Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-10-19

set spurs to his horse, dashed through
the group, and was swallowed I'D IA the
darkness before they could collect their
wits.
My fathers station was the first one
out of Salt Lake City on the st. JOS
eph route. A rider left a station on
the run, and seldom slowed up till he
reached the next change station. These
stations were from is to IS miles apart
The rider had 10 make time to rush
the mail TO the states, regardless Of
wear and tear on rider or horse.
Later the Wells, Fargo express stock
ed their route with new Concord stage
coaches and driving horses. This gave
transportation TO persons coming west
or going back to the states, and pas
sengers paid all it was worth to ride
over a rough road behind a four
horse team going at breackneck speed.
They had to keep the coach doors clos
ed to stay inside. The drivers usually
strapped themselves on TO the drivers
seat, but the passengers bounced around
inside. The drivers business was to
cover the ground and deliver the mail.
This mail service was more modern
than the pony express, but the coaches
we're more exposed to Indian attack,
and in the first years there was plenty
Of trouble. When the coaches came
into use father was placed at the first
station out Of Salt Lake City as camp
tender and trouble man. He had not
been there long until he had more
trouble than he could handle. After he
had worked about 30 days the out
going stage failed to return, and father
was notified to help Sam Gets. the
manager of the line, hunt the coach I'D.
They started out, and halfway to the
next station they came upon a grue- |
some sight. Here was the missing |
coach riddled with bullets, the lead
horses lying dead where they had been
shot down to stop the stage. The mail
had been scattered in every direction. |
A short distance ahead they came up
on the body of the driver, Ed Hadley, |
Ed had been shot several times, his |
scalp and part of his clothing taken. |
The coach was still in running order |
After placing Hadley's body in it and |
gathering up what mail they could find, |
they trailed it back to Salt Lake City, I
where Hadley was buried beside many /
of his pals who had preceded him.
Some time after that the Indians at |
tackled fathers station after setting fire |
to the hay stacks It happened that two |
other men were at the station when the |
fight started, and they killed several |
of the Indians before they were forced /
out of the station to the barn. once !
inside the stable, they stopped firing |
for a time to trick the Indians into |
coming closer. Four Indians were left
and If they thought the men were out /
Of cartridges, or killed, they might ven
ture close to the barn and expose them
selves to fire. The Indians fired on the
barn, and getting no action they grad /
ually drew closer A brave stuck his
head through an open window. One of
the men grabbed him by the hair and
pulled him inside, while the other two
did some fast shooting. They killed
two Indians, and the other got away.
After the fight they had their captive
brave. They stood him against the /
wall. My father said that when they
pointed their guns at him he would
close his eyes, They tantalized him q
while, and then dispatched him.
My father tired of this adventurous
Job, bought farm and settled down to
B quiet life for several years. His
health began to fail, and he looked for
4 new location After many inquiries
ne located his brother Andrew at Boze-
nan. The brothers had not met for
Is years. They exchanged letters, and ?
Andrew persuaded my father to bring 7
MS family to Montana. He disposed ,
u MS farm ana orchard, rlggeQ up 8
/ four-horse team with an old COW
cred wagon, and with his wife and six ,
children started on a 500-mile journey.
It was slow travelling. Those who
NOV only automobiles and airplRnes /
an hardly conceive what it Is TO drive !
lay after day over rough unSurfaced
Dads. We left Utah in the fall Of 1881
md were handicapped on the way by
leavy rain and snow storms. We reach u.
ID the place where Livingston now
lands, Oct. IS, 1881.
The late James Ennis owned the only :