Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-01-07


Running into the Little Porcupine
from the west, north Of Forsyth, Is a
creek called Rattlesnake. 1t Is said that
in the 70's a couple of buffalo hunters
who were camped on this creek during
the fall located and dug out a den OF
rattlesnakes, killing over a hundred Of
the reptiles and gave the creek the
name Of Rattlesnake.
1t was in this same creek in 1879 that
Capt. Frank D. Baldwin of the Fifth
infantry with a detachment Of soldiers
OF the Fifth infantry and Second
United States cavalry from Fort Keogh,
fought and captured bunch of about
go Sioux Indians. The soldiers num-
bered 30. The fight took place at a
creek. This is known as Rattlesnake
butte.
The next creek, north of Rattlesnake,
was named after an old time buffalo
hunter, afterWard a horseman, named
Bill Stiller. He built a shack at some
springs on the creek and it became
known as Stiller creek. OF late years
the name has been twisted around so
that the creek Is now known as Stellar
creek.
At the head of the Little Dry. there
is a high rocky butte standing apart
from the smaller buttes Near It a
spring Of fine water comes out of the
earth at its base. Up till 1888 this butte
did not have a name. The fall of 1888
the LU Bar wagon was working down
the Dry gathering beef. They made
noon camp at the spring and their herd
was thrown in on water below. One of |
the cowboys after a hard climb got |
himself and horse to the top of the !
butte where he could see all over the !
herd. Being one of the day herders, he |
sat down in the shade of his horse /
and after while fell asleep. BY and |
by the herd began to leave the water
and the wagon was loaded up and the |
outfit moved on toward where they
were to make their camp for the night
But the cowboy on top of the butte
whose name was Harry BlaiSdell, still
Slumbered and in a spirit of fun the
cowboys with the herd did not try to
waken him.
When Harry finally came out of it
he was alone with neither wagon. herd.
nor rider in sight. He knew where the
next camp was to be, so he got down
from the top of the butte and rode
after the herd, knowing he was in for
an unmerciful joShing, which he sure
got. The cowboys called it Blaisdell's
quite and the name stayed for years
but it has finally been garbled into
Blazer butte and Blazer Butte spring.
West OF Forsyth on the north side
If the Yellowstone is a creek known
IS "Froze to Death" Oldtimers say
his creek was named from the fact
hat during the '70's in an exceptionally
odd spell a party of hunters froze to
ieath in their camp at what is known
Is Froze to Death spring.
West of Fort Keogh and on the north
ide of the Yellowstone at the lower
nd Of the Sadie flat is a creek COM
monty known as Stagger creek. This
reek was originally called Steiger
reek, and was named after the man
yho took up the first homestead on
he creek. His name was Frank Steiger
lie was a sergeant in Company E of l
ne Fifth infantry Of which company {
;ol. H. G. Thompson was first sergeant
t the time. When Steiger was dis 1
harged from the army he settled on C
his creek and gave it his name, but 1t S
as been forgotten, as Steiger creek S
|; now Stagger creek. L
Across the river from Steiger creek d
) Moon creek. This creek was first O
allied Onion creek. Why, I do not
now, but about 1881 it was named Two t
loon, after that fighting Cheyenne r
hief, Two Moons. The name was fin
uy cut down one-third and is now Is
lst Moon creek. C.
At the lower end of the flat on b
hich the little town Of Hathaway is
tuated creek comes in from the Il
ruth called Graveyard" In the O
-ancheS Of the cottonwood trees grow 81
lg on the creeks banks at the time Ii
ort Keogh was built, was a large b,
lumber of platforms made of poles and
each platform rested the bones of .,
I Indian. This was the customary a
amer in which some tribes of In y,
ans disposed Of their dead. y
Civilians who were cutting hay for Hl
e government on the flat got to call 81
g the creek "the graveyard" and 1t :.
came known as Graveyard" creek. -
A short creek, a few miles below Oh
is known as Whiskey gulch al
hen the NJ P. railroad was building m
ong this part Of Custer county in
81, there was a large railroad camp be
Ong the river, where this glllch emp O.
ID into the Yellowstone. A saloon CT
Is established a short distance from th
e right Of way and on the bank of th
e creek, and thriving business was du
ne by the owners. They sold nothing m
t whisky and the creek took its name
I'M this Sc
Many of the creeks and springs were al
med by cowboys seemingly in de- an
ion as they are named exactly oppo- ce
e to conditions existing along them co
lie creek on North Sunday creek Is To,
own as Cottonwood when the fact is
ere is not tree of any kind growing II
ywhere along its entire length. An eel
Ter on South Sunday is Clear Spring. hi,
e color of the water in this spring 10.
d what little is in the creek below SS.
always the color of strong coffee. no
is unfit to drink. SweetWater spring W
on the Big Porcupine. The water in ~,
S spring is so alkaline as to blister -.--
, tongue Of anyone who tries to drink
Even cattle and horses Shun it.