Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-10-17
Railroads Coming Ended Era
OF COlOrful Steamboat Travel

America Is fortunate in the posses
sion OF magnificent waterways, which
at present are not utilized anywhere
nearly 70 the extent they might be.
Most OF them are navigable, and must
eventually become sOciaIixed, Tor the
benefit Of all Of the people, even as
In the past they were largely fnstru-
mental In the development of the
country. This was before the day Of
the railroads, when the rivers afforded
the easiest and quickest means OF
communication between the different
points.
The Indians used them for this pur-
pose. as Is well known. White pioneers
followed the example of the Indians
not alone in following the rivers and
lakes in their explorations, but they
adopted the canoe as their means of
transit Later this proved too fragile
for transporting a large amount Of
goods, and the keel boats and mack
inawS were constructed.
For a long time, as the Hudson's
Bay Co. forced its way farther and
farther into the interior Of the con-
tinent, 1t was on lakes and rivers their
journeys were principally made. The
American Fur Co. could never have
done the enormous business it trans
acted in the northwest, had it not
been for the Yellowstone and the Mis-
souri, rivers, and the early pioneers de- !
pended largely upon both for their
supplies.
Day of Mackinaw Ends
-. 4
velop the country, and take something |
from it other than robes and furs, the |
day of the mackinaw was ended, and |
the steamboat morning had dawned. |
Then, as before, the Missouri provided
the quickest and easiest means of |
the states, and those then
living in Montana preferred that
route, If not too far from where they
we're living.
The building of railroads changed
all this, and no longer, with the adj
vent Of summer, is the challenging
shrek of the steamboat heard as it
rounds the bend of the river below
Fort Benton, frightening babies, and
inviting every Indian or mixed blood
TO welcome it at the levee.
Before the invention of wireless an
ocean journey was frequently pre-
scribed for the tired business man, or
the neurasthenic For a week or more,
such were entirely cut off from all
with the rest of the
world, and given the opportunity to re-
cuperate. This applied as well to river
ravel; and constituted much OF its
harm, especially on the Missouri. The
fear Of shipwreck never marred the
enjoyment Of the trip, although there
was no lack Of snags to be avoided,
Ind TO run onto sandbar and be
iislodged by the noisy donkey engine
vas regular part of the program.
No mode of locomotion was more
'estful or enjoyable than steamboat {
Quincy down or up the Missouri taken,
IS 1t was, necessarily, during the early {
summer, before mosquitoes, which {
bound later, make travel by land or I
water a true Via Dolorosa. I
Culture is said to be the ability I
o derive the greatest amount of pleas
ire from the greatest number Of :
hings," and this applies to the descent '
r ascent Of the Missouri. One who :
J acquainted with the history Of this q
tream and is gifted with imagination, d
yould find much of interest through !
ut its course until it is merged with !
he Mississippi. s
All along the way on either bank Il
re the sites Of old fur trading posts, 2
1here not long ago stirring scenes v
Tere enacted. In many instances no a
estige Of them remains to tell the Il
tory of what happened there. But to "
nd from them mackinaws and keel c
oats came and went, swiftly drifting a
ownstream, and laboriously cordelled Il
n the upward journey when man a
over alone was available.
Numerous illustrious names are as d
ociated with these old forts. To them n
anne Prince Macmillan, Sir George b
lore, relative of Kosciusko, and
Their titled men, either from love Of h
overture, or for scientific study. OF +,
le commonalty, the names Of Lewis r.
nd Clark, Agassiz, Father De Smet, a
onneville, Wyeth, viii suggest them q
Elves to those who know the story q
Z these posts, especially that Of Fort Ii
MON, at the mouth of the Yellow 4
one. 8,
The "fire boat" according to Dr. n,
astman, was not unexpected by the
Ioux, as it had been predicted that
lch a strange craft would some day IL
de the waters of the Mississippi, yet N
ley were not the less filled with as SC
,nishment and awe. when the proph- a.