Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-04-27

ms readers on June s. 1909, Tor
the issue of that date stated that
the long expected camel train had
arrived In Montana territory and
would be seen in front of the Glib
I son House, Idaho street, in Viz
gfnia City the following Saturday.
| This announcement ushered in one
| Of the most bizarre interpretations
| in Montana history. There are
/ many who refuse to believe that
camels, the ships Of the desert,
once Travelled Montana trails as
regular freight carriers.
Many writer's have covered tht
camel episode in the southwest bu
few have mentioned the use Of camek
in Montana and other northwest re-
gions; recently an entire volume has
been devoted to camel highjinks In
southwestern deserts, but the camels
that Travelled Montana have had little
mention In history. However, there are
enough news stories about camelS IN
early day Montana papers to convince
any skeptic that camelS really did walk
the streets of Virginia City and other
Montana hotSpotS Of another era.
Granville Stuart'S journals also con-
firm the fact that camels trod the
trails and g1lches of the territory
In addition to that first mention Of
camelS on June 3, 1865, the Montana
Post and Helena papers carried news
Of the animals on numerous other oc-
/ caSions. The Montana Post made note
/ Of camels transporting flour from
Helena to Washington gulch.
The use of camels in the southwest
and the use of these same animals In
the northwest are two distinct episodes
and the animals used in the two ex-
perimentS came from different por-
lions of Asia The camels of the south
inf "a tad "a
North Africa. via a Texas port; and
the animals had been imported as part
Of federal government project. The
camelS of the northwest were brought
In by private investors who had formed
the American Camel Co.. and the ami
mails were imported via San Francisco
from the highlands Of Manchuria.
Not a CrackpOt Idea =.
Because the use of camelS in Amer
lea seemed so tncongruouS, their use
has been a popular subject for feature
story writer's who have made the camel
trains cause for much laughter. It is
not true, however, that this experiment
never gave any promise of success. The
camelS proved their ability to find sub
sistance in even the most barren ter
rain. Their stamina was never denied
and they could go for a week or more
on one drink" Of water. It Is true
that caravan systems established In
the west prior to the coming Of the
railroads were very much like the
caravan networks of the Orient; the
men who conceived the camel scheme
for America should not be dismissed as
crackpotS. The plan was backed by the
best business heads of San Francisco.
One of the biggest factors IN the
the fact that just about the time the
camels were put into use the Union
Pacific and other great railroad SyS-
TENS began to move westward. The /
railroads brought an end to the use OF I
mules and horses as well as camels. /
Another cause for the failure Of the /
scheme was the fact that other beasts
camels; owners of camel caravans
were continually paying damages for
caused by the bumped ami
mails. In Virginia City, New, town au-
thortties passed law which said that
camels Should not appear on the
streets except between midnight and
dawn" An editorial writer Of the period
has described the appearance Of a
camel caravan thus, ut looks oddly
enough to see outside a menagerte,
herd Of huge, ungainly, awkward but
1Ocfe animals move about In our
midst with people riding them like
horses and bringing up weird and far
off associations to the eastern traveller
They seem well broken to the
saddle and are very gentle. ALI belong
20 the one-humped species, except one,
which Is cross between the one and
species. This fellow Is
much larger than either sire or dam.
lie Is a griStly- looking hybrid, a camel
Ike mule of colossal proportions"
At first the Indians were terrified
It the appearance of the camels and !
he sight of the animals was enough
o send the most stout-hearted tribes
men away In wild flight. Later the !
indians learned not to fear them and
ONE tribes even developed a great
aste for camel steaks. Their slaughter !
f stray camels contributed TO the dis
appearance of the animals from the
Hauled Ore and Supplies
The first camels were imported to
he northwest in 1861. The animals
we're shipped to British Columbia by
way of San Francisco by the American
camel Co. The animals were put IN
ervice hauling ore and supplies be-
ween the Cariboo mines and the coast.
)ne of their number, born on ship
,oard, was too young to be put to ]
york and remained In Victoria, B. O.,
o wander the city streets and become !
town pet The camelS on the trail ]
,etween the mines and the coast were ]
hardly enough but their tender feet |
.ould not stand the steady travel over :
ocks and gravel, and it was necessary /
o keep their feet shod in leather or
anvas boots. Much trouble between I
he camel company and other freight
RS took place because of StampedeS, ,
md the camel company finally with
rev their animals from service. NO
,ody in British Columbia was in the
market for camels at that time and
he company sent most of them back
o the states. A few we're put in serv-
ce to other Canadian mines and as
IN experiment at least one camel was
laughtered and dressed with a view
% selling the meat There was no