The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-07-30
WRITES OF MONTANA
OF FIFTY YEARS AGO

GERRY" williams, Editor of the Bis
Timber Pioneer, Tells Some
TELLING" Truths.
Jerome Williams editor, owner
and publisher of the Big Timber
Pioneer, a weekly newspaper es-
tablisf,ed just fifty years ago at
Big Timber. the thriving city on
the banks Of the Boulder river, in
his issue of July 8 gives an in
teresting summary of his first half
century residence in Montana. His
editorial SO truly depicts the
change of conditions during the
past fifty years, that it Is repro
duced in this newspaper tor the
edification of the present genera
ton.
In the opening paragraph "Jer-
ny" states that "beginning today,
July 8, 1887, the editor of the
Pioneer started the second half
of a century residence in Montana,
first a territory, now a state.
Prospects of making the last lap
are not as propitious as the first
IF I could live my life over and
know what T know now" is a COM
mon expression of those who i'm
agine they would benefit from a
second start. The idea is imprac-
tical. If this writer could turn
back to the age of seventeen and
start life anew, knowing what he
knows at sixty-seven, he would be
in%tolerant, uncompanionable and
unbearable in any community by
reason of his superior knowledge
and intelligence. Also a lone
some individual waiting for the
rest of the community to catch up
with him.
However, If it were possible to
turn back the pages of time to
july, 1887. he would be delighted
to live again his first thirty years
in Montana the most pleasurable
reriod of his life, but not the last
twenty. The reason is obvious:
montana was a great territory.
Montana was a great state.
I'm 1887, Montana, in its in
fancy, was rich in everything the
older resident, new conner, fortune
seeker could ask. Open ranges were
as numerous as clouds in the sky;
practically every ranch owned cat
tie sheep or horses; range grass,
then known as bunch grass, fur
nished ample feed in the summer,
natural hay for winter. There
were no dividing fences, Just i'm
aginary lines defining the range
rights of stock owners. These rights
were respected, seldom encroach-
ment was made by one owner up
on the right of another. Honesty
was recognized as the best policy;
a mans word was his bond.
Thirty years later came a
change as sudden and swift as a
rise in temperature from bitter
cold to welcome chinook. Jim
Hill, imbued with a day dream of
an empire, brought the unexperi-
enced homesteader, squatter and
claim jumper. With him, at vari-
GUS periods, came the log cabin
or tar paper shack, two-wire fence
broken ranges, then Russian this
tie, fan weed, cheat grass, grass
hoppers, beetles, Mormon cricketS,
Ranges disappeared. Valleys that
once promised great agricultural
possibilities turned into barren
wastes. Hot winds followed, high
est temperatures of not more than
IS hoped to 104. Dust storms were
frequent, and the great drought
of the past nine years put the fin
ishing touch on the once appar-
emily unlimited agricultural future
or Montana. Rangeless and home
less, cattle and sheep passed oui
by the thousands.
In 1887 men were rugged, hon.
est and simple of life. Saloons
were numerous, gambling wide op-
en-, minors positively barred. I'm.
possible as it may seem at thi;
Time. but absolute proof of honesty
In those days, gamblers could Dor.
row a hundred or more dollars a
a bank on their personal note, tn,
banker confident that in som,
manner the note would be pait
at maturity.
To-day a difficult feat is t,
secure the same amount unles
ample security is furnished by 4;
personal or endorsed note, includ
ing a mortgage on ranch, farm
implements, livestock and othe
! accessories necessary for ranchine
IN addition. at that time mos
men owned their ranch or town
residence. or if renters, paid tn,
rent when due. There were man,
saddle horses, driving teams. fai
country highways, an occasiona
circus. maybe a county fair. base
ball grounds with average 1oca
teams. occasional public dances
Memorial day and Fourth Of Jul
celebratfons. scrub horse races
That was about all in the way q
amusement. Horses brought goo,
nrlces. buggies were peddled owe
the country at minimum cos