Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-01-08
Custer Massacre Caused Birth of Miles City; Tow
Manned After Famous Early-Day Indian Fighter

IL Is TO Fort keOSh tnaC Miles ClCy
owes its name and location. The con-
struction of Fort Keogh was entrusted
to General Nelson A. Miles, then
colonel of the Fifth United States in
fantry, and the necessity of a fort
that would command the Yellowstone
country was made apparent when Gus
ter and his gallant command were
exterminated by the hostile Indians.
The troops were on the ground soon
after this massacre, and the fall and
aratory work OF so considerable an en-
al post in the virgin wilderness.
The military reservation of 10 miles
square then included the present site
of Miles City and the original town
of that name was started on the south
bank of the Yellowstone about two
miles from the present location.
Here. crowding close to the reserva-
ton line, the embryo city was founded
in the fall of 1875, and very profit
able business was done by those who
we're fortunate enough to get on the
ground with a stock of goods-wet or
dry-before the winter closed in.
Transportation in that day was
IIlICIIS OCEISAibCllG uPOil bllC lllSiS AehAAV
marine of the Yellowstone, which
stream was navigable for loaded
steamers only during the season of
high water, during the summer, caused
by the melting SHOWS in the noun
tains, and lasting from the middle of
May until about the middle of July.
Other freighting was done during
the late summer, fall and winter by
wagon trains from Bismarck, but this
was expensive and used only for the
transportation of luxuries that could
stand the tariff of anywhere from
3 to cents a pound, according to
the season and necessities of the
patron.
The mail, a semi-weekly service.
came over this route on a schedule
of four days from Bismarck, the dis
lance being about 300 miles. Day and
night travel was contemplated by this
schedule, but at this time it was more
night than day on account of the dan
ger from small war parties of Indians,
who on several occasions made their
presence known and once ambushSd
lonely stagedriver and left his bones
to whiten on the plains.
Late in 1877 the post was occupied
by the troops, the removal of the gar
rison to its new quarters opening
gap of some four miles between the
town and the source of its life and
energy. This was condition not to
be endured any longer than was nee
essary, hence it happened that in
March. 1878, an order was promulgated
by the military authorities throwing
open that portion of the reservation
lying east of Tongue river, whereupon
Miles City rose enmasse from its tenn
porary resting place on the banks of
the Yellowstone and with much celer-
ity moved westward two miles to the
edge of the Tongue river. swarming
around the point where the military
had established ferry and thus des-
ignated an official gateway for the
post.
The occupation of the new location
was fairly orderly. A townsite company
had been formed, composed of repre-
sentatives of the dominant interests
of the new community, and this COM
pany laid out the new town, put nom
inal prices on the lots, and apportioned
the business locations to the several
competitors all in way that, If not
wholly satisfactory, left no serious
differences.
AS it had been surmised that the
original location was only temporary,
the old town never affected much in
the way Of architectural embellish-
ment. One-story log shacks with dirt
roofs were good enough for the time
being, but when the new town was
begun, something in keeping with its
growing importance was demanded
and many of the store buildings that
were put up were lavishly adorned by
hand ornamentation representing the
leisurely toll of self-respecting artisans
who scorned to exercise their talent
at less than 81 per day.
Honor General Miles
The old town was named in honor
of General Miles, who, even at that
time was notable parsonage in mill
tary life. The change in location made
no change in the name. For the next
four years times in Miles City were
good A garrison of full regiment
and the usual compliment of civilian
employees and camp followers made a
good payroll, to which was added the
earnings of small army of govern
ment contractors men, high-salaried
clerks in the stores, and the contin-
ual contributions of the inevitable ten
derfoot, whose genus flocked to Miles
City in droves and uncomplainingly
yielded up the substance garnered by
older and more economic hands, as
the tenderfoot always has done and
always will do, as long as there is
a frontier community to relieve him
Of his surplus.
So it happened that from 1878 until
1881 Miles City was a place Of much
consequence. It was called a tough
place and doubtless harbored during
those years as many hard characters
as have ever gathered together on the
frontier, but for some reason-possibly
the near presence of the soldiers
there was less Of the man for break
fast" in the history of those days of
license and freedom from restraint
than most frontier towns can boast Of
Everybody had money in plenty. So
ciety, as then constituted, demanded
that all should meet on level, con-
sequently the spectacle of prominent
citizen playing "a stack or two
against the bank" or setting up the
fizz" at one of the frequent soirees
dansant of the demi monde excited