Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-07-23
Growth of Nation from Flint Lock Gums
to Present Shown at Butte Art Center

The growth Of 8 nation from the
handl0om days Of Buchanan and Lin
i coln-is illustrated by the exhibits that
adorn the walls and showcases in the
rooms Of the Butte Art association In
the School Administration building.
Here may be seen the exquisitely EN-
7 Droiuered guilty pieces that occupied
the attention Of our grandmothers In
the oxen days, the rifles that won the
west, the equipment Of the early-day
I freighter, the medicine bags of the In
dams and other treasures that have
/ passed from father to son, from
mother to daughter throughout nearly
a century Of progress that makes what,
/ in their day, were regarded as triumphs
Of inventive genius seem, in many in
/ stances, obvious, amusing and crude
/ But there are also many cleverly de-
/ signed and artistically constructed
features in the exhibit which is at
[ tracing much interest.
Nez Perez Gun
A gun that did duty In the Nee
Perez war-Chief JoSeph'S struggle
hangs among the contributions made
by DR.. John A. Donovan. It Is an 1868
model Of a Winchester repeater, so
caiber. 1t was selected from 5000 for
its accuracy. The gun was owned by
Sen w. A. Clark, and was one of five
that were owned in Butte in 1875 It
Wdo Id4lkCu dS OA4t Ii u tkAUNE5a11Q
its day. Senator Clark was command
er in the detachment Of volunteers who
went out Of Butte to assist in holding
back the Indians who were reported to
be pouring over what is now known as
Gibbons pass.
AS one gazes on a Sharp buffalo
rifle manufactured in 1848, and ex-
hibited by Frank x. Monaghan, he 1
is impressed with the thought that the 4
aoF ri
usually sturdy men who could take
their time about firing and reloading.
The rifle weighs II pounds. Tt has a
barrel that could be used as a crowbar.
It's a cap-and-ball affair. The hunter
carried powder horn-a sure enough
horn (there is one on exhibit and 8
bullet pouch. He loaded his gun by
pouring in a charge Of powder. fire.
Quently measured in the palm OF his
hand, then rammed a wad of paper
down to hold the powder. Next he
dropped a bullet or two on top of the
Wad and rammed home another wad
of paper. This done, he carefully busted
the nipple, placed a cap on it. He was
then ready to shoot. These old guns
are said to have had kick like an
army mule.
The Monaghan exhibit includes an
other rifle that apparently was de-
hunters pony. It was made in 1852 with
a longer but lighter barrel. Nels
Atkinson, "the village blacksmith at
Afelrose," has contributed a gun that
also illustrates the struggle the gun
smiths underwent before they arrived
at the finished weapons Of today. The
Atkinson gun, which is undated, might
have been built to enable its owner
TO use marbles for bullets when he ran /
short 0f lead. tha horn is nearly an :
nch in diameter. Z
Rifles such as decided the fate Of {
he nation as Gettysburg-45-60 caliber {
nuzzle-loading nchesters-make the {
spectator wonder what would have been
the outcome IL both sides had been /!
equipped with the weapons that were
carried by the World war veterans in {
France and whether the next 70 years
will bring about as murderous an inn
in the weapons Of war as
The last rs years have wrought.
The arms exhibit includes the first
hell gun designed by Sharp and Haw- ]
rims of Philadelphia in 1859, the United
States army rifle Of 1864-the last Of =
he muzzle loaders-which were, how !
,ver, loaded with cartridges, paper af-
airs In which the charge was all ar
'anged so that the soldier had only !
o bite the top off the paper container :
o allow the powder to come in contact Z
nth the spark from the Illuminating !
ap on the nipple, and then ram the '
harge down the barrel; all this in the
interest of speed in loading. In 1865, =
1000 of these muZZle leaders, DR.. !
)onovan's entry card states, we're con- !
'erted into breech leaders. There is :
me converted rifle on exhibit. ,
There are several revolvers-an old =