Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-03-13
NARROWED ON THE
MISSOURI IN 1881
RIVER PASSENGERS SPENT ANX-
IOUS HOURS WHEN LOW WATER
STRANDED THEIR BOAT

Those residents Of Montana, who
in q desire to have a longer vaca-
/ tiOn in the east and return up the
river in the fall, took the first boat
! arriving at Fort Benton in 1881
| the historic "Far West"-paid
/ heavy penalty both going and COM
! ing, for their haste. They had all
the risk and anxiety connected
| with transporting the worst band
Of Sioux Indians In the country,
from Fort BufOrd to their temper
airy home at Standing Rock agency.
This was their penalty going.
It was an unendurably hot season
| throughout the Mississippi valley
where they had spent the summer.
In Akron, o., there was no relief from
it day or night. The muggy, sticky heat,
intensified by the miSts that rolled
I'D from the canals; the Little Cuya-
hoga; and the many surrounding lakes
made night and day hours Of torment
with only this difference. During the
day there would be enough going on
to make one temporarily forget the
misery.
Although native to that region, many
years passed in the bracing air Of Mon
tana had untitled them to endure with
patience climatic conditions so differ
ent from those Of the Rocky noun
tains They discovered they were thor
oughly weaned from the east-at least
In summertime, and did not regret their
stay there would be short.
Late in August, the pioneers bid
farewell to friends and relatives and
turned their faces westward. When
they reached Bismarck, they we're bare
ly in time to take the last boat up the
Missouri that season.
The passengers made up a pleasant
company, and the weather being much
cooler there was promise Of an enjoy
able trip. The first day, however,
fleeting runor circulated that the river
was falling rapidly, and unless they
made good time, doubt was expressed
of their being able to reach Fort Ben
ton.
Breasting the current is always more
difficult than floating with it. At this
time the current was not so strong as
earlier in the season, but the shallow
waters left more sandbars exposed, and
made the navigation Of the river much
more difficult.
Isn't it q pity" said one passenger
to the pilot one day, "the Missouri has
so many twists and turns"
mo-" he replied, "if 1t hadn't we'd
never get up 1t"
Hour after hour while the daylight
lasted, the boat labored up the tortuouS
channel, at less and less rate of speed.
When the sun went down, and it was
unsafe for travel, the boat tied up to
the shore. Sometimes the more ven
tureSome passengers went on land, and
frequently the soldiers seized the OPP
portunity to swim.
Several days later the party arrived
at Cow Island. The river had fallen
alarmingly, making it questionable
whether the boat would be able to make
the down trip, If 1t started at once.
There was no longer any thought OF
its going farther up the river, even on
the part Of the passengers. There
seemed to be no alternative for the
officers Of the boat, but to dump the
together with their baggage,
on the shore, and leave them to find
their way to their destination as best
they could.
This decision reached, the plan was
carried out, although long enough af-
forwards to admit Of notifying Assinni- |
boine and Fort Benton Of 1t. This was
absolutely necessary, as the neighbor- !
hood of Cow Island was then a most
deSolute region, and far removed from |
any dwellings. The boat left little food,
The party had scarcely landed before |
army wagons drawn by mules, appeared 1
10 take them TO ASginniboine. Then
The boat left the landing, and as 1t
disappeared around q bend it's former
passengers began to wonder how they
would pass the night on the open
prairie, with no protection from the
old or possible storm. enroute 70 their
destination.
Along about the middle of the after
noon wagons arrived 10 take the pas
lengers 70 Fort Benton, which trip re-
Iuired three days and nights.