Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-12-19

tana from the direction Of Salt Lake
City and the other was up the Mis-
souri, river by boat TO Fort Benton
and then by bull-team through pass
in the Rocky mountains to the gold
fields on the other side. The con-
tinental divide had to be crossed twice
by the Fort Hall route, while the
latter necessitated passing through
about 80 miles Of Indian territory after
leaving Fort Benton.
Bozeman, after studying the situa-
ton, became interested In finding and
locating a possible cross country road
to the states, road that would ma
terially shorten the distance that then
had to be travelled by old trails.
So he and John M. Jacobs, in the
winter of 1928, left Bannack, then
one Of the promising mining camps,
for the Missouri river where 1t passes
through what is now South Dakota.
Their determination was to find a
shorter route for emigrants and
freighters on their way to the Mon
tana goldfields.
Skirting along the south side of the
Yellowstone river in search Of
possible road to the North Platte, the
two Young men found that they were
being followed by the Sioux, who
finally overlook Bozeman and his
companion on the Powder river. The
Indians stole their horses, ammunition
and guns and set the men afoot,
doubtless believing that no white man
could long survive in the dangerous
xxfAf
horse or food.
Bozeman and his companion exper-
fenced all the hardships possible.
Wandering for days, starving, shoe
less and footsore, existing on a diet
of grasshoppers, the exhausted but I'M
daunted couple finally reached the
Missouri.
In the spring of 1858, at the Mis-
souri,, Bozeman took command OF q
wagon train of freighters and emf
grants. with a determination TO re-
trace his route on the east side Of the
Big Horn mountains. When about 10
miles into this unknown country
northwest of Fort Laramie. the In
dams contested the right Of the
white men to use this part Of their
hunting ground for a wagon road,
and drove the train back to the
Sweetwater, from where the men
sought the western slopes of the Big
Horn mountains, ultimately making
safe passage into Montana. Bozeman
did not accompany the train, accord
ing to Brininstool, but made another
attempt to go over his road.
From the North Platte, Bozeman
and nine of his men decided TO defy
fate by pushing up north into
country filled with hostile Indians, a
roadless distance Of TOO miles. Max
ing the journey by night to escape the
vigilant eyes Of the redmen, and en-
during untold hardships, Bozeman
finally reached the top Of the Belt
mountains between the Gallattn and
the Yellowstone. It was at this time
that the pass was given the name OF
Bozeman by George w. Irwin, mem
Der Of Bozeman's train.
In 1864, Bozeman brought back with
him a large train from the Missouri,
his line of travel being between the
Black Hills and the Big Horn noun
tains, his cherished road. Jim Bridger
famous scout and frontiersrnan, also
was taking a train through by a new
way he had found possible on the west
side Of the Big Horn mountains and
down Clarks Fork Bridger had de-
clared that Bozeman's proposed road
east Of the mountains was an Inn
practical route. Over the rival road