The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-03-01

stage and six horses used in early
I'VE furnish the horses but you are
supposed to furnish the spurs"
Toponce's seven years experience in
the west before he entered Montana
territory gave direction to his life, and
so becomes a vital part of his story.
During his stay in Utah huge govern
ment contracts were let and aban-
doned. Russell, Majors and Wadell had
over 5000 wagons hauling government
supplies. They hauled over 10000, 900
pounds between Nebraska City and
Camp Floyd. When the Mormon war"
failed to materialize, the government
disposed of its mules and its outstand-
ing contracts. Colonel Carter, store
keeper at Fort Bridger, bought zoe, 900
pounds of side meat at l cent; another
man who had contracted to furnish
1000 pounds of flour at 30 cents
bought back his contract at l cent a
pound after supplying 1000 pounds.
When the mules were up for sale,
the wagon boss asked Toponce to 60 in
to the corrals and span them, putting
a number on each span. There were
several small mules, scrubs and culls,
mountain pack mules, and the rest were
fine, valuable animals. Toponce match
ed them up and hung a number on each
span. He noticed that the first mules
brought out were a span of culls. Ben
Halliday bid them in for $50. But when
the mules went back in to the corral,
Toponce noticed their number was
hung on a span of big, young mules and
another span of scrubs was brought out.
They sold nothing but small mules all
dav long.
Toponce decided that he would get
in on the bidding. Ben Halliday glared
at him, but wouldn't bid against him.
He bid in IL span of mules, all he could
afford, at $50. He went into the corral
and hung their numbers ON he best
mules he could find. Nobody could say
anything to him because he knew too
much. He picked n long-legged PAGER
and another team that he sold for $500.
He Die three other teams to three
men, only n OF whom he could after
ward remember7John Sherman.
Feeling was running high as the Civil
war approached, and Toponce was liv-
ing in Missouri where the bitterness
was at its height. He was at Waverly,
Mo-, when his friend, Bill Madison,
took exception to the southern SYM
pathies of Joseph Shelby and pitched
him bodily through a fan window and
down a flight of steps. Toponce, Henry
Carman and George Jewett decided it
was time Tor them to move before Shell
py came pack on Ihe scene: lney u
lifted themselves Tor a western Trip 10
Trap, NUM-, ana poison wolves, ana
a 1or Denver. Ihey 1raVeied WIN
MAJORS, Russeil ana Waoens traln OF
accouilE u lilolails. WHEN tiley gov w
e Gulch an exploslon
wrecked thelr out1lt ana Die" strycn-
nine through tnelr PROVISIONS.
They went on to Georgia Gulch, and
here a curious incident occurred. Be-
fore leaving Missouri, Toponce had a
young lad who "a On his way west
He was afoot, ragged, penniless and
worn out. He wanted work and To-
ponce offered him a job cutting logs
at a dollar a day. He worked only q
day and a half, and insisted on going
on. Toponce tried to d1ssuade him, ano
told him nobody walked west OF the
Missouri. The boy had tramped it all
the way from Maine, and something
about his determination pleased 10.
ponce. He fitted him out with a pail
of boots, and gave him, instead of
dollar and a half, twenty-five; with the
advice to pay for his passage in a regu'
lar wagon train.
At GEORGIA. G,,lch this bow came rush.
ing to him, almost too excited to speak