Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-08-17

matters lSley Virtues OF them.
1T Is due to the Chouteau brothers
that ~. Louis expanded from a VIZ
The pirogue, like the canoe an IN
vention of the Indians, was their
means Of travel on the turbulent waters
I of the Missouri where lighter craft
was not practical. Cottonwood logs
we're followed BY fire and pointed at
the ends; then two were dashed to-
gether to make a pirogue.
Since cottonwood trunks grow
straight, tall and thick" Isley writes.
| clogs would be found three or four
| feet in diameter and as much at rs
! feet in length. When well seasoned.
/ the cottonwood not only Is tough, but
/ bouyant The largest pirogues could
bear 10 or is tons burden"
AS the fur trade grew, Manuel Lisa
arrived in st. Louis and organized the
Missouri Fur Co. He induced the
Chouteau brothers, after years Of rival
ry, to become his partners. Others
joined in the project, so that the COM
pany was composed OF IL associates s
being English speaking Americans, S
from old French families and the 18th
Lisa himself, Spaniard born In New
Orleans.
New Step in Traffic
Lisa, an accomplished voyageur, dis
carded the unwieldy though sturdy
pirogue in favor of the new American
vessel, the keelboat, which would carry
25 tons; but he substituted a long oar
for the rudder, which might become
entangled IN submerged brush hidden
beneath the Missouri's muddy water.
In 1911, Lisa proved his skill as mas
ter and the valor of his men in
historic race up the Missouri with a
brigade from John Jacob Astor's |
American Fur Co.
AS the Astorians, IS strong, prepared |
to depart from st. Louis in March, |
Lisa asked them to wait until he could /
prepare his crew of Is men. Indians /
on the upper Missouri had been hos
tile, and larger party could travel /
more safely. But the Astorians, conf I
dent in their superior numbers, slipped I
away without notice and it was three /
weeks before Lisa could make ready to
leave.
Lisa navigated the boat with all his
skill, meanwhile singing the old songs
with which the voyageurs had light
ened their toll through the years He
spread a sail whenever the wind was
favorable. He was on the river early In
the morning and made camp late at
night. Gradually the gap was closed.
Some nights the boatmen did not stop
at all; and one Of those nights they
CHANGED to slip by an encampment of
Sioux who informed by the AStorians
of their coming, had planned to way
lay them. just two months after leav-
ing ST. Charles they overlook Astor's
men, having travelled 100 miles at
an average of Is miles a day. The
parties continued together until they
reached the land of the Arickarees,
where the Astorians bought horses to
cross the continental divide. AT the
mouth of the Columbia river the AS
tor party aided In the establishment
Of the first American settlement on
the Pacific.
After the death of Lisa in 1920, the
Fur Co. associates looked
about for new leader of equal energy
and ability. Auguste and Pierre Chou
teau both were growing old and did ,
not wish to return to active manage
ment They turned to Pierre's two sons,
Augllste Pierre, known as "a. p" and
a second Pierre who was n1cmamed
Pierre Cadet"
A Post in Oklahoma
"a. P" Chouteau had led a beaver {
trapping expedition to the Pixies peak
'egion when, in 1877, he and his men
we're arrested by the Spaniards, who
It'll claimed that region. They spent
Is days in prison at Santa Fe, and !
we're released only after confiscation
property, valued at $4,000. Returning
20 Missouri, Chouteau assisted Lisa
or q time. Then he went to q region
low Included In Oklahoma, where he
established trading post on the YER
ligris river not far from its junction
With the Arkansas. The post was so
uccessful that he had no desire to
ucceed Lisa on the Missouri.
The fur company associates then
urned to Pierre Cadet" Pierre's first
lroblem, coming to terms with the
american Fur Co., was accomplished
asily enough by a merger whereby
he Missouri company became the
,estern division of the American. The
Ime of exploration was almost at an
nd; the time for more permanent
enetration had arrived. Pierre (Cadet)
:houteau established numerous posts
through the west One OF them was
ear the present site Of Pierre, s. D.,
yhich is named in his honor.
Elsewhere, too, the future growth OF
tiles has proved the wisdom Of his
hoice Of locations.
At the confluence of the Kaw and
gissouri rivers he established, In 1922,
houteau's Landing. Indicating the
Importance he attached to 1t, he placed
/ command there his two younger
rothers, Francis and Cyprian. Later
third brother, Frederick, joined them.
TO serve these posts, Pierre Chou
eau recognized the need of better
'ansportation than the keeIboats pro-
lded. The first steamboat reached st. :.
outs from Pittsburgh in 1877. Two :
ears later, four steamboats, started up u
ne Missouri, but one sank, two turned =
ack after reaching the present site =
/ Atcnison, Kan, and the fourth got y
NV as far as Fort Lisa, a short dis 8s
nee above the mouth Of the Platte,
here 1t remained frozen in the ice d.
] winter. ID
Chouteau, with his knowledge Of the a
yer and boating, designed new type ~
steamboat, the Yellowstone. Draw ID
e only 8 feet Of water with 75-ton !.
ad, it assembled the summer of 1881 =
the Grand Detour, HOO miles up .
le Missouri, and the following year O.
aveied all the way TO the mouth of M
e Yellowstone Chouteau's vessel be-
me a model for others built TO navi- q
tie the Missouri @
Thus had the sons of the French M
iventurers brought trade and trans a
srfakfou to the heart Of America ~