Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-09-21
Br CHAD WALLTN

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remember it can tell you about ths
winter of 1892-1893 in the Judith basin
Those who went through 1t II
Maiden, Ciltedge and on the bank
of Big Spring creek still have twinge.
IN their bones at the memory
Frank A. Barnes, who came to the
Judith basin that year, has left IN ms
notes an account Of that winter
Barnes. now dead, was college man
with an eye for a story, as his notes
show. He compiled q long list Of in
cidents which took place in the central
Montana mining camps and, like many
another person, meant to write about
them sometime" 1t is unfortunate
that, after his death, his books be-
came misplaced and some of the rich
est comment on life in the Judith
basin in the early days was lost. That
some of the fragTnentary notes are
left is little compensation, as they
merely hint at what his full accounts
might contain. To his daughter, Doris
Barnes, now Mrs. Aaron r. Shull OF
Lewistown, the writer Is indebted Tor
some of the notes from which this
account is written.
That Barnes was a man OF parts Is
evidenced not only by his merchan-
dising and writing but also by his still
remembered ability as a school teach
er. He has another claim to fame as
the late Senator William e. Borah' S
original law partner.
Things were tough in the Giltedge
district at the turn Of the century.
Particularly tough were the tiny tots, =
who simply loved to bring teacher a
skunk instead of an apple or to drive
teacher insane by casually pulling out
a bowie knife and whiting leg off
the school benches. If teacher argued,
the 'stinv tots" some of them 6 feet
or better with a heavy growth OF
whiskers, a chew tucked in their jaw
and a few shots of redeye under their
belts, sometimes thought nothing OF
showing their appreciation OF learning
by offering to carve teacher as well.
This. of course. made it tough on
teacher. Few of them lasted more than
a month. Finally, Barnes being one OF
the few college men IN the mining
camp. citizens appealed to him to take
over. He secured a manager Tor ms
store and obliged.
The first day classes were quiet. on
the second, a student perhaps resent.
ing being asked how to spell cat,
pulled out his bowie and started for
The teachers rostrum, intent on SET
fling the issue. Barnes greeted him
with the teachers chair, placed with
a shattering firmneSS across the knt1e
wielder,s skull. After that, discipline
prevailed with only one exception.
This exception was when the first
cold snap came along and 1t became
necessary to start the fire In the WOOD
stove. The stove failed to draw ana
smoke filled the room. investigation
disclosed that some OF the ladS nao
stuffed the stovepipe.
Singing out the culpritS, Barnes left
them in the room while he went out
side, closed the door on them ana
mounted guard, leaving the students TO
enjoy the smoke they had created. The
students eventually found way 70
clear the chimney and, after that,
there was a premium on pranks.
These things are among Barnes
but what stands out
above all was the winter in which ne
came to the state from Idaho.
IF had been in position to make
my getaway" Barnes wrote later TO
friend, there would have been one
less pilgrim in the Judtths. But, as
walking was bad for the 100 miles to
the railroad station and was mem
her in good standing Of the absolute
and completely bankrupt club, l stuck
it out"
Barnes arrived in Great Falls on Dec.
40, 1892. IN the midst OF a binding
blizzard. Great Falls then was the
railhead for the central Montana area.
"A very humane young man named
Mueller came up to me and asked me
If wanted hotel, Barnes wrote.
did not know what I wanted just then.
[ think it was home and mother"
Barnes took a room in the Milwau-
kee hotel, however, and tried to OBJ
tain passage to LewiStown. There was
no passage available and the storm
kept increasing in intensity. Il thought
Of my pocketbook and l could see 1t
melting away like q snowbank in June,
Barnes wrote. II always thought until
then I had a reasonable amount of
courage and fortitude, but I must ad-
nit that / sank into a hopeless state
Of despair. I think now that my agi-
5ation must have equaled that OF
Johnny Rich when he became seaslck
On a trip to Europe or that Of Charley
Russell's famous COW. Waiting Tor
Chinook
rying to keep warm with my overcoat
feeling like a linen buster" Barnes
vent on. IF st. Nicholas ever got to
he Falls that year I never heard OF
t. wondered If 1t really was true, as
ID heard an old preacher down south
assert, that, There is no God north
# the Yellowstone.
however, on Lee. 20 6drHSS Was dDlS
o get going. j. j. Davis, Superintend-
mt of the Montana Stagecoach Co.
pulled into the Falls with an old Con-
ord coach on runners. He stated any
ne wishing to do so could try and /,
make Lewistown with him. Barnes and
wo others went along. After much ,
of snowdriftS, lashing Of !
lorSeS and a voluminous amount Of !
rmy language we made Geyser In :
ime for supper" Barnes related.
There we changed TO regular coach.
IF any of you people have never !
raveled all night over frozen ground, /
n a neglected road, buttoned inside a Z
concord coach without any light, with !
driver on the boot with an uncer-
ain quantity of whisky under his belt :
nd none too particular about easing :
is vehicle over an ancient box culvert
r, more often, a small creek bed !
minus the culvert at the bottom Of q 5,
i'll down which he Just has herded
bunch Of broncos without making '
ny attempt to use his footbrake, you y
ave missed something" Barnes went {
q. I'VE did and we made 1t, arriving ~