Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-08-01
JACK MONROE'S
LIFE BRIDGES
GLAMOROIJS GAP
SWEET GRASS HILLS Resident
WAS GUIDE FOR GEORGE
BIRD GRTNNEL

VHtlEs AAIkEoN VI hkxc swell A4le& as AAA4&o
is the home and ranch OF Jack Monroe
whose interesting life forms q link
between past Montana history and the
present Monroe is now IN his eighties
and is as spry and active as many
men 20 years his junior.
Born In what is now the state OF
Wyoming, then 8 part Of Utah terri
tory, Monroe says that his exact age
is not known. HIS parents were Chi
cagoans, his father driver for the
famed pony express.
When he was 10, Jack Monroe was
taking a mans place In the world. Be-
cause he was small and took great
interest In horses, he naturally took
30 the race tracks and became q
Jockey.
With weight a costly premium. the
race horse owners did everything pos
sIble to keep down Monroes weight.
They encouraged him to chew tobacco
in the belief that this would help stunt
his growth, and in event Of a close
race ahead, where every pound was
q handicap, the horsemen sweated off
the weight by burying the jockey up
to his neck In a compost pile.
It was in 1885 that Monroe went to
the Blackfeet reservation. 1t was the
preceding year that Rodney Barnes
made the strike In the Sweet Grass
hills that drew the attention Of gold
seekers.
Mother Lsde Elusive
According to Monroe, Barnes dug
out $125OOO worth of the precious
yellow metal and fully that much
more, In the opinion of the old-timer,
passed through the banks. All this
was placer gold and to date all eff
forts to locate the mother lode have
been futile, but Monroe still prospects
In the hills with the everlasting hope
that he win some day uncover the
Iong-sought vein.
Gold Butte today Is a lingering
ghost town wrapped in the memories
of a half century back, slumbering
amid the pitted hills that once meant
a prosperous village. 1t was In 1886
when Monroe first saw the booming
gold camp whose chief distinctions
were the number of lusty, brawling
miners and the numerous saloons.
1t was a typical frontier town now
glorified by magazines, movies and
radio. Gathering fights were everyday
occurrences and gunplay settled many
an issue Monroe says he lays claim
to some distinction or the other In
that he helped to start the graveyard
Boot Hill-at Gold Butte in assisting
with the burial rites of q man who
had been murdered.
1t was not until 1927 that Monroe
filed on the present half section he
now lives on, but from 1886 to 1927
~ hi 4&v1ae
the park area with occasional trips to
the Sweet Grass hills.
James Willard Schultz, noted In
dian author, made the acquaintance Of
Monroe during one Of the latter's
visits to the Gold Butte country. Frank
B. Linderman, also a noted writer and
who died few years ago, was another
close friend whose association dated
from the time the two were young |
fellows.
Monroe's first marriage was in 1892
and he has q number Of sons and |
daughters who yet live on the Black
feet reservation. For 40 years he was
a guide in what is now Glacier park.
Long before the region was set aside
by the government as playground,
Monroe knew every portion Of the
area.
AS a guide, Monroe made the &C
quaintance of dozens of men who
came for the hunting and fishing as
well as the scenic attractions Includ-
ed with these sportsmen were indi-
viduals who came from all parts OF
the world.
The name Of Grinnel is one that
has a familiar ring to many Toole
county park visitors, but there are few
who know what significance lies be-
hind the identity tag. George Byrd
Grinnel was a famous naturalist after
whom numerous points Of interest In
Glacier have been designated Grinnel
was a wealthy man whose hobby was
both an avocation and a vacation.
Guide for Grinnel
Monroe was his first guide and his
only one. He formed close friend
ship with the naturalist and it was
from Grinnel that Monroe gained his
extensive knowledge Of birds, animals
and flowers.
When Grinnel published his first
book, long recognized as one Of the
standard works In its field, he sent
Monroe an autographed copy, pos
sCcSA01 h4AC teADAg4AAeAA &4e~o 9AWNJ~ N~NA i
led highly.
When Theodore Roosevelt appointed
Clifford Ptnchot as the first head Of
.he United States forest service, Pin
hot made a trip into the Swan river
country with Monroe as his guide. The !
after still laughs when he recalls that
he party became so hungry that they ,
dlled and ate colt, and Monroe
lays the man who has since been gov
srnor of Pennsylvania thoroughly en-
Dyed the out Of the ordinary steak.
This friendship has been kept green
% the present day, as the two men
'egularly correspond with each other.
When Pinchot later turned author, he
his old friend and sent !
o him autographed volumes fresh !
rom the press.
Some years ago the present secre- I
airy OF war, Henry Stimson, used Jack
Aonroe's skill as guide on q big !
anne hunting trip. With all his ardu-
nus duties, Stimson stin writes to {