The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-10-05
lit Was Paris Gibs0me Through Janme@ j. Hil1
Who Brought Railroad to Northern M0mtams
(By MRS. M. e. PLASSMANN)

IL taxes q VIVID uaS1nAt1O IOf
one living in Montana of today, to
picture conditions as they were be-
fore the arrival Of the railroads, and
the general use Of the automobile,
both of which devour distance at an
astonishing rate of speed when COM
pared with pioneer modes of travel.
Before the coming of the railroads
into the state, everything from with
out that was necessary to supply the
imperative demands Of settlers in city
Of country, was brought in by freight
outfits, except to towns or posts along
the Missouri, which had to secure
supplies in about three months to last
throughout the year, and this during
the brief period of high water, when
the river could be assembled by steam
boats.
Freight landed in Fort Benton or
elsewhere along the river was carried
by freighting outfits to the larger towns
where it was distributed.
We, who lived here in those days. felt
our isolation from the outside world,
and welcomed enthusiastically the adj
vent of the two first railroads to enter
the state, the Utah Northern, which
vas a branch of the Union Pacific, and
the Northern Pacific.
Not all, however, of our citizens at
that date, longed for better connection
with the East and West than the stage
coach and freight train afforded. When
the cause of the Northern Pacific was
plead IN the Montana legislature, a
gentleman from Missouri stated that
he never saw a railroad, and never
wanted to see one; and in a trembling
voice. added: IF they come here, the
children will be crying for bread" This
was the substance of his remarks, as I
recall them.
Unfortunately, I left Helena before
the arrival of the Northern Pacific, to
make my home for a few years in Fort
Benton where, during the summer
months, our ears were gladdened by
the warning whistle of the steamboats,,
but for the remainder of the year we,
who lived there, realized Jul remote
ness from East, West, and the few
towns in Montana. For nine months
we found ourselves cut off from many
things which contribute to make life
worth living.
Then Paris Gibson had a dream he
wished to see become real. A great city
should rise by the falls of the Missouri,
and he planned for this denouement by
employing my husband, Herbert Percy
Role, to lay out the nucleus of the pro-
posed townsite, and to act as his attor-
ney in carrying out the scheme. This
led to our leaving Fort Benton in May,
the fact that he could not refrain from
gambling.
HE left a wife and two children. In
another city, within the last few weeks.
a merchant committed suicide. 1t seems
that his business had failed. I am in
formed that he too wasted his money
in gambling dens."
The attorney general declared that
he was not making a mere reform
gesture" and that he will make no ex-
ceptions in prosecuting local officers
who fail to do their duty.
In the past weeks numerous tango
fbingo,' and Keno games have been
operating openly especially in the larg-
er cities, and my orders are that they
must be stopped at once along with all
card and dice games, roulette, faro, horse
race bets, slot machines and punch
boards"