Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-01-12

piled favorably, the settlers held a
meeting and suggested three different
sites for the fort-at the present
Blackfoot bridge near Bonner, at the
mouth of Grant creek northwest of
Missoula where today stands a sugar
of Missoula between the Higgins farm
and the McCauley ranch.
Col. Wesley Merritt was sent from
Washington, D. C., to Montana to in
vestigate. His coming. which apparent
" indicated the absolute certainty of
the forts establishment, was a cause
of rejoicing in the Missoula country.
welcome upon his arrival. He inspected
all three sites, and gave his approval
to. all of thenl--evidently hating. to
offend any of the groups which had
given him such a potent welcome.
Chief Joseph, crossing the noun
tains from Idaho into Montana, held
council. The shortest route to
Canada, to the land whence Sitting
Bull has fled. is almost straight north
ferring to the route through Missoula
and north along Flathead lake, rough
ly following the old Tobacco trail "Or
we can follow the mountains and cross
to the prairie where live the many
buffalo. Which shall it be?"
IF we go north along the big lake
we travel in open country" a chief
said There the white men with their
guns that shoot many times can kill
us. for there will be no timber to hide
in. say, over the mountains"
He referred to the Calling guns
which the Indians dreaded. So Joseph
and his Nez Perces, hoping that over
on the prairieS east of the continental!
divide they would have left the white
man behind and would have an open
route to Canada, decided upon Joseph's
the Missoula country did not know
of the decision. and concluded that
because this route was the shortest
to Canada. that the Nez Perces would
follow it, burning and plundering and
laying waste the country. The neces-
sity for a strong fort was desperate
The actual establishment of the fort
Colonel Gilbert of the Seventh infan-
try. with Lieutenant Worden and the
Third infantry were marching from
Fort Ellis, near BoZeman, to select n
site for the fort. They marched
through the settlement of Missoula
shortly after noon of one day, having
camped the preceding night where
Bonner now stands. They crossed the
Missoula river and pitched camp on
the bank of the Bitter Root. Lieuten-
ant Worden erected a pole-where to-
day stands the flagstaff of Fort Mis-
southland ran up the Stars and
Stripes.
After a consultation, it was decided
to make this a post. Lieutenant Colonel
Gilbert climbed the buttes just west
of the fort and surveyed the surround
ing country through his field glasses.
He knew of the three sites suggested
by the settlers for the fort. but APP
parently gave them no consideration.
with him on the buttes was Major
McCaulev, an old Indian fighter who
had made a name for himself with
regiment of California volunteers.
Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert valued the
Indian fighters suggestions, but at
this time did not follow them.
The settlers say the mouth of Grant
creek is best" said Major McCauley,
II reckon they ought to know. They've
lived here long enough to know the
best place for a fort"
Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert exam
med the mouth of Grant creek through
his glasses, but only briefly. He brought
II think where we're camping right
now is the best place" he said de-