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

site Of Kerchival City is not within
its boundaries.
Foresaw Future for City
The founders of Kerchival City ex-
pected it to displace Fort Benton as
the head of navigation because Of the
swift current and numerous rapids, as
well as the periodic recurrence of low
water in the Missouri above its juno
ton with the Musselshel, while little
difficulty was experienced in ascend
ing to this point. Furthermore, the
Missouri described a wide circle TO
the northwest above the confluence of
the two rivers, whereas the overland
wagon road which these boomers built
offered a direct cutoff to Helena
through the fertile Judith basin. The
abundant timber in the region at a
time when all the steamboats, burned
wood was an additional argument IN
favor of the site, while many believed
paying gold would be found in the sur
rounding mountains, which had never
been thoroughly proSpected.
Influenced by all these conSidera-
lions, a number of persons associated
themselves as the Rocky Mountain
Road Co., opened the route from the
Missouri across the mountains and To-
named Kerchival City in honor Of an
old steamboat captain who had been
among the first to advocate the route
The Getty" under his name refused
to expand beyond log cabin or Two,
occupied by the employees of the COM
pany but in 1868, after the river had
swept away the cabins, the attempt
to create a town, this time under the
name of MuSselshell, was renewed I'M
der the auspices OF the Montana Hoe
81 Fur Co., of Helena, which sent 10
men to establish post and build
warehouse. They were joined by Colonel
Clendennin. Clendennin with his broth
er. Richard, and James McGinnts, who
had opened a woodward at Grand
island while awaiting developments re-
speeding the new location.
Establish Camp Reeve
In the summer of this year the pop
ulation was increased by ADDITIONS
from the mountains and from up and
down the river. Soon there were more
than so settlers and dozen cabins
fronting the river. A company OF SOL
dierS came down from Camp Cooke
and established themselves just below
the town, erecting a stockade with
bastions, which was christened Camp
Reeve. The friendly eros Ventures and
Crows came in great numbers to trade
and the. hopes OF the new founders
doomed large. If so much had been
accomplished In one summer, what
might not reasonably be expected in
succeeding years2 The prosperity of
the town, however, attracted the at
tention of the Sioux, and this nation
henceforth was the nemesis Of the
settlement.
In the fan of the year the Sioux
made their first attack, capturing the
grazing herds of the townfolk and kill
ing two of the soldiers. Almost immedi-
ately the soldiers were withdrawn. Early
in 1869 nearly a hundred Indians laid
an ambush near the town. This time
general alarm was given after
squaw had been wounded, and, as
there were about so men at the post,
the settlers determined to teach the
Indians a lesson. They advanced swift
ly and trapped a large party in a
ravine, three or four of the settlers
crossed the dusselshell and under
cover Of grove of willows opened a
flank fire with repeating rifles upon
the Sioux who were crouching in the
coulee.
As the rain had soaked the bow
strings and the pans of the flintlock
guns with which the Indians were
armed. their resistance was feeble. AS
they tried to dig shelters in the banks