Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-03-09

City, that was once an early boom
camp Of Montana bar and Confederate
glIch. Here doomed before us the de-
parted spirit Of q well-built town, now
abandoned. On either side of its de-
serted street were wel-preSerVed build
/ ings. Nothing alive IN sight. Not a
sound anywhere. The wagon train
moved funeral-like through the street,
and except for the rafting OF the
chains, all was quiet Even the mules
seemed to know 1t was dead, and signs
Of the last nights revel preceding its
evacuation were observable through
the windows.
Here and there we're billiard tables.
pianos. bar chairs strewn around, poker
and faro tables, empty bottles and
glasses on the bar when the final
drink was taken. 1t looked like sudden
death had stricken every inhabitant.
When the mines played out, people left
! hurriedly. for winter was coming on,
and with the freighting season about
10 end, supplies could not be replen-
ished. SO they struck out in squads for
distant Helena, afoot, on horses and
pack horses If they could get one,
taking nothing with them but some
food; and Diamond City, which yielded
millions. was left to the bats and owls.
In front of what was once COM
modiolrs hotel, a very old man limped
from somewhere. He reSembled
mome. Apparently he was the solitary
inhabftant, and he began 10 pump
water from the old-faShioned device,
still llstrous with red paint. His
weakened face would indicate that he'd
lived back in the somber hills for
hundred years. To our tnterrogations,
he put his hands to his ears, as II
deaf; except for that he uttered no
sg,txr1I Crrs7rrr1nof orravod rUpfrhaH
him limp back into the silent and I'M
occupied hills.
Confederate gllch now came into
view, and from its sides arose great
towering hills, black with pine, and
disclosing a deep defile. The teams
ahead stopped to adjust the chains,
and as they descended the canyon,
they seemed to disappear IN the cold
cavern. When the writer came along
with the reserve stock, the others were
far below on the dark winding road,
thanked by the Sluice boxes through
which rushed mountain water. Once
the scene of enthusiastic activity, here,
too, the day was done, for a few
Cinnamon were doing the mining. The
white man had rolled his blankets and
gone away; and this was go years ago.
Last years snow laid In patches above
this narrow gorge; and while at supper
by the glare of pitch pine fire, q |
mountain lion audaciously sprang into
our midst. getting away with a 10
pound chunk of buffalo meat. These
animals were a source Of apprehension |
to the nightherder, for the country |
was full Of them, their cries blood |
curdling, sometimes near, sometimes
afar, but ever present in the night. A |
pair Of cleaning eyes could only dis !
close their exact whereabouts. /
Beyond the Belt ranges a great |
sweep of valley was entered, many |
miles In extent; at its western limit
arose the white peaks of the main
Rockies, trending ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
This valley led TO Helena, but night
closed its position IN a canyon leading
10 into the hills. 1t was the goal. And
whether from the east or west, 1t was
mecca for the freighters. To Helena,
Vt that time, came pack and wagon
rains from every direction; from the
Gullan highway on the west, the Boze-
nan or Montana road ON the east, the
5ortnne route on the south, and the
liver route from Fort Benton and Car
oil on the north.
But let us return to Carroll.
With the passing of midsummer,
Jarrou had lapSed into periodic in
erval of lethargy. The river fleets hav-
ng accomplished their trips success
ully, were gone after the fall cargoes,
Thich would be transported just as
ar upstream as the vagar1es Of the
dtsSourts stage would permit; and
hence to Helena by wagon train.
The Sioux campaign had subsidized to
esultory sldrmtshes with small preda-
Dry bands, which had not yet slIrTen-
cred, or which broke loose now and
1en from reservation to chase some
emnant Of the buffalo, and incident
lly take In an occasional sheepherder
I wayfarer who had escaped the prevt-
us dangers of the war. Occasionally
anne government transport wagons,
nder escort, from out Of the sand
lcumbered plain to the southwark, to
AIRY to some cantOnment or post !
Ipplies freighted UP the river for the
my. Once In q while the quietude of !
lie place was disturbed when detail
cavalry, or mounted infantry, hur-
ed through the settlement, raising !
oud of dust IN front of the SOmber !
ITS, dashing down the bank-a mo-
emit devoted to loosen girths, plung- :
g into the swirling river, scrambling I
} the further bank and bearing away +
ross the plain to the north where :
e tribes had their villages. No ex-
anation was given, nor was that nee 2
sary. It was part OF Carroll Life, and :
the detachment returned a day or L
70 after over the same course, with !.
me of the saddles empty there was
thing said, for everybody knew what 4
meant, and they didn't want TO talk :
out 1t. There wasn't much for the 4
habitant to do but lie In the shade of 4
5 log hut and tease his mongrel dog, :
TO angle for the succulent catfish; "
concealed within the shelter Of the =
ttonwood bushes by the AdissoM1's "
&c, to pick OFF a proving wolf that III
me ind1screetly upon the further =
nix. u
In cloud Of dust, and arrayed In III
the paraphernalia of war, Chief -
seph of the Nez Perez tribe, with "
warriors, squaws, papooses, old men II
d horse herd dashed 10 the very =
ors of Carroll, where they burned III
! warehouses and stores and sktr- n
shed with a detachment Of the y
zenith United States infantry en- III
yed in improving the river nearby ~
re they crossed the Missouri and u