The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-05-31

or pOSIS uIlOeS1TdOleS 4c1G
town. If the town died Town a bunch
of cowboys would ride in, shoot up a
bar or two and, as soon as the town
woke up, they would ride out, but al
ways came back the next day to pay
the damages. Nobody had any kick COM
ing.
Little farming was done in Sun river
valley. Some oats were raised n just
enough hay put up to feed a few saddle
horses. The winter Of 1890 was bad.
Cold weather and snow started in De-
cember. The country was covered with
snow two and three feet deep. About
Jan. 10 occurred one Of the warmest
Iold-timers. The country was a lake in
an hour. The warm wind lasted about
two hours and then shifted back to the
north and the temperature went down to
so degrees below zero. Snow fell two
feet deep OF top OF the ice. making it
impossible for stock to root OF paw
through the snow and ice to grass.
One could start from the Missouri
river. travel to the Canadian line n
our dead animals at every step. Three
thousand cattle died at the mouth OF
Portage coulee. In a little park on the
Missouri the river was open. max.
away in that direction. In h other
direction was a steep hill covered with
ice. Stockmen went in with axes and
tried to get the cattle by chopping
notches in the hill. They would start
a cow up. but she would lose her foot
ing and slide back, never to try again.
The next spring there was plenty Of
work for all idle men. The stockgroWers'
association issued skinning permits. the
skinner getting half Of the hides. The
market price for hides was about So.
by J. J. Healy. Planks for covering were
hewed. four inches thick. u of cot
tonwood trees on the Missouri river and
cost 5000 per 1000 feet.
The toll for string teams was S.. for
two-horse teams. $3.50. n for saddle
bridge with 16 yoke Of oxen hooked to
a boiler weighing 21,5oo pounds and
was told by the bridge tender that he
wouldn't take a chance on a load that
heavy. It was in June at high water
time and, as the boiler was time freight.
to the ford. just below the bridge, took
a boat and string Of chains across the
river and o on oxen enough to
pull it through. The boiler was out OF
sight most of the way. but came out
right side up.
Dancing was the principal amusement.
At the stockgrowers' annual dances,
people came from Helena. Fort Benton.
Sand Coulee. Chestnut valley, Choteau
valley and Blackfoot agency. At one
dance I remember. there were 200 num-
bers sold at ST a number. including oy-
ster supper at SO so a plate.
A rattlesnake story that never lost any
Of its thrills by telling and which was
published in the Sun River Sun was to
the effect that a cowboy riding in the
vicinity Of Square butte at lunch time
picketed his horse on good feed and
his lunch. With a mouth harp. he sat
down to enjoy himself. After playing
half an hour, he put his harp away and
started to get up, when he heard a
buzzing of rattles. On looking around.
he discovered. he was surrounded by rat
tlesnakes. all cooled and listening to the
music. He was afraid to move, so he
took the harp and played until after
SHUTDOWN, when the snakes crawled into
holes among the rocks. According to the
story, he wasn't long in getting away.
In 1882 Great Falls was started. but
people didn't believe a town so close
to Sun River crossing would ever amount
, to anything.
sun River. like most Montana town
had its mining excitement. The Fisher
brothers were camped on the bank Of
! the river Just below town. One of them.
with a gold pan. went down under the
bank close to the water and PANIED
| several pans Of gravel, getting color in
every pan. They staked u a placer
claim.
That started the rush. All the ground
from the river to Square butte and for
two miles wide was staked and tents
set UP. Picks and shovels were at a
premium. All freight for this part Of
Montana came up the Missouri river on
steamboats, and. as the find was made
iE the fall after boating season. most
of the prospectors were obliged to make
wooden shovels. Rural real estate went
I'D 100 percent. at Sun River it dropped
$50 percent. While colors can be found
in any of tina ground, pay dirt was never
discovered. 1t is believed by old-timers
tina Fort Shaw stands on pay gravel.
In those days Fort Shaw was a govern
ment reserve and they wouldn't allow
prospecting.
Buffaloes were plentiful, on the north
side Of Sun river. Ranchmen and breeds
would make buffalo run in the fall.
dry their years supply Of meat and take
the hides to Fort Benton and trade them
for groceries and clothes.
The winter Of 1877 was n Of the