The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-09-25

brother in Texas, making that tr
by train. The next year they e.
out, by OK team. for New MexinA
going with q brother-in-law -
their sister into the raw, new co1n-
try. The Apache Indians were e.
the warpath and Mrs Pike wel
remembers the fears and daneeGI
OF that trip. Fortunately their par-
ty escaped any direct contact WITH
the Indians but they saw naanJ
evidences of the murderous woEh
Of the Redmen-people killod -
homes burned. Mrs. Pike said th1l
heQuently they saw WHARF peoph
- hgn saasnacd hU o. 1igod
- eak8 csn1fe al6D 4e1
and hurriedly bury the bodies
Sometimes the bodies would bt
partly dug up by coyotes, a leg OF
arm might be protuding. More thar
once she said, men of our party
would rebury those poor people"
Most Of the stages Of those days
carried guards as protection against
the Indians. When the group oil
which Mrs. Pike was member
started out, authorities wanted to
send guards along, but the brother
in-law was an intrepid individual
and he would not hear of it. II
the Indians are to get us, they will
get US" was his philosophy. For
tunately the party got through with
out any personal encounters with
the Indians.
On the trip into New Mexico, the
travelling was by OK team and only
about 20 miles could be covered in
a day Water was very scarce and
sometimes it was necessary to &c
two or three days without being
able to replenish the supply.
In New Mexico Mrs. Pike was
first married, to John Fox. They
spent a number of years in the
Southwest, in New Mexico, Arizona
California and Nevada. In 1896 they
decided to come to Montana and
started out with a wagon train fol-
this state. While enroute-at Bea-
yer Canyon, Idaho-a baby was
born to the then Mrs. Fox.
They spent short time at Marys-
vile and Bald Butte and then left
for the Libby country. That was in
1897 They came by way of Flat
head, crossing the lake over the big
arm. Beyond the lake there were
no roads and they had to make
their way overland, working theil
way through the timber, picking out
their way as they went At this
time they were heading for the new
mining camp at Sylvanite. How
ever, they entrained at the station
of Fisher, on the old railroad be-
tween Kalispell and Libby They
left the train at Leonia and drove
on to the then busting mining
camp Of Sylvanite.
At that time Sylvanite was {
booming camp with about 500 mer
employed, Mrs. Pike states. Houses
were going up everywhere and tn,
sound of hammers and saws wa
heard night and day. Mr.. Fox bull
house at Sylvanite on tract 0
land just. below the mine. At tn,
time he said, THAT mine will som,
day sell this land" Which prophec,
later proved true as Mrs. Pike solt
the property few years ago to tn
later owners of the mine.
After two years at Sylvanite MI
and Mrs. Fox removed to Libby, il
1899. In 1910 the house and its con
tents at Sylvanite were burned b.
the big forest fire that swep
through this section in that year.
A number of years ago Mr.. Fo,
passed away and seven years latel
Mrs. Fox was married to Mr.. Georg
Pike. She and Mr.. Pike are nov
spending their declining years sur
rounded by relatives and man
warm friends in Libby.
On September IL Mrs. Pike cele
brated her both birthday. At ths
time the picture that accompanie
this article was taken.