Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-07-11
Hazardous Trip on North Fork of Flathead River
Was Final One for James A. Talbots Steamer Oake.

brought them again 70 the river bank
and reunion with Shannon and his
companions. Together they tramped
on, up hill and down, over rocks and
through quagTnire. clawed and scratch
ed by devils clubs till 1t seemed that
/ the old demon himself was belaboring
them. And while these tortures beset
from without, hunger was boring from
within.
Eventually game and Indian trails
brought them TO q deserted Indian
camp for another cold and cherries
night, and early next morning they
came out on the bank OF Macdonald
creek.
The creek was bank fun and cold.
But there, 100 feet away, Juggling at
it's moorings on the other bank was
a small scow. All hands combined to
break down small trees and to weave
them into sort Of matlike raft which
when done was q little more than q
brush pile. On this Nike Shannon
made q precarious crossing and secured
that precious scow.
Ferried Across Greek
Shannon and Hunter ferried the
party across Macdonald creek one at
a time and not long after used the
same small scow likewise in crossing
the foaming waters OF Middle Fork a
mile or so below Bolton.
When the famished party had final
ly struggled into Bolton station and
had secureG food they missed Tom
Macdonald and the old gentleman
from Butte. Shannon and Hunter. the
strongest of the weary group, took food
and retraced their steps. They found
the missing men. exhausted and be-
wildered, just off trail on the last mile.
With a little aid these men finally
reached the station and with all ac-
counted for Talbot telegraphed for a
deadhead special which returned them
to Columbia Falls.
In the meantime, wreckage from
the cakes had floated down the river
and had been observed from the bank
near town. The catastrophe was con-
firmed when a board bearing the broad
lettered name floated beneath the
bridge and past the Talbot mansion
on the bank nearby.
A rescue party was speedily organ
lied and started on the woods trail
north.
Returning to Slemmer and Slim
adrift on the turbulent North Fork. |
polling and padding frantically to cross
the swift current on the rotten and |
waterlogged raft, their progress down |
stream was rapid but across channel
was painfully slow. When they neared |
the west bank Sims pole was caught
between submerged rocks and twisted
from his grasp. Slemmer padded fur
iously with his broken board while |
Slim made more or less futile grabs
at the tops Of submerged bushes In ef-
forts to pull toward shore. Below there /
loomed the broad whtrI where the |
Cakes had milled around and their /
situation was growing more desperate
second by second when Slim, with long
arm outstretched, at last gained a prec-
lous hold and they swung ashore.
Some distance farther down stream
they found part Of an abandoned
lunch In very good condition, left by
some hardy wandered. They devoured
t and went on. Soon after they found
the dim trail which led TO Columbia
Falls and suffered no further hardship.
A few miles from town they met the
rescue party which, on learning the
Of the rest Of the crew,
with them 30 town.
Such was the story Of q glorious adj
'enture, but to these men 1t was only
work-a-day affair. Not one OF them