Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-03-13

! I hope you will meet with success
in the undertaking: but do not envy
you your job
Mr.. Doddridge continued: 1.-THE In
dams attempted to unload the wagons.
They pulled and tugged away talking
excitedly at each other. I could not
understand the language, but I have
an idea they were swearing in their
Indian dialect They made no head
way unloading the car I suggested to
the Indian agent that he better go
over to the store and secure the as
sistance Of wagon man, as wagons
had to be unloaded the way they
went in. He did SO and soon the In
dams had wagon parts scattered all
over a ten-acre spot without any at
tempt at order.
They GJoshed" Them
This unusual scene soon attracted
a crowd of vulgar white men. They
amused themselves making fun and
g1lying the Indians with remarks like
this: Going farming?' Going to
work?' No more buffalo hunt, heyY
'Squaw.' The Indians had nothing 10
say while struggling with the problem
of putting wagons together, trying TO
place hind wheels on front axleS and
making other misfits.
ut was some time before the wagon
train was ready to move, but Cney
finally pulled out. 1t was very color
full display Of red wagons with their
green boxes shining in the sun light;
when the train of wagons reached
its destination and the head men OF
the tribe had been called together,
it was explained to them that the
wagons were the gift Of the Great |
Rather at washington, who thought |
so much of his red children ana |
whose only desire was for their good. |
MANY other words were spoken, ex- |
pressing the good will of the govern |
ment for the Indians. The wagons 1
then were distributed among the pr1n-
cipal families. The wagons were TO |
be used as the spirit moved them |
The Indians accepted the wagons, for |
an Indian was never known TO retuse /
a gift. They had no idea that the |
gift of a wagon to them meant work.
Tradition told them that work was
only for Squaws; an Indian should
only hunt to be warrior. They
thought the wagons were intended for
pleasure. The Great Father wished his
children to have lots Of fun.
1.-THE next day they hItched up. Their
ponies were not broken to harness,
but that made no, difference; They
went Joy riding. They loaded their
squawS, papooSeS, dogs and everything
hey possessed, and away they went
across the pratrieS, scattering In all
directions, where the going was good.
From the depot platform we could
zee the rapidly moving red wagons
along the sky line on the bluffs, some
yoing one way and some another. Then
hey would drive down town to show
IF.
"At the time the Platte valley was
half settled with homestead
rs and pre-emptors. A few days after
he JOY riding was going strong and
hitting on all six cylinders, Pete
Becker, the implement dealer at our
tation came breezing into the station ]
With a telegram all written out ready !
o send.
Here's a message said he. How
much is 1t? want it rushed
Il took the message and read 1t as
counted the words. It was an order
4 cancellation TO an eastern wagon
irm to discontinue all further ship
nents of wagons until further notice. ,
THAT viii be a dollar and a half
'ete. said. What has happened to
he wagon businesS2" Z
Wagon business, replied Peter,
He'll, there win be no wagon bust :
ess in the valley for year. Those /
ahmed Indians have already COM
lenced trading off to the settlers
nat bunch Of new wagons the gov
rnment sent out Pointing over
)ward town, he said: "A homesteader
nat lives Just beyond the bluffs just
anne In with his old wagon equipped
Il round with a brand new set of
heels and said he had traded the
Id wheels for the new ones and had
wen the Indian a piece Of bacon
5 boot. Look out of the window
etc said: There's another one right
ow crossing the railroad track
TT was an old wagon with a brand
ew wagon box and driven by another
AS q matter Of fact, it was not
lore than month before the last
agon that was given the Indians
I'd been traded TO the settlers"