going
rate now and not much chance for
depression of rates again this fall"
When this final letter was written,
Dillon had been founded as the winter
terminus of the railroad, and Benjamin
F.. White was one of the founders. More
over, his letterheads would in the fu-
ture bear a permanent address. For
a period of 40 years, until his death
in 1920, he was to play a leading role
in the life of this community. AS
one of the founders and later presi-
dent of the First National bank, as
mayor, as state senator, as member Of
college and high school ~boardS-in a
myriad other capacities he served his
city and county well. Largely through
his leadership, this anything but en-
ticing locality" became n OF Mon
tana's wealthiest and most productive
counties.