Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-03-27

again in California He was a scout
with the First Texas cavalry OF the
Confederate army in 1853. Back to Cal
ifornia in 1854, and in Montana in
September of that year, taking trip
entirely through the territory now en-
braced in Yellowstone park.
He was with Custer in the Indian
territory following the Civil war, then
in Mexico again. He had been back IN
Montana but a short time in 1870 when
he answered the call to seek the lost
Evarts.
Stays Editor
In 1871, seeing an opportunity Tor
profit from proSpectOrS and miners IN
the Cooke City area northeast of yell
loWstone park, Baronette built q bridge
across the Yellowstone river near the
present Tower Falls crossing. In 1873
he was in the Black Hills Of South
Dakota, where he killed a newspaper
editor who had, he said, unjustly re-
Elected upon Baronette'S character in
print. He served as scout In the Sioux,
Nez Perez and Bannack Indians wars
Of 1876-77-78. He engaged at various
times in Indian trading.
This information Of Baronette's ear
lier years is supplied in biographical
sketch by Capt. H. w. Chittenden who,
as an officer In Yellowstone park In
1896 and before, had known Baronette
as intimately, perhaps, as it had ever
been anyone's privilege to know him.
Chittenden ends his sketch: And in
1896, at SIS, he is still searching for
gold"
The Nez Perez Indians, under Chief
Joseph, burned Baronette's bridge when
they traversed Yellowstone park in
1877. BY this time the bridge was de-
pended upon by all travellers to the
Cooke region. Baronette rebuilt the
bridge at his own expense; he said it
cost him $4,000. due to heavy trans
portation costs over a long distance
from Bozeman.
BarOnette's Bridge
AS the government advanced the de-
yelopment Of Yellowstone park, Baron
cites bridge was taken over as a part
Of the road system, without compen-
seating it's owner, though, according to
Baronette's claim, the government con-
tinued to collect toll from all travellers
In December, 1895, Senator Carter OF
Montana introduced bill in congress
TO appropriate $1,000 for Baronette's
relief. A short time later, when he was
in Strengthened circumstances, Baron
cite got the $1,000, but he said he had
spent $1,000 in doing it.
Baronette for some years during the
eighties was a scout In the park, and
it was his honor to guide President
Arthur and his party through Wonder
land in 1883.
IN 1900 a report came to Livingston
that Baronette was the heir Of broth
er who had been killed in the Boer
war in Africa, and that a huge fortune
awaited him in England. Baronette had
been away from Livingston for con-
siderable period then, and conflicting
reports reached his friends as to his
whereabouts and his activities.
Sought AS An Heir
One report was that he had shipped
TO England on q wheat vessel. Another
story was that the Associated Charities
IN Tacoma had provided Transports
ton to Wallace, Idaho, where Baron
cite was to work In a mine. Another
was that he had been sent to Redding,
Calf. to a brother of Mark Twain,
he had started for California, according
TO the story, Just before an attorney
sought him to hand over 1,000-pound
check to enable him TO go to England
to claim his legacy. II was also report
ed he had appeared at the Tacoma
Charities office for work, but was too
feeble to handle any Of the employ
ment available. He was very reserved
and would not talk about his family
connections, though on occasion he
would tell Of some Of his western ex-
periences.
Another report was that he had gone
IN England In the late nineties, before
his brother died, to guide an English
adventuring crew to the gold fields at
cane Nome In this venture he lost the
money received from the government
FOR his bridge. The adventure turned
osyt badly and he showed up In Tacoma.
q charity subject.
T7arnnette did, however, 20 to Eng
lard IN connection with his legacy.
arsd returned 70 Livingston some years