MY NATIVE STATE

by Dickie Coulter -- December 25, 1960

Indians have their legends,
    Pirates have their gold. 
Summer has its heat
    And Winter has its cold. 
People have their loved ones
    To which they are so true,
But I also have a native state 
    That I am loyal to.

   The area surrounding Black Butte, and the northeastern corner of the Judith Mountains, across the rolling prairie lands north to the Missouri River breaks and down to the river bottoms and east to Valentine, comprise the area of our history. It is approximately 40 miles square.
    The Roy valley has an elevation of 3100 feet and the breaks, where Armells Creek dumps into the Missouri River, is 2900 feet at the top of the ridge and 2200 feet on the bottom.
    Black Butte and the Judiths frame the southwestern boundary. Under the vast skyline, and clear atmosphere, distances can be deceiving and the Little Rocky Mountains and the Bear Paws to the north, at times, can look to be within 'hands' reach. The prairie and breaks lay in between.
    The prairie is an everchanging land. In the spring it is a mixture of light greens, grays and silvers, yellows, reddish-pinks and blues. In the fall it is gray and gold and brown. The highly erodable soil, "gumbo", in summer's heat becomes a powdery dust that whirl winds, or even a cow trailing to water, can send blowing high into the atmosphere. A rain shower can quickly turn it into a sticky greasy glue-like substance

that can halt a vehicle's travel and make walking almost impossible, for man or beast.
    The prairie land is covered with sage brush, grasses and cactus. On wet years it can be a sea of yellow clover. Prairie primroses, or gumbo lilies, with their fragile white-pink blossom, bloom during wet seasons; wild yellow sweet peas, blue bells, prickley pear cactus, wild roses, sunflowers and dozens of other wild flowers all dot the landscape with color and fragrance in their due season. In dry years the semi-desert can assume a gray-tannish pallor, that is unbroken. Herds of antelope mingle with cattle. Prairie dog towns are scattered throughout the plains. The yip and wail of the coyote can be heard morning and evening and mirades of birds break the stillness with song. Predators, (especially the fox which have become numerous in recent years) a busy highway, plus easier access and a high intensity of hunters are taking their toll on the ones numerous sage grouse, that old timers tell about "flying over in bunches by the thousands." Rattle snakes are ever present.
    It is a country that can fool one. The seemingly flat plains are broken up by rocks, hidden washouts and steep coulees that break off into the river bottom lands.
    The deeply eroded breaks (called mauvais terres or bad lands by the early French-Canadian rivermen) are covered with juniper, ponderosa pine and some fir. This timber has little commercial value. It is valuable as browse and protection for wildlife and cattle, and in the early days provided logs for homes and firewood for homesteaders and steamboats, and posts to build fences.
    Along the creeks that head in the mountains, grow willows, wild fruit trees and bushes of chokecherry, service berries (June berries or Saskatoons), raspberries and currants. In and near the mountains are poplar, birch, pine and fir trees.
    Along the Missouri River are two distinct geological formations, The gray colored Judith formation and the darker Bear Paw shale. Slides are common in the fragile Bear Paw shale. Barren gray, lumpy soil deposits of bentonite are found throughout the entire area. It was formed from decomposing volcanic ash and is composed largely of clay particles.
    The badlands are the rugged massive remnants of eons of erosion. When the great glaciers of the ice age spread over northern Montana, the Missouri River was forced from its original channel (north of the Little Rockies where the Milk River now flows, 60 miles away) and moved southward. The present channel was formed by the river cutting along the face of the ice shield. As the glacier receded the resulting streams that flowed across the fragile soil formed the steep coulees you see today, the trademark of the breaks. The country is prime wildlife habitat and hunting is a major recreation of the area.
    Along the river bottom grow huge cottonwoods. The large fertile lands once grew tons of alfalfa and seed and other produce. Much of the land that once was prime game bird habitat is now covered by the waters of Ft. Peck Lake. Another animal that old timers told of, was of the fan-tail deer which became extinct with the rising waters. It was a very small animal, weighed around 50 pounds and had small compact antlers. There are a few remaining who were fortunate to see this tiny deer.
    While the land itself is virtually unchanged, the river channel has changed considerably even in recent history. What once was bottom land on the north side of the river is now river channel and new bottomlands with new growth have built up on the south side, and visa verse. The still waters resulting from the Ft. Peek dam is slowing down this process.
    Buffalo hunters, trappers and early settlers, and probably the adverse conditions of the early 1900's, all but depleted wildlife. WWII was a boon for game. There were good years with very little hunting done and game increased and moved into new areas. Elk, deer and geese thrive on the grainfields that border the breaks and favor the fresh artesian water, over reservoirs.
    The river has many species of fish: catfish, walleyes, drum, northern pike, sturgeon, sauger, gold eyes, carp, buffalo fish, river trout, ling; but the biggest prize to pull from its waters is the paddlefish, a prehistoric creature, with no true bone development and a long paddle like nose that extends about 1/3 of its body length This paddle is used to stir the mud at the bottom of the river in search for food. It averages about 40 pounds in weight but can exceed 140 pounds. Portions of the fish are a gourmet delight. A female can yield 10 lbs. of choice caviar.
    Hunting, fishing, boating and floating the river are all prime drawing cards for visitors and natives alike.
    By the 1880's the river had become a major transportation corridor for a flourishing fur trade. With the discovery of gold in the mountains the Missouri was used to carry supplies to the mining camps, and gold and furs out. The first steamboat to pass the UL Bend area was the Chippewa--in 1859.
    The Crooked Creek area north of Roy, from highway 191, east to Valentine is rich with fossils and pieces of petrified wood, which can be found everywhere. The region is considered one of the most important in the world for the research on the last dinosaurs. The entire area was covered by the Creataceous Sea, some 60 to 150 million years ago.
    The fossils unearthed in the breaks date back 80 million years. In the 1960's, in an area above Ft. Peck, the lower molar of what appeared to be that of the oldest primate in the world was found. The discovery pushed the evidence of primates back about 5 million years. Since then researchers have discovered thousands of teeth and bone fragments.
    Ann McCollum, wife of former manager of the CMR, James McCollum, discovered the fossil of a mosasaurs in the area between highway 191 and Wilder in the 1980's. It is on display at the Museum of the Rockies in

Bozeman.
    The Roy-Valentine area has many specimens of baculites; strange creatures that lived in the sea 60 to 120 million years ago. Sections of this creature were called buffalo rock by the Indians and were carried as a good luck piece.
    It is estimated that 12 varieties of dinosaurs inhabited this region. The remains of prehistoric frogs, salamanders, turtles, crocodiles, snails, clams and birds have been found.
    The indian was once master of this beautiful, harsh domain. It was his hunting grounds. From it, in its season, came his food supply, his clothing supply and his lodging. It is no wonder, then, that with the advent of white man who took from him his way of life, that Indian uprisings became common.
    It is through this country in the summer of 1877 that Chief Joseph led his people, the Nez Perce, on their last desperate flight for freedom. They came through and around by the Judith Mountains and Black Butte and passed near the present site of Roy and went on to the Cow Island crossing on the Missouri River and headed north for Canada, only to be defeated by the U.S. Army near the Bear Paws.
    Black Butte was once a favored Indian look-out, for either locating the herds of buffalo or for keeping watch on their enemies.
    Arrow heads and teepee rings, for the lucky hunter, can be found near the old camp and buffalo kill sites all throughout the entire area. As national historic items they are not to be disturbed.
    Indians who inhabited this region were mainly the nomadic tribes of Assiniboins (a branch of the Sioux --a tough breed of warrior-hunters), Crows, Chippewas and the half-breed Metis. It is reported that as early as the 1830's and 1840's the Metis were hired as guides for trappers. The Metis are of Cree Indian and French ancestry. They came here in 1879, apparently looking for better hunting grounds. They are, in part, responsible for the heritage of our area. The families of the Doneys, LaFountains, LaRocques and Gardipees came at this time. These families settled in and near Roy --other units of the families were the first permanent residents of what is now Lewistown.
    After the demise of the buffalo, came the herds of southern cattle to fatten on the hard grasses that grow and cure in eastern Montana. This grass has feed value until moisture is received to rot it down, sometimes up to three years. These early cattle were used to feed not only the population back east, but the miners, railroad builders and the Indians, after the buffalo were gone.
    The first cattle were brought into the area in the late 1870's and early 80's. These were mostly longhorns, driven over dusty trails from the Texas Panhandle and they dominated the early ranges. After the fall roundups the cattle were trailed to Fallon or Custer or to some point on the Northern Railroad for shipment. By the early 1900's the ranges were dotted with cattle. A scene not soon forgotten, were the annual roundups from a range area of 50 to 100 miles and the brandings and sorting that went on. In 1884 cattle fattened on the Montana ranges were bringing the highest prices on the Chicago market.
    A man named Chamberlain is thought to have brought in the first herd. Chamberlain Creek north of Cone Butte was named for him. He had a cabin there, built for a line camp, that several homesteaders mention camping in when they came to homestead.
    One of the large early ranches was the Davis, Hauser and Stuart -- DHS. It began when Granville Stuart ran 5,000 head of longhorns into Central Montana. The Anderson Ranch was originally settled by Reese Anderson. The Burnett Ranch was originally headquarters for the DHS.
    James Fergus came in with cattle and settled on Armells. The Horse Shoe Bar Ranch had its origin in the original properties established by H. P. (Governor) Brooks of Helena. The ranch was developed into one of the finest stock ranges in Central Montana. In 1889, the property and all the cattle were purchased by Oscar Stephens. In 1898, W.D. Deaton, a colorful oldtimer of the era, was foreman of the Horse Shoe Bar spread. The Horse Shoe Bar Ranch headquarters was located where the Lester Sluggetts now live. Murray Deaton's name, (son of W.D.) is featured prominently in the early history of cattle on the range land surrounding Roy.
    In 1883 the number of sheep counted in the Armells vicinity numbered 33,315. Most sheep came in from Oregon. William Fergus arrived a few years after James and built up a sizeable sheep herd on Box EIder. Oscar Stephens was located at the foot of Black Butte (the Red Barn Ranch now owned and operated by Gary and Toni Keller). In February of 1884 it was reported that the 6100 head of wethers he drove in from Oregon the previous fall were all fat and would yield 8 Ibs. of wool at the next shearing, Blanchard & Parrott (or Parcot), Wm. Fergus on Box EIder, Chandler and Chamberlain of the Cone Butte area and W. H. Peck were all reported to have sizeable flocks of sheep. A local woolgrowers organization was formed in the late 1880's.
    By 1886 horse ranches were beginning to be prominent in Central Montana. James Fergus & Son began the Horse Ranch, which was their horse range.
    Ranching had its ups and downs, then as now. Cattle rustling was prevalent. The year 1907 was an exceptionally good grass year, the "grass was stirrup high", enough feed for two or more years. Then in 1910 it was extremely dry and fires burned from the Judith to the Musselshell, blackening thousands of acres.
    Cattlemen still dominate the range of northeastern Fergus County and though their numbers are getting fewer as more land is set aside for wildlife and recreation and plowed up for wheat and government programs, the cattle business still plays a major role in the area's economy. Today, instead of Longhorns, quality

Hereford, Angus and crossbreds dot the range.
    The area is still primitive; wildlife abounds, ranches are secluded, but where once only the eagles soared, jet airplanes of all sizes break the quietness with their sonic booms. It has become a training flight area for our National defense system.

CARROLL #2
DAWSON COUNTY MONTANA TERRITORY
by Marie Webb Zahn

POSTOFFICE:
April 15, 1880 to June 22, 1880
May 26, 1881 to November 28, 1882

    Joseph Kipp and James W. Schultz leave Fort Benton for Carroll to erect a trading post for the I.G. Baker Company in the "last of the buffalo country", where some years previous, Matt Carroll and Colonel C.A. Broadwater attempted the overland freight route to Helena--the Carroll Trail.
    Three four horse teams loaded with trade goods were sent overland while Kipp, Guardipee and Schultz boarded the Steamboat "Red Cloud" (an I.G. Baker Company boat). They tied up on the upper end of the bottom, a sagebrush flat and a twenty foot cutbank skirting the water. Long John Forgy and his bullwackers were already getting out building logs from a large grove of cottonwoods on the lower end of the bottom. None of the Broadwater-Carroll buildings remain. Augustus Tyler had a small log building on the extreme upper end where he carried on trade with the woodhawks located here who furnished wood for the steam boats. By September the first, the trading post was built. The main building was 100' x 40', partitioned 25' x 40' trade room with two counters and shelves in back for groceries and dry goods. Behind this building another three room building was built for kitchen and dining room, cooks quarters as well as several employees. Kipp and Schultz had their bed in the trade building. The warehouse, the greater part of the post held $6,000 worth of stock and trade goods. A small building was built to house sixty barrels of blue-ribbon whiskey brought up-river from St. Louis. This was not stored in the post because of being in trouble with the U.S. Marshall as this post was for the purpose of Indian trade. Hewie was in charge and when Indians ordered the liquor he received an order from the post. Another small building was built for smoking buffalo tongues. This completed the trading post.
    North and south, the plains were black with herds of buffalo. Daily they came to water at the river and returned to the plains to graze. In mating season, the bulls made a deep moaning sound that rumbled like thunder, so different from domestic bulls. Sometimes they would come in at a run and charge out into the river--often crossing and going to graze on the plains on the north side. When stampeded, a herd would wipe out everything in their path. This was something to guard against when out hunting.
    Indians began to arrive to hunt and trade, Blackfeet, then the Bloods and next Red Rivers and Crees with Louis Riel's French Crees.
    Five dollars was the price given for a head and tail cow buffalo robe. A family would bring from five to ten robes. The man would count the $1.00 brass checks and keep a few for himself, giving the rest to the women who purchased mainly sugar, tea, flour, baking powder, cloth for gowns, beads, thread and needles. The men bought tobacco, cartridges plus whiskey. Many men did not drink.

     The fur buyers came to the post on the first boat in th spring with Chas. Conrad, I.G. Baker; Thomas Bosier for T.C. Powers & Brother; A.E. Rogers, Broadwater & Pepin Co. and John Goeway for a Boston firm. Daily, these men sat in a row, with pencil and paper, counting and inspecting each robe and marking No. 1 and No. 2 according to color and softness of tanning, seeing both the fur side and the flesh side of the robe. This took an entire week to go through the 4,111 robes. Goeway was the highest bidder at $7.11 per robe. Kipp's check was in the amount of $29,229.21. Deer, elk, antelope, wolf, beaver, fox and other hides were also sold. I.G. Baker and Company bought more than 1,000 buffalo tongues which were smoked at 40¢ each. Some thousands of pounds of dried buffalo meat and pemmican went to a trader at Standing Rock Agency.
    The 1880-1881 winter was a successful season.
    Big-Nose George and his gang of horse thieves were camped near in the breaks and came to the post for supplies. One of this gang shot a young Cree boy as he left the post, this ended their trade. A Cree was sent to Colonel Bartlett with a note from Schultz to take action against the murderer, but to no avail. Bartlett says that he had no control over civil cases and it was in the hands of Sheriff Healey at Fort Benton. It was out of the question to reach him.
    Eighteen Eighty One-Eighty Two saw the passing of the herds. During the summer Kipp went to Fort Benton and brought down a big supply of trade goods for the winter. By August we were aware of big changes which would greatly affect the trade. The Cree decided to no longer mingle with the Bloods and Blackfeet and moved down river in the area at the mouth of the Musselshell. However, they wished a trading post be set up there, and so Kipp readied about a thousand dollars worth of trade goods and a camp outfit and dispatched a French-Cree employee, Archie Amiott and another man to carry on the business. The Blackfeet and most of the Bloods suddenly decided to return to their Canadian reservations to collect $5.00 per head from that government. They could not be convinced that they could earn a better living hunting here.
    November, when the buffalo hides begin to be prime, Kipp sent Eli Guardipee out to hunt and Schultz joined him as trade was slow. Many exciting times were spent with their fast horses chasing buffalo, first on the south side of the river and after the river ice was frozen solid, Gardipee hunted the plains on the north side.
    The Crees and Riel's Red River mixed bloods were good hunters and their wives good tanners. They were hunting hard this winter to earn money to buy guns and ammunition for the coming war they were planning in Canada for lands they lay claim to. By March the last of the blankets were traded to the Cree and a trip was made with saddle horse and sleds to the post at the mouth of the Judith River to replenish the blanket supply. The fifty blankets lasted only three days when they came back to Carroll.
    With spring came the steamboats, puffing upstream and from Boston, the fur buyer, John Goeway. He was again the high bidder for the robes, 2,130 robes at $7.35 each. Charlie Conrad, I.G. Baker & Company bought tons of dried meat and pemmican as well as elk, deer, antelope and other skins.
    Several weeks after the fur buyers left they all set out for Fort Benton leaving Long John Forgy in charge of the post. Kipp and Schultz boarded the "Helena" and the other men brought the bull teams and horses on the long overland trail. This was the end of the buffalo trade, a sad day to see the demise of these animals from the plains on which the Indians needs demanded.

GOOD BUFFALO HORSE WAS WORTH A LOT
by Conrad Anderson

Lewistown News-Argus -- December 24, 1967

    Joe LaFountain told of the buffalo hunting days of Eli Gardipee and others. This was in the 1870's and '80's, when the white men wished to subdue the Indians by slaughtering the buffalo, thereby forcing the Indians to stay on their respective reservations and accept the white men's terms.
    Eli worked mostly in Roy, Grass Range and Judith Basin county for a hide company. Eli, an excellent rifle shot, was employed for the purpose of killing the animals.
    A good buffalo horse was worth a lot of money for he was an exceptional horse. The horse must be fleet of foot, must be able to run many miles at top speed and must be well broken so a man could shoot a rifle from his back.
    Flour was selling for $100 a sack at Rocky Point and most of it went to feed the buffalo horses. This was done by wetting the hay and sprinkling it with flour. Flour took the place of oats as there was not any oats raised here in those days. The buffalo hunters located the herds and started shooting. The herd would run with the hunters in pursuit. Riding at their side, the hunters would kill as many as they could.
    Men would follow up to start the skinning necessary for the next procedure. Others would follow with teams and wagons. Teams were used to pull the hide from the buffalo carcass. The buffalo hides were then hauled to the river points for drying and shipment east.
    Buffalo hides, for a long time, brought only one dollar apiece. Later, as they became scarce, the price went up.

Mining History
MINING - COAL - OIL SPECULATION
by Illa Willmore

Prospectors mined Black Butte for precious metals, mine shafts dot the mountain side. Coal was also mined, as reported on February 14, 1933 in the Democrat News--Roy Bureau:

   A number of men are still digging coal on the Butte and several are through for the winter, having gotten out a good supply. Some of the coal is being sold in Roy. It is estimated that around a hundred ton have been taken out since fall and it has meant something worthwhile to many families who have gotten their entire winter's supply of coal for the digging of it. This coal would not be of commercial value and is on a school section, but it comes in handy for the farmers who are willing to dig it. One man can dig about a thousand pounds a day.

     Deposits of coal were also found on Coal Hill, east of Roy, and in the Valley View area.
     A mining claim of Pick Handle Bourke's lies somewhere on what is now Ed Styer's Ranch.
    A fellow by the name of Kies found $I0,000 worth of gold somewhere along the river, on the west side of Musselshell. He went to town, got a couple of fellows to join him in a mining venture and they started back for the mine. Enroute they were attacked and killed by Indians except for Kies Indian wife. The claim has never been located.
    Mining paid well in those early days: $8.00 per day for a miner; $4.00 per day for laborers and timbermen and $2.00 per day for cowboys and sheepherders. Cowboys made the best miners. They worked cheap all summer, went broke in the fall and had to go to work in winter to survive. Most prospectors often had tarnished pasts and were rough characters.
    A story told by a rancher living in the area north of Roy ...

    In the winter of 1949 a man walked into our place carrying a small leather case. He asked to stay all night. The following morning we gave him a ride, as far as the old King Trail, a mile away, in the hay sled. He started up the road but only went a few feet before he put the case down and switched hands. He did this several times while still within our sight. I remarked to Dad, "It sure must be heavy." Dad replied that he had lifted it the previous night to move it out of the way and that it felt like gold it was so heavy.
    Ten years later I told the story to another fellow, Come to find out, at that time some gold bars were stolen from a mine at Zortman and no one could figure out where they went. They could not figure out how anyone could have gotten out with them, they never thought of someone walking out with that heavy a load, much less crossing the river. The description of the man they figured took the gold and the man at our house fit. When he left our place he was never seen again -- by anybody in this area.

    Gold mining became small scale for several years but then in the late 70's a new surge began and the mines at Zortman, Landusky, Kendall and in the Judiths are booming once more. Gold production yields at the mines in 1988 figured in the millions of dollars, per quarter. Many local men are employed by the mining companys.

OIL

   Ever since the early homestead days the possibility of oil beneath the surface of this country has been hinted at. Several test wells have been dug. Most have been capped and the rigs are pulled up and gone before anyone knows what has happened, leaving behind an aura of mystery and speculation as to what they found. They never tell. Periodically a speculator will come in and lease the oil rights for a few years from local land owners. Usually nothing else happens. But it all keeps alive the dream of an oil strike.... someday!

CONE BUTTE DISTRICT
by Dolores Rife

    Records show that gold and silver and other minerals were discovered and mined in 1888 and the early 1900's in the Cone Butte district. The town of Roy lies about 10 miles north of Cone Butte, a mountain which arises from the fiat land and is part of the Judith Mountains. An article from a local newspaper, titled Cone Butte News, stated what the local miners were doing.

Straight Tunnel Chris Fassold is laying off and recruiting up at present.

Bamboo Dick Gies will commence work in earnest on the Cave lode in the spring.

Pretty Dick Hanson is drifting on his claim, "The Bull of the Woods." He has four feet of line ore.

Lime Horse Jack Leanord is traveling toward China on his lead on Elk Mountain. He has a fine prospect.

Contact Billy Maurer is still running for the contact on Silver Reef. He is in about 250 feet and expects to strike it soon.

P. 7

Amalgam Hoppy and and Porphritic Jim Mitchell are sinking on the Birmlnghan. They are down 25 feet in lead carbonate ore.

Graball Charlie Williams and Give-a-dam Tom Burk are running a tunnel on the Silver Crescent. They think they have struck it rich.

Sour Dough Charlie Stephens is drifting on the lead. He has about one and one half feet of $35 ore. Charlie will not sell for less than a million.

Telluride Vincent Gies is drifting on a small vein of ore in the Bertha. It runs $I75 in gold and silver. He is sacking ore for shipping.

Gold Bug George Manning is tunneling on the New Chicago He is in 60 ft. The vein is four feet wide, six inches of $180 ore and three and one half feet of $15 ore.

Black Jack Murphy is running a tunnel on the Phoenix. He is about 80 ft. and within 10 feet of the lead. He expects to strike a bonanza in about 10 days.

Hurricane Craig Coughty and Hard Rock George Cunningham are sinking on the Jocko. They are down 88 ft. The lead is 12 feet wide, with about seven feet of $27 ore.

From a December 25 issue 1890 of a local paper it stated:

    "Richard Gies of Maiden took out a Patent on his mine in the Cone Butte district. The property is known as "The Cave" lode, and is owned jointly by Richard and Vincent Gies. There are three tunnels on the property, one of which passes along the ore body for a distance of 200 feet. The ore assays from $12 to $26 in silver and about 70 per cent lead. A shipment of a car load of ore was made first of the month to Newark, New Jersey, from which returns have not yet been received. Mr. Gies has been offered a good figure for the property but says it is not for sale. Those who have seen the mine say it is a great bonanza."

From the newspaper "Great Falls Leader" they wrote:

"The Cone Butte district is attracting considerable attention and will show up well in the future. Among those interested in the district is Vincent Gies and his claims join the M.K. on the west and joins the Voltaire. (At this time the Voltair was owned by James Fergus.) Sten Hansen has a claim next to the Voltair. Oscar and Charles Stephens have about 10 claims, which includes claims on Red Mountain. James Murphy has 10 claims and Bernard Neisigh has two claims. An effort will be made this summer to interest capitalists in the district and it is thought that by the judicious use of a little money, some good mines will be uncovered."

This article was written April 11, 1900.

June 11, 1891. George A Cunningham, of Cone Butte, passed through town en route to Scottsdale, Penn. Mr. Cunningham has been prospecting in the Judiths since May 1881 and has some valuable prospects in the Cone Butte district. He says he will put a good portion of his money into mines in the Judith Mountains.

June 18, 1891. O. S. Hinsdale, of Moorhead, Minn,, was in town several days during the past week taking preliminary steps for the formation of what will be known as the Cone Butte Mining Company. The object of the company will be the development of the Golden Jack No. 1 and Golden Jack No. 2.

February 4, 1892. (Mines had their share of accidents then too.) The mine belonging to Dick Hanson in the Cone Butte district and known as "The Bull of the Woods" caught fire and destroyed the building containing the boiler. They had reached a depth of 107 ft. in the shaft, and had only three more feet to sink before crosscutting when the disaster occurred. The loss is a serious one at this season of the year.

    New owners have taken over these mines. It is known that the early day prospector found a lot of the ore deposits that are being mined today. There is still much gold to be recovered in the Judith and North Moccasin Mountains. Research has it that the gold deposits were formed millions of years ago from thermal flows, bringing the gold up with the hot fluids.
    Problems between environmentalists and industries and labor and management have made it difficult to start new mines but it is hopeful that well-managed, environmentally-aware and community-minded mining operations can be developed. Mining will take a big step toward attracting the new job, creating mining development that Montana needs.

GAS WELLS NEAR FERGUS

    In 1920, California Oil Company drilled seven wells above Landru's. All the wells except two were plugged since they were looking for oil not the gas that they found. Will Landru hauled water to the wells with a team of horses and a big steel water tank mounted on a wagon while they were drilling.
    Henry Edwards used one of two wells not plugged. It was not cased, but he used it for eight or ten years before it finally caved in completely.
    The well on the Landru property was drilled to 3400 feet, hit gas at 1380 feet, with 425 pounds of pressure coming out of the well. It was cased and is still  being used in all Bob Landru's buildings and Doug Landru's house and shop.

MISSOURI RIVER STEAMBOATS
by Marie Zahn

   It is stated in the Time Life book, "The Rivermen", that 700 different steamboats plied the Missouri between 1819 and after the disappearance of the paddle-wheel traffic after 1900; of these, some 300 were destroyed in service and left their bones in the river, due to weather related accidents, snags that pierced their hulls, reefs, sandbars and some were the result of human error, such as the "Chippewa'. She was set on fire by her rowdy crew in a drinking session; and when the fire ignited barrels of powder stored in her hold, the ship was blown to smithereens.
   With the gold strikes in 1863, Captain Joseph LaBarge went into opposition to the American Fur Company and his firm of LaBarge, Harkness and Company advertised passage to "the mountains", which drew heavy loads of passengers, bound for the gold fields. The "Emilie" and "Shreveport', LaBarge boats, with 400 tons of cargo and 300 passengers, the first wave of emigrants which came to settle Montana, raced up the flood swollen river that spring, against the American Fur Company steamers, "Key West" and "Spread Eagle", beating them by three days.
   The T. C. Power and I. G. Baker businesses in Fort Benton, together, bought the steamboat, "Benton" in 1875, which was called the Benton Packet Company, the Block "P" Line, (a box with the letter P in the center, their symbol, was made clearly visable mounted between the upper smokestacks of their boats). The Coulson & Peck Linc, called the Missouri Transportation Company and the Kountz Line were stiff competitors, Power expanded his business to carry overland freight and passengers and was known as Benton Transportation, which operated in conjunction with the steamboats, Captain Grant Marsh, a fabled Missouri River boatman, was hired by them to pilot their pride steamer, "The Helena". Power had become the owner of several more steamboats and thus was able to underbid the Coulson Line with their diversified system. The usual up-river trip from St. Louis to Fort Benton was made in 60 to 65 days. The average fare was $150 in 1867 and some 1,500 persons reached Montana in these vessels. Much of the mining machinery was transported by boat to Fort Benton for the 35 quartz mills in this area.
   Intriguing names were given these river giants, to name a few: IDA STOCKDALE, MINER, CHIPPEWA, BENTON, WELCOME, FLORENCE, ONLY CHANCE, FAR WEST, WESTERN MARY MCDONALD, FONTANELLE, NELLIE PECK, SILVER CITY, MARION, EMILIE, DACOTAH, SHREVEPORT, DES METT, SPREAD EAGLE, LUELLA, BATCHELOR, JOSEPHINE, SILVER BOW, PENINAH, ROSEBUD and the WYOMING which was 265 feet long, the largest to dock at Fort Benton. In 1882, it carried 300 head of cattle belonging to Asa Samples to market at Omaha, Nebraska. Captains Joseph LaBarge, Grant Marsh, and Daniel Maratta of the Fontanelle, one of the fastest boats on the river, were only three of the famous rivermen.
   The treacherous nature of the upper Missouri was shown when the "Marion", commanded by Captain Abe Wolf, went hopelessly aground at Pablo Rapids in 1864. Captain Marsh brought the Luella down frown Fort Benton, rescued the passengers and freight, salvaged the machinery and returned to Fort Benton where the unfortunate vessel's equipment was sold.
The beautiful Grand Union Hotel, Fort Benton, one of Montana's oldest hotels, opened for business 2 November 1882 by Stephen Sptizley and company. It was built on the west end of the levee, a three story brick structure, made from 500,000 red and yellow bricks from the local kiln. It's construction cost was $50,000 plus $150,600 for furnishings. This was the most luxurious hotel in the West and catered to river and overland travelers, supplying the fineries of Eastern civilization.
   "All trails lead to Fort Benton" was a familiar statement. The community was the anchor of the Mullan Road to Walla Walla; the road to Helena and other gold mining towns that branched off from the Mullan Road. The Whoop Up Trail led to Canada and Fort McLeod, with much commerce carried over this route to the north. The Fisk Wagon Road brought settlers from St. Paul and North Dakota through northern Montana and was another important overland trail.
   Fort Benton became the commercial center of Montana at this period, with the Missouri River, the main avenue of travel and transportation from the East and

boomed in the early 1860's. Some emigrants came in via the Bozeman trail and north from Casper. Some came from the Pacific Coast, but to be sure, most of the miners and their supplies came up this river route and then overland only the last hundred or so miles to the placer mines. Shipments of gold, furs and hides, wool and livestock, passengers, the military people as well as mail went down the river to the Eastern ports.

DAREDEVIL STEAMBOAT RACED

   Missouri pulots were a hot-blooded breed and engaged in races, partly because fast boats won lucrative freight contracts and while mostly on a friendly basis, some became a no-holds-barred, imperiling steamboat hulls and passengers lives.
   Twenty-nine-year-old Samuel Hauser, prospector, heading for the Montana gold fields experienced such a duel. (Hauser became Montana's Territorial Governor, 1885.)
   June 6, 1862, this race began as the "Emilie" and the "Spread Eagle" left Ft. Berthold, heading for Fort Benton. Hauser was aboard the Emilie. Gathering steam to the last notch, the quaking boat passed the Spread Eagle. (There was poor regulation of steam power and some of the pilots did not regard the danger.) With much applause from the deck, the Spread Eagle built a new head of steam and charged to the lead. Emilie's pilot encouraged his engingeer to put on more power and soon she drew abreast and they held this pace for more than an hour. On reaching a point where the river split by a towhead (an island submerged by high spring water), Spread Eagle veered to starboard, following the wide-looping main channel. Emilie's pilot chose the narrow chute to port-side, in hopes the high water lever would make the short cut passable.
   Spread Eagle's pilot suddenly saw the short route ahead of Emilie was navagable. Rather than let her take the lead, he threw the wheel over and rammed Spread Eagle's bow into Emilie, deliberately trying to disable her. The impact was dangerously near Emilie's boilers, but she recieved only light damage, however the two boats were locked together. Emilie's pilot was so enraged that he let go the wheel and snatched his gun and would have shot Spread Eagle's pilot had not his son stopped him. The boats drifted, while passengers and crews exchanged threats and curses. Fortunately, the two boats separated on their own accord, as related by Hauser, and Emilie's engineer turned on the last pound of steam causing her to glide by and Emilie reached Fort Benton on June 17th, four days ahead of her rival. This race proved the fleetness of Emilie and earned her owner a big share of the river trade which more than compensated for the damage done in the race.

STEAMBOAT AND WOOD HAWKS
by Con Anderson

    In the year 1914 the U.S. Government was still spending money to keep the Missouri River open for the large stern wheel boats that went up to Ft. Benton, before the railroads were built. Why the river was kept open for river traffic this late is a mystery to me.
    The Gros Ventre was the name of the stern wheel paddle boat I saw in 1914. It raised the cottonwood trees that were in the river. Men sawed the trees from the root portion and let them float down river. Now, there are many of these trees lodged in the river as snags.
   Crews still sawed the trees along the banks of the river, although steam boat traffic had stopped a long time before this. These boats or ships used wood for fuel power and many of the old timers I knew cut pitch pine for the riverboats. They were called "wood hawks".

THE NAMES AND LEGENDS OF LANDMARKS, TRAILS AND STREAMS
by I. Willmore

Armells Creek

    Supposedly received its name from a French trapper in the early 1860's. Armells also has been known by a couple of other names. Lewis and Clark on their journey up the Missouri River called it South Mountain Creek. The Indians named it "It Crush Them Creek", for some women who were digging for red paint in the soil along the creek and were killed when a high cut bank cared in on them.

Bear Creek -- by Sam Sherman

    A cowboy called Panhandle Bob, who came to Montana with a trail herd from Texas, was working for Spud Stephens and was also a wolfer and a trapper. He would set traps for wolves in their dens in the fall and in the spring would hunt the dens when the pups were being born. 
He was camped near the Red Barn Ranch, a few

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miles south of Roy, when he saw a grizzly bear at the head of the creek that runs past the ranch. The bear was in some timber and was eating berries. Bob tied his horse to a tree and slipped up close so he could get a good shot. As he fired the bear came at him, standing on its hind legs. Bob fired five shots at the bear's heart, emptying his rifle. The bear came over the log and clawed Bob who pulled out his .45 pistol and stuck it in the bear's mouth and fired one shot which broke the bears jaw. The bear dragged Bob over the log and stood over him. He crawled out from under the bear and got to his horse, and rode to Gilt Edge where a 'red-light' woman bandaged his wounds and took care of him. There were no doctors or nurses in Gilt Edge at that time.
    When Bob related what had happened no one would believe him. They thought he had been in a fight with some Indians. The creek where this happened was named Bear Creek, after his story.

Blood Creek--There are two Blood Creeks in our area. One is just north of Roy. The other is in the Valentine area. There are two legends concerning the naming of Blood Creek (Valentine area). One is that once it was the scene of a great Indian War; so much blood was shed that the creek ran red with it. The other is that at one time it was the site of big buffalo kills and again the creek ran red with blood.

Button Butte--It reminded early arrivals of a shoe button. It is in the Little Crooked area.

Elevator Ridge--Elevator Ridge lies in the breaks country north of Roy, between Wilder and Sand Creek. In early years there was a house on it that would mirage and look just like a grain elevator from a distance.

Ford Creek --is supposed to have derived its name from a cattle rustler, by the name of Ford, who was hung by vigilantes from a cottonwood tree along its source.

Haystack Butte--It sets near the old 79 Trail and resembles a haystack from a distance.

Indian Butte--An old Indian lookout and campground site.

Jones Island--Named for Sam Jones who inhabited the island. Jones Island, up until the terrible Missouri River ice jam and flood of 1947 was home of the fan-tail deer.

King Trail and King Island--The north road out of Roy is the old King Trail. Highway 191, from marker 78 north to the top of the Missouri river hill more or less follows the trail, sections of it are still visible from the highway. The King Trail wound its way through the breaks and down to King Island.

Little Rockies--The Indian name was Mahkwiyi Stukists meaning Wolf Mountains.

 Missouri River--Called Big River by the Indians.

Musselshell River--The Indians had two names which they called the Musselshell. One was "On The Far Side Bear River" named to distinguish it from the Bear River (Marias) and the other name was "Dried Meat River."

Rattlesnake Butte--South of Roy and slightly west of Black Butte. So named because of the high density of rattlesnakes found there.

Saddle Butte--On the old King Trail about halfway between the river and Roy on the 1 west side of highway 1191. A high point, from which one can see for many miles in all directions.

Whisker Coulee--Named for Whisker Davis who had a horse camp there. It is in the Little Crooked area.

79 Trail--This trail took its name from the 79 Ranch on the upper Musselshell Supplies for the ranch were unloaded off the steamboats at the mouth of the Musselshell River and the trail wound its way through Valentine and over the Judiths to the ranch near Harlowtown.

Chain Buttes--So named because they are a series of buttes linked together, in the Valentine area.

Chimney Crossing--is on Crooked Creek about a half mile from the head of Whisker Coulee. A log cabin used to be there. The chimney which is half brick and half stone is still standing.

Coal Hill--Named because of the deposits of coal found on it.

Cone Butte--This butte, shaped like a cone, lies on the north side of the Judiths.

Cottonwood Crossing--is straight south of Button Butte. There use to be a huge grove of cottonwood trees there but in the late 40's beaver dammed up a hole in the creek and cut many of them down. The grave of a cowboy is on the ridge just south of the crossing. It is marked with rock and cactus.

Crooked Creek --From a November 21, 1889 issue of the Mineral Argus --

    "Crooked Creek is very properly named, Nothing will compare with it for crookedness. A preachers son, a bank cashier, or a Montanan returning board are all straight compared with it. If Bunyon's Pilgrim had been compelled to travel the windings of this stream before reaching paradise, he would have given up in despair. Nothing but Sheriff Sullivan's skill as a guide led the hunting party out of its entangling meshes and then all were a trifle cross eyed when camp was made. No more Crooked Creek for us."
    Crooked Creek originates in coulees northeast of Roy and flows eastward to the Musselshell River. On maps today Crooked Creek is listed as the Sacajawea River. According to a study made by a 'history student' in an eastern state, Lewis and Clark named the creek after their Indian guide. In the 80's a big ceremony to officially name the creek to Sacajawea River was held. Many dignitaries attended. However, to natives and old timers it's still Crooked Creek and to local students of history data, the

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description Lewis and Clark gave of Sacajawea River in no way resemble Crooked Creek, which normally only flows during the wet season.

Drag Creek--

    The original name was Draggin' Ass Creek. It was so full of alkaline that if one drank too much of it they drug ...!!

CARROLL #1 AND CARROLL TRAIL
by Marie Zahn

   The Carroll Trail was 225 miles overland from Carroll to Helena. Beginning at Carroll on the south side of the Missouri River, the Carroll Trail struck out south westerly around the north and west of the Judith Mountains, to Camp Lewis, left the Judith Basin at Judith Gap, skirting the southern edge of the Little Belt Mountains and crossing the Missouri River at Canyon Ferry, ending in Helena.

1870:

   E.G. Maclay masterminded the operation of the Carroll Landing and the Carroll Trail named for Mathew Carroll with Chas. A. Broadwater, a leading Helena financier, a partner in the undertaking. The Treaty of 1855 gave the land south of the Missouri River to the Blackfeet Tribe, through which the Carroll Trail was routed. President Ulysses S. Grant revoked this treaty in 1873 and the Crow Tribe negotiated to trade their Yellowstone lands for one-half million acres of the Judith Basin in January of 1874.
    General Alfred H. Terry dispatched infantry companies to guard the new route. One company at Camp Lewis (Lewistown), one company at Carroll, a small number guarding the road station at Box EIder, two infantry and one cavalry company at the forks of the Musselshell and two companies garrisoned at Camp Baker. (Later named Fort Logan)
    The Fontenelle, May Lowry, Ida Stockdale, Katie P. Kountz and the Peninah were the Kountz steamboats. The first vessel Peninah arrived at Carroll on May 8, 1874--the cargo was promptly transferred to the Diamond R Mule Train. Although the freight did arrive at Helena ahead of the Fort Benton river route, rejoicing was short-lived for the Kountz line soon proved inept.

September 1874:

    Carroll Landing, population 75 to 200. George Clendinen Jr. -store- postmaster. Post office established: June 22, 1874, Dawson County, Montana Territory, discontinued October 30, 1887. Murphy, Neel & Company - branch establishment; these stores offered luxuries as well as necessities which could be found at Helena. T.L. Marshall hotel. G.R. Norris - saloon. Captain C.C. Rawn and Lt. Wm. Logan - Infantry Station. These buildings were situated on an alluvial plain, 20 feet above the watermark. Kountz employees promised a levee to be built, but was not done.

1875:

    The Coulson Steamboat Line replaced the Kountz Line in order to provide better river service. It was impossible to transport entire cargoes over land, no matter where they were unloaded and the layover was hauled at a reduced rate as the freighters endeavored to get the goods through before winter. During 1875 season mail delivery between Carroll and Helena was made in three days by stagecoach. Freight wagons took twenty to thirty days. By July 1875, Indian attacks were occurring at these locations: Camp Lewis, 3 recruits killed and 60 horses stolen; Armells Station, 33 of the 46 mules were ran off and at Deep Creek Station, the stock herder was murdered. The Sioux invaded Carroll and took many picketed horses. A complete herd of mules were stolen from Diamond City. A warning from a Camp Louis soldier stated, "remove your Diamond R outfit from this road before the Sioux do it for you." A call for more military protection was issued, but none came. On November 11, 1875, an anonymous writer from Carroll stated, "The freighting season here is now closed, perhaps for good in our day!"

BLACK BUTTE

To Black Butte
The Sentinel of the Prairie
Guardian of us all
How many years have you watched us
Guiding us Great and Small

The Indian held you in reverence
The pioneers kept you in sight
Standing apart from the mountains
You guided them home at night.

From your heights one can gaze on forever
to the north, south, east and west
Overlooking great miles of Montana
We all regard as the Best

                         By Charlotte Coulter

    Black Butte is probably the most famous of the landmarks in the area. It can be seen from the Winnett turn off on Highway 87 to the Hays Hill. Early settlers gave it the tribute of being an ancient volcano because

 because the snow never lay on the summit. A Roy science teacher and some of his students measured the temperature of the Butte at one time and discovered that not too far beneath the surface the temperature was several degrees warmer than on top; another reason why the snow never stays long.
    There are several stories about how it got its name. One is that Lewis and Clark, on their expedition, named this promontory when they named the Judith Mountains. Another story is that it got its name because it once burned off leaving it totally black. Maybe it burned off before Lewis and Clark came. Never-the-less the Butte usually looks black from all directions, no matter how bright or how cloudy the day.
On the topmost part of Black Butte is a place that was used by the Indians for their signal point. Using limbs from trees they carried there for signal fires, they made smoke signals with buffalo skins or robes.
    It is said that whenever you see a halo on the Butte, look out for the weather. Many times when the clouds are hanging low and blowing around the Judiths; they dissipate when they reach the pass between them and the Butte and leave Black Butte standing -- all alone.

ROSS PASS
FREIGHT ROAD
by Marie Zahn

    Ross Pass is the gateway in the Judith Mountains between Rocky Point and Fort Maginnis. In the 1880's Rocky Point and Wilder were associated with Fort Maginnis and the telegraph line between these two points. Freight brought up the Missouri River on the steamboats was transferred to freight wagon trains pulled by oxen and horses, bound for the Fort, Maiden and Gilt Edge.
    At the top of the river hill the road followed the old Carroll Trail to Cone Butte, turning south and heading through Ross Pass instead of going around the Judith Mountains. The country through Ross Pass is rugged and scenic.
    A road house called the "Mountain House" was located near the summit on the Gilt Edge side. This crude saloon was owned and run by Jim Atkinson, known as "Buckskin Jimmie". This is where tired wagon masters and their crews, military scouts, prospectors and trail-weary cowboys stopped to wet their whistles. The Mountain House was built in 1881 or 1882 and operated only a short time due to a tragedy.
    A killing took place over a poker game -- the victim being a stranger who rode up and sat in on the game. At first he was winning, but began losing heavily and when asked to pay up, he pulled a gun and tried to kill the winner. Jim stepped in and ordered the man to lay down his gun and leave the premises, but instead he fired at Jim.  Atkinson was a no gun man but was cool-headed and a good shot -- he fired once and killed the man in self defense.
    The stranger carried no identification and no one knew from where he came. He was buried in an unmarked grave about 200 feet to the left of the saloon. No charges were made against Athinson, but shortly after he closed and abandoned the Mountain House, He went to the lower Yellowstone valley where he worked as a packer and helper at the Burns Trading Post. In 1883 Jim Atkinson and Millie Burns were married and they moved by covered wagon to homestead at the present site of Roy, Montana. Their buildings were across the Box Elder Creek and just below where the present Roy Stockyards are located. There was a good spring of water at this point.
    Jimmie was employed hauling government freight from Fort Benton to Fort Maginnis and supplies to the McNamara store at Fort Maginnis and the mining town of Maiden for four years during this era.

PHOTO-DESCRIPTIONS

• L. to R.:Murray Deaton, Asa Carpenter, Henry Otten, Dick Reed, Herman Otten and Bill Cook. Some of the other men rode for Deaton were: Chunky Conolly, Tom McAlpine, Frank Morrison, Freddie Fox, Bert McCracken.
   

• Black Butte, as seen from the south.

1 Changes made by Illa Willmore