Montana oil and mining journal., 1935-08-03

disturbing the peace BY knocking tOs
loudly and too long on neighborl
door with, IL was afterwards reported
malicious designs on q female OF tht
household" Gilman and Salisbury dis
creteiy replaced their 1erkies with Con-
cords.
Elsewhere, however, the buckboards
held favor with the travelling public
AS early as 1881 q stage line was con-
templated between Couison and Fort
Benton. It became reality the next
year and ierkies were used exclusively.
In later years Robert Leavens, pres
ident Of the Lseavens Livestock COM
pany Of Billings, held the mail con-
tract between Billings and Iavina and
drove the route in jerky.
The Coulson Cater the Btlings) to
Benton stages were promoted by T. @.
Power Of Helena and they too were
jerkies
The lighter rig had the advantage
OF greater speed. Where both types Of
vehicles made riding strenuous work,
the blackboard was preferable because
of its Hghtness.
Although much has been written Of
the stage coaches rObberies perpetrated
In the Billings area, few Of the holdupS
netted enough to keep q modern gang
ster In gasoline money.
4aAJGb Va bAAE btA4Ca "a AOAACAI AAAFC
Holdup Cut on Five-A6ile creek as their
locale. The thefts were petit larceny
affairs because the countryside expected
them. Passengers left their money at
home and nothing of value was sent
by mail or express.
One Of few robberies on the Gilman
and Salisbury line evoked the Editor
Walter MatheSon Of the Coulson Post
to dip his pen In vitrol
On Feb. Is, 1882, three road agents
followed the westbound coach out Of
Miles City and snatched mail pouch. /
1T was bad enough" Editor Matheson |
opined, when the pouch was taken
without the drivers knowledge, but
when the receiving postmaster does not
notice the absence Of all eastern mail, /
It is time for an investigation"
The highwaymen did not get away
scot-free, 1t is worthy to note. A month
" so later bucko named Henry Min
,eer, also called "Shang," Was arrested
n Coulson and admitted the theft.
His accomplices apparently escaped.
Probably the last stage robbery Of
Importance Ia the Billings area occur
ed In the fall Of 1887 on the Forty
ldiIe ranch near Fort Custer. The place
S also remembered as Halfway sta
ion.
Three men stopped the southbound
tage from Billings to Buffalo, Wyo.,
open and looted its treasure
,ox and then relieved Mr.. Sledman,
route agent for the stage firm, Of
lis valuables.
and Cas- Wheeler were arrest
d and accused of the holdup. They
we're surrounded in a camp on the
row Indian reservation not far from
he scene Of the robbery. Other evil
lence pointed to their guilt.
The men, however, were freed Wnen
hey proved they were in another camp,
o miles from Forty-Alile, st the time
f the stick-up.
Later they were tried and acquitted
n a charge OF obstructing the United
tates mail.
The last horse-drawn stage line to
i've in 30 the advance of the steam age
Tas that between Great Falls and Lew
;town. It came into being in the SOS,
nd continued daily in 1906. The
tages used on the line, however, were
ot the numbering Concords Of earlier
ears but lighter vehicles built on much
he same pattern.
Several Of this type Of carriage are to
e found IN the vicinity Of Billings.
oIytechnic has, or did have, such
bach. 1T Is reputed to have been once
] the DeadwoOd, 8. d., rum Another
ghtweight veteran, used for years In
ellowstone National park, belongs to
ne Northern Pacific and is q fixture
! the Union station park. w. E. (See
lei Baker had a priced coach for q
lng time and probably could find it
licked away in some obscure corner Of
is warehouse.
For it is In the darkened hooks that
lese veterans Of the early trails are
,tting away their lives.
But around them fingers an aura
romance that age and rust cannot
spel. Worn and battered, their
,rings shattered, doors unhinged, up-
olstering eaten by moths, they still
and bravely, refugees for the shades
the glorious past.