Glacier County chief., 1940-11-29

fort thought it was a joint attack on
them ana they proceeded to defend
themselves accordingly.
Macmillan secured a gun, which was
loaded, and in the excitement rammed
In a second load of buckshot He Sc
cured portfolio in one of the baS-
tons and drew a bead on an ASSN
niboine and fired, and it is said that
the recoil or kick of the gun sent him
spraying across the bastion.
Bodmar was a close observer Of the
contest and sketChed and later de-
ve!oped realistic painting of the
fight. and this is one of the interest
ians published journals. which went
through several editions in German
and English and other languages the
first published at Coblenz in 1899.
Not desiring to spend the winter in
the narrow confines of the Stockade
the company secured a barge and on
Sept. IA, with sufficient crew. pro-
ceedcd down the Missouri river 70
Fort Union and on to St. Louis with
cages containing bears and other ami
mails secured in the region. some of
which were lost 'an.the way. down the
river ,... e;
Maximiiian became a great friend OF
the ChOuteauS. CulbertSon. Mckenzie.
Mitchell and Kipp and correspondent
with them after his return home. Later
he entertained some OF his American
friends al Coblenz, and he sent fine
meefsChaum pipe TO Mr.. Culbertson.
He lived for many. years and always
remembered his American visit with
pleasure.
TerribIe ScOurge
Culbert on was in charge Of Fort
Mckenzie for several years. during
which time the smallpox epidemic of
1897 broke out and carried off many
thousand Indians in all sections of the
country. After about 10 years oCcu-
panCy Of the fort the company sent
CuleertSon down onto the Laramie
river at Fort John to open trade with
the fndiarS there. Fort Mckenzie was
left in charge of Harvey and F. A 8.
Charlton. who did not get along with
site about 1874 and dropped down the
river to near the mouth of the Jul
dith. where they built a fort and called
it Fort Charlton
The stockade and buildings at Fort
Mckenzie: were shortly thereafter
burned b. the Indians and it was
called Fort Brule. or burned fort. and
the valley where it was located is yet
known as Brule bottom.
AS far a, any government in this re-
giotl'Was. concerned at this time. there
was none, In 1884 all of this region was
set apart as Indian territory and
agents appointed for various tribes
with one agent for the upper MIS-
souri, No other government was estab-
lished until the organization OF the
Nabra cha -prritOry in 1854
In Scmi-Savage State
Aside from the trappers, the coun-
try was not visited much by the whites
until the COS. Governor Stevens had
crossed the country near the Attn de-
gree of north latitude for the pur-
pose Of determining its feasibility for
a Northern Pacific railroad in 1853.
Later Lieut.. John Mullan had con-
structed his military road from Fort
Walla Walla to Fort Benton. and stu
later Capt. J. L. Fisk. in i8Sa and 1868,
had led expeditions through the IN
dian country, protecting immigrants TO
the gold fields OF Dakota and 1daho
near Montana City and Bannack
Early in 1864 James H. Kiskadden,
E. P. Lexis, Frankline More. Moses
Clark, George B. Parker, George Hlll
and others apparently selected the
mouth of the Marias for the great
city of the northwest.
There still Is on record certificate
of stock in an unnamed town COM
pany. reading as follows:
This Is to certify that w. F. San
ders, his heirs or assigns, Is the owner
of one undivided one-ninth l/9) m
terest in the town company In
testimony of which witness the hands
and seals of the president and secre-,
tary of said company hereunto affixed
this 18th day of March, A. D., 1864