Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-12-15

he wanted to live. He started for
Montana and he attributes his long
life to the healthy climate of the
Treasure state.
Joined Mule Train
The tracks of the Northern Pacific
railroad were being laid across Mime
sofa when Crosson left Michigan, and
he got a job with the laying crew.
Talk among the workmen dWelt large
ly upon the possibilities and activities
on the western frontier, of big stakes
made overnight and fine lands to be
to this talk and decided to move on,
and when a government mule train
passed the track layers he signed on
to take the place of a sick man. Cros-
son lied about his experience with
mules and the commander Of the
in the art of handling them.
The freight in the wagon train was
destined for Fort Lincoln, where. a
garrison was stationed to keep the
Sioux in check. The Custer massacre,
the battle of the Bears Paw and other
historic Indian fights were still in the
offing. Fort Lincoln had been sent up
the river piece by piece and set up as
a threat to Sitting Bull, for that evil
genius Of the tribes was in the neigh
borhood, perhaps already making plans
to assemble the great Indian army that
was to figure in the tragedy of the
Little Big Horn.
Phil Crosson spent the winter of
1872-1873 at Fort Lincoln and he re.
calls that each day small groups OF
hostile Indians would parade around
the fort in an attempt to draw the
soldiers out to do battle. The life in
the fort was monotonous and the SOL
diers were willing to go but the COM
mander knew that just out of sight
a large force Of Indians lay in wait
to pounce on the whites If they ven
tured outside the safety zone. On one
occasion Sitting Bull himself, riding a
fine white horse, Joined the Indians
close and a shot from the fort killed
the horse and sent the chief running.
It is Crossons opinion that the Indians
were not particularly bloodthirsty and
he says that If men rather than po-
litical hacks had been sent to handle
the Indians, the Indian wars would
never have taken place.
The commander at Fort Lincoln gave
Crosson work as camp handyman and
as there weren't many odd jobs to be
done he had plenty of time to STUDY
the Indians Friendly tribesmen came
often to the fort to trade or just, to
visit. Some wore beaded buckskin
clothing while others wore curious cos
times made up of cast-off or stolen
garments of white men. In trading
between tribes clothing sometimes
travelled thousands Of miles and 1t was
not unusual to see an Indian in the
northwest wearing clothing that hao
been stolen somewhere far TO the
south.
At Fort Lincoln the soldiers passed
the time in contests with the Indians
Foot races and horse races were pop
ular, with blankets, guns, jewelry and
other personal property put up Tor
stakes. Usually the Indians won.
Indians Gambled Silently
The Indians played a gambling game
in which they used real bones, and
according to Phil Crosson, the only
difference between the white and In
dian game of bones" lay in the fact
that the Indians never uttered a sound
during the game, although all theil
worldly goods might be be at stake; .o,,os
from Fort Lincoln in the steamer
Northwest, bound for Fort Benton. The
2O-day journey was full of surprises
Yellowstone Kelly, the famous Indian
scout, greeted the passengers at one
landing; herds of buffalo and other
game animals came to the river tc
drink and when the steamer stopped
for wood the passengers hunted Pas
sengers and crew were warned TO KeeE
under cover when Indians appeared
on the shore. The Indians weren't par
ticularly hostile at that time but some.
times they just couldn't resist gooc
shot. Negro stewards on the poaI vert
especially fearful of Indians and were
kept in a constant state of hysteria BY
: passengers who told them that the In
dams priced kinky black scalps above
all others.
At Frot Benton, Crosson landed E
Job as a mule skinner for freightlne
company running wagons between tht
fort and Helena: 1t was one OF many
freight lines between the river toWI
and western Montana settlements
Crosson tells of the time during hi:
freighting days when he and his part
ner found themselves powerful thirsty
in an arid country. Although neither
had ever eaten tomatoes they broke
open case from their freight anc
drank the liquid from the cans. eros.
son had been told that tomatoes were
unhealthy, but he liked them and ha:
been a fancier of the rudy fruit evel
since.
After a spell with the mules Crossor
became cowboy. working for many Of
the famous spreads of Montana anc
Wyoming. He had adventures th ,.N
and he is one of the few old-timer:
who doesn't claim to have been
bosom chum of Charley Russell. eros
son never saw Russell and he say!
many of the old boys who tell OF rid.
ing the range with the famous artist
are talking through their hats.
Crosson recalls that the vast Grow
Indian reservation was not open K
grazing for white ranchers. although
ranchers might trail their herds acros:
the reserve when necessary Ranch
owners instructed their cowboys tc
take as much time as possible in cross
ing the reservation so that the cattle
| oh o6uant1pn
there. A real good cowboy could take
all summer to cross the reservation
and come in with his cattle sleek an6
fat in the autumn.
674 MAY GET PENSIONS