Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-04-17
BY GLENDoL1N DAMON WAGNER

Nv GLFNDOLIN DAMON WAGNER
@r TILL VIVID In our memory Is
that thrilling day when news
spread over the entire world thai
- a how who had once worked as
mechanic at Billings, Charles
Lindbergh, had bridged the Atlantic
and, by plane, had linked Europe with
America It was a stupendous under
taking whose far reaching results re-
Tnain 10 he estimated. But that venture
was no more vital to the progress OF
civilization and no more imbued with
seIfIess courage than the venture
which sent the first mail coaches over
q sea of desOlated plains through our
western wilderness.
From 1850 on, the west cried out for
roads by which to link it to the outside
world. Its scattered inhabitants, IN
their self-inflicted isolation, were hun
cry for news from the outside. They
wanted to know what was happening
in washington, how the Civil war was
going, who had been elected president,
but, by. the time news came TO them, II
was months old. An incident which
teStifieS to the pathetic hunger OF our
pioneers for the printed word Is told
by Granville Stuart. Rumor having
seeped to him of the possession Of
vast library Of some so books in the
possession Of some stranger 300 miles
away he Immediately set off on horse
back to buy, or at least to handle, some
Of those books He returned trium-
phant from his 600-mile journey,
richer by two precious volumes. Chose
books are now the property Of Stuart's
son-in-law. Teddy Blue).
Sanders asserts that Emanuel Mar
tin brought the first wagon into Mon
tana from Salt Lake in 1851, driving
through the Big Hole basin. across the
Big Hole mountains, and into the Bit
ter Root valley. Long before this emf
grants had been vending their way
into California by the thousands but
they had chosen one of three trails none
of which brought them into Montana:
The Santa Fe Trail, the Oregon Trail,
or the Salt Lake Trail Many bungling
experiments were made much money
was lost and many failures faced by
men who endeaVored to solve the diff
cult problem of a transcontinental
highway through Montana. Some of
those experiments were ludicrouS. In
1856 congress appropriated $4,000 for
the purpose of introducing the Sahara
camel into the UNEMPLOYED deserts Of
Idaho and Montana. Actually a camel
train was brought from Nevada. But
the venture was doomed to disappoint-
ment. Some of the animals died while
crossing the Missouri. Some were Shot
by ignorant hunters who thought the
ungainly, oddly bumped beasts must be
freak moose. Many others fell victim to
the Indians bow and arrow Natures
ship of the desert proved itself untitled
to survive on alien soil.
Steamboat Transportation Established
Then, in 1865, the Oregon Steam
Navigation Co. established steamboat
transportation across Pend dOreiIle
lake and UP Clark's Fork, with the
idea Of shortening the journey into
Montana. The Mary Moody" launched
in 1865. was the first steamboat to
navigate the waters of western Mon
tana. For time she, with her sister
ships, the Cabinet and the Missoula.
did good business In one season the |
Mary Moody transported 1000 animals |
with their packs, and, incidentally, their |
riders. However, by 1870 the venture |
proved Improbable. The three ships |
were abandoned, and the Oregon |
Steam Navigation Co. had not solved |
the problem of rapid transportation
through Montana. Hordes of emigrant
trains continued to wend westward.
During one day Of 1860 there passed
Fort Kearney 1888 weSt-going wagons
hauled by 10000 oxen. The transDor-
tation question loomed big on the hor-
lion Of Montana's future progress with