Belt Valley times. [volume], January 28, 1926, Image 1

About Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
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VOLUME 32. NUMBER S3.
$2.00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE.
BELT. MONTANA. JANUARY 28, 1926.
;£=»
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Mrs. RoIhnrs
A Historian
A Newsy Letter
From Mrs. Shirley
Pioneer Resident of the Belt Valley Passes
•
.
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Mrs. Raymond Bobbins is s isdy
of versatility. Besides being exceed
tngiy c lerer with paint brush and
duük and a pianist who can give to
that instrument an expression whicl
most amateurs lack she is an anthoi
aa well.
The Montana federation of Wootens
Clubs has taken upon itself the work
of compiling the early history of each
oounty of the state. In carrying out
this plan the Woman's Club of Glas
gow was the first to get into action,j
and last year they published the "Lo
cal Community History of Valley
County Montana."
This work was compiled by Vesta
O. Robbins who is now a resident of
Belt
The book consists of five divisions;
First: Indian History, Exploration,
Port Peck, Indian Fights, General
Miles campaign, early trading posts.
Medicine road, Missouri river data.
Hunters and Trappers.
Second; Ranch history previous to
1900, Prominent outfits, Women on
ranches, Ferry.
Third: Town History (previous toj
1910)—Coming of railroad, Condi-,
lions— Early setters—First building
and I esidences—Church history—cem
etery—Law enforcement—Public ' of
ficials Schools and other organisa
tions Library Hospitals— Business.
enterprises.
Fourth
Irrigation—Private
by the old timers, themselves.
The history rontains a number ofi
good stories that would be appréciât
ed by old-timers and tenderfeet as
well.
jects. '
Fifth; The Old Timers own Stories
Some of the stories that would be
interesting to Belt people are thoe*
associated with the Rev. Allan
ger and the Rev. P. W. Haynes in
, connection with the early church his
tory in Glasgow.
The book is well illustrated b>
drawings of H. Irvin Shope who haa
caught with his pencil much of the
action ant spirit of the early days.
Valley county contains many who
have passed through the frontiei
days and enjoy the stories of that
time even though they themselves
were the butt of the joke but there
■were others who. like the old Dutch
families in New York after Washing
ton Irving had written his immortal
Knickerbockers History, objected
mightily to having their names ap
pearing with stories not sufficiently
dignified for an august old age.
One Roosevelt story centering,
about, John Willis, a Glasgow resi
dent, is selected for illustration, not
of the preceeding statement but of
the general character of anecdote.
"During his ranching days in the
West, the late Theodore Roosevelt
while visiting at the office ol
a taxidermist noticed some particu
larly rare specimens of mountain
goat. He at once became interested
and asked where they could be found
The taxidermist stated that a hunter
and trapper at Thompson Falla, Mon
tana by the name of John Willis had
found and killed the animals and not
knowing just what they were had j
sent them to be mounted and identi
fied.
Roosevelt at once wrote Mr, W/illi# ;
pany him on a hunting trip in search
of this particular game.
Willis received the letter apd after
spending some time reading it, turned
H over and »vrote across the bock, "If
you can't shoot any better than can!
write, I don't think so," and mailed
it back to him. The letter is now on
exhibition at the, Roosevelt memorial
Some time Uter an Easterner with
rosy cheeks appeared at Thompson
He sought out Mr. Willis who
promptly guessed him to be a brew
•ris son and told him so. However,
the easterner was not dismayey and
For the first time Willis became
interested. He did have some fine
guns.
For the first time Willis became
interested. He did have soce fine
gun* and almost before he knew it
the cautious banter was beginning to
like this mon «rith the big antle and
big teeth and had prom'sed to accom
pany Wm"
In conclusion Mr* Robbins thank,
Falls.
i
«rith a smile that showed a wide ex
panse of teeth he began showing the
hunter his guns.
4be Club Women of Hinsdale, Opheim
I
"HORS* SKN81T
*** Arrow "Great Western."
Diek Hatton comes to the Pythian
Theatre Saturday in "Horse Sense*
In this picture Dick goes through
some blood-curdling experiences, in
one instance being nearly killed by a
huge grixxly bear.
Marilyn Mills whose wonderful rid
ing has made her very popular in
Western roles roles, plays opposite
Hatton and is exceedingly charming
j as Molly Lane,
!
Her two wonder horsee "Star" and
"Beverly" perform their remarkable
stunts with startling intelligence.
Belt Wins Fast
One From Ghoteau
Last Friday night the Belt High
school team defeated the Teton Coun
ty High at the auditorium by a score
of 20 I0 ^ game wa8 hard
foUfrht on bo th flide8 .
The p^im^ry game between the
and ^ All-stars was of con
8iderable inte reat because of the fact
that one team ^ made up of boy*
six feet teU and tKe other hnd th e
!same percentage of four-footers. The
j main game started with a rush, neith
er side scoring for several minutes,
j Then Leland slipped in a counter
from under the hoop. Belt held and
choteau made a po int f,™ the ^
b ne. Leland caged another shot and
| choteau followed with a long one.
Leland scored from the side line and
'^ quarter ended Belt 6 Teton 3.
j p^t opened the second quarter
Rod-j^ a lon? one and choteau convert
ed a fool for one point. Many short
shots missed on both sides, half ended
as Probet failed on foul throw. Score
Score Belt 8, Teton 4.
Belt came back strong the second
half. Gossack starting the scoring
with a free throw then followed with
a basket Choteau missed a free
throw and Simon Is followed in a lon>,
shot for a basket. Both sides still
missing easy ones. The quarter end
ed 18 to 4.
The last quarter opened with both
teams in good condition. Choteau go»
one from the gift line. Nohl made
a pretty basket while covered. Cho
teau got another free one.
made another basket after a pretty
exhibition of team »cork. Choteau
slipped in a fast one-handed shot.
With three minutes to go Coach
Lowry sent in four new men. John
son and McCafforty aa forwards,
Nohl center. Harcharick and Jewell,
guards.
Nohl made a point from the gift
line and Harcharick connected for tw«.
points. Referee Gossack.
Lineup follows:
T. C. H. 8.
Cohoe (8)
Beh
Leland (8*
Right Forward
Probet (2)
Crittenden (8)
Left Forward
Gossack (8)
Dennison
Center
Simonis (2) 1
Nohl (8)
Davis
Right Guard
joudonnais (2)
j Susti tarions _Choteau Evenson (2f
Belt McCafferty, Johnsno, Je»rell,
Harcharick (2)
_
jj
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MASONIC CARD PARTY
At the Masonic card party Tues
day evening ten tables were at pUy.
*■ Van. Dike «rho was playing on the
Udi«*' side won bead prize but P**-«
sed it along to the next highest Mrs.
Roy Johnson, Miss Sifford «ron the
low P "»• Wm - Vendsel «ms recip
ient ot the men's head prize whiU;
L M Bratley «ms equally successful
in getting the other. Lonch was »er»
ed late in the evening at the Black !
j
Nashua and Glasgow as well as the
Old-timers for their helpfulness in j
bringing the publication to compte
tion. The chief value of the history
to our eyes is not its sentimental
value but the fact that the entstand
ing events of early day«, the memor
ie* cf the oldest inhabitants have
been gathered and printed in Mack
and white before the paring ot thoa,,
who were formerly the sole deposi
Left Guard
Diamond,
. --—
tories of the earliest history.
Bom in Illinois, Lived 46 Years in Belt, Leaves
Eleven Children. A Noble Christian Wom
an Whom Hundreds Mourn as a Friend
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MRS. MARGARET MILLARD
Friday morning pas
sing of Mrs. Margaret Millard a pion
eer resident of the Belt Valley. Her
death was not unexpected and her
eleven living children were with he»
at the end.
The funeral was held from the M
E. church on Monday afternoon at
2 o'clock in the presence of a crowd
that overflowed the chuich and fil
led the streets about the church.
Rev. H. T. Stong preached the fun
eral sermon and In well-cheaen words
recounted the life history of the de
parted. A choir consisting of Archie
Robertson, Leo. Graybeal, J. K, Cul
ver, and Harry Browning with Mi
Waldo aa accompanist sang the fun
The casket and available space
covered with the floral tributes
erel hymns.
were
of sorrowing friends. The pall bear
John Sommerrille, Harry
Oxley, Wm Brstley. prank Heron. S.
A. Remington and Chas. H. Dahl.
After the services in the church
the funeral cortege wended it* way
to Pleasant View cemetery where
Rev. Stong consigned the body to its
gnve.
In his remarks while tinged with
sadness there was also a feeling oi
joy spoken to the mourners that.
the deceased had lived a noble God
fearing life, that her Bufferings were
ended and that her influence would
still live in her children and her ac
er» were
quaintances in the community.
Mrs. Margaret Millard, nee Margar
et Atkinson was born of English par
entage, March 28, 1858 in Coal Val
ley, Illinois, and February 10th. 1874
»ras married to Henry W. Millard,
also of English parentage.
In the late 70's Mr. Millard wa*
employed by John K. Castner and
George Watson to assist in opening
up a coal mine in Belt «rhich «ras ;
afterwards called No. I. • 1
Mr. Millard's children recall their
father's statement that in his first
winter in Belt the snow was very
deep, exceeding anything seen since
that time.
that time.
In the spring of 1880 Mrs. Millard
and three small daughters left Coal
Valley to join Mr. Millard in Mont
ana They proceeded by train to
Bismark. N. D. the end of the rail
r»ad at that time and there took the
boat for Port Benton The voyage
^ alow Snags, sandbars, low
water and buffalo delayed the host
Ea< . b „^t they tied up to some tree
^ the b. nk oftev str>ppiriR durin g
the day as »veil to take on wood.
Eventually they reached Fori Ben
ton at about the same os a severe
storm arose. The roads between
Belt and Port Benton became impass
able because of the adobe flat« and
it «ras found necessary for the fum
By to remain in Fort Benton for the
winter.
In the spring of, 81. Mrs. Millard
and family accompanied, fhe first
freight team drawn by oxen goin-r to
Belt after coal for the river boat*
Their first home was . log cabin
on «rhat is now the Wilson ranch,
Soon Mr. Millard located an open
on
and opened a coal mine which from
that day fo this has produced coai
as the "Millard Mine."
Cottonwood log buildings were
'erected near the site of the Ernest
Stegling residence and there the fam
lly lived for a number of years. About
1890 a new and for that time pre
tentions frame dwelling was erected
and a little later, just across the
main road, E. A. Clingan built a home
Ws family. These two were the
dwellings of any importance
B®IL
During these years when there wat
no meat market in Belt and when the
source of supply for household ne
cessitie« was Fort Bonton, game wa;
plentiful on the hills surrounding the
town and antelope, deer, and prairie
in
fowl could be obtained in a few hour-,
while Belt creek was always ready to
supply of mount*».
Indians came yearly to Belt creek,
«« «»* spring to make sugar from the
plentiful supply of Box Elder*. late»
hunt and on Lower Beit to estsb
Hah their sweat lodges which until
have been easily located
by the circles ofVwne* which marked
the site* of their tepees,
tribe and were always on friendly
term* with the Millards,
beauties.
These Indians were of the Piegan
At this time irrigation ditches were
considered a necessity and the Mil
lards had a ditch on the east aide of
Belt creek aa the Castner» liad oi.
the »rest and in their gardens raised
bountiful crops of vegetables for
borden while bear drifted down
from Tiger Butte and Little Belt af
In 1893 the A. C. M. Co. purchased
the Castner Coal and Coke company
Lynx and bobcats mode poultry
table use.
a fat pig occasionally,
open
Mr. Millard plotted his land in the
valley into form lots and a Urge part;
of the original townsite of Belt «rasjtera
from the holdings of Mr. Millard.
A large family was born to the Mil
from the holdings of Mr. Millard. i
A Urge family was born to the Mil
Unto, the first two children dying in[
infancy but the remainder, eleven,
were all present daring the last hoar».
of their nnther and it speak* well for
'he devotion, loyalty, and love of the
children that many came from dis
'ant states to pay their lost respects
| to "mother." j
All were present at the funeral ex j
; cept Mrs. Backhouse (Sadie) who af
ter being «nth her mother at hci
death was called home to Missoula
by the serious condition of her soi.
who was operated upon for append j
icitia Friday night.
The names of the su reiving child
ren are:,
Mrs.'R, A. Lincoln iMary) of Great
Falls, Mrs, W. E. Nimmon» (Jennie i
Fife, Mr*. Henry Backhouse (Sadie)
of Missoula, Mrs. A. E. Chrysler (Et
ta) Bremerton, Wa«h . Mayor H. W
Millard Belt, Mr». A. L. Crane (Ivah)
Fife, Mrs Charles Dahlgren. (Mar
garet) Bremerton, Washington. Mrs. ,
W. B. Speir, (Esther), San Diego, Cal,
( ALTAR SOCIETY CARD PARTY
The Altar Society card party last
evening had one of the largest *t
tendances since the society began
these popular functions. Twenty-five
tables were used by the happy play«
while a considerable number did not
enter the play. Mrs, Smith of Great
Falls had the highest score, Miss
Stranahap, second, while Mrs. N. H.
Nelson won the- prise for low scon
Wm. Vendsel was the luckiest man
with Harry Browning second and a
gentleman from Great Falls low. The
usual elaborate luncheon closed the
evening.
Skaters Nearly
Wreck Bridge
While there was ice on the creek a
variety of people «ought skating on
the precarious icc between the mine
and the large bridge. Tiring of skat
ing and longing for some excitement
the boys tried swinging on the cable
I used for support for the footbridge.
As many of the boys a» could finu
a place to grip hung on the cable and
swung. The footbridge swung with
them until pedestrians were sum
whether it was an earthquake or a tid
al wave. Already the bridge ia consid
ably wracked. In several spots
shows weakness. The last outlay of
the citisens upon this bridge which
la privately owned by the citizen# of
Belt amounted to several hundred dol
tara.
Malicious destruction of property
will probably be as good a name for
the attempt to wreck the bridge as
any other and tha officers of filu
city will have the backing of the citi
zens in resorting to stenuous efforts
to stop the attempts to wreck it.
Mrs. I, H lace V. Mason, Seattle; Mrs
J. C. Anthony (Viola), Cascade, Mon
tana and R. A. Millard, Crescent City
California.
During the first years of their resi
dence on Belt creek the Millard* were
unable to call a doctor when needed
because there were none nearer than
Port Benton and that was a good
journey when roads were good.
Women neighbors «rare few but
those who were in the valley were
always ready fo help on* another in
sickness and trouble.
Mrs Castner, Mrs. David Graham,
Mr». Jim Brown »«ere the nearest
neighbors while do«m Belt creek were
the Wetzels, the Eppersons and tile
Hackshaws and later the Blacks and
Seifivds. On Box Elder a little later
were the Leland* and the Turners,
while the Brauns, Ferguses, McDon
alds, Pimperton* and Manns wore
municatlon «rith the outer world.
Mr. Millard died in 1011 and Mrs.
Millard continued to live in the old
home until 1919 when she had a mod
east.
After Great Falls started a stage
was run through to the Judith Basil,
iand to Barker and Nelhart giving the
inhabitants of the Belt Valley oom
brother who reside in
em bungalow built which «he used
for the rest of her life.
Mrs. Millard is survived by six sis-j
and one brother «rho reside fig]
( OWa a nd whom she visited in 1917.
gbe was a member of the M. h.\
c h orc ). wa * president of the Ladies
Aj(J # worker In both
WRg a charter mem lier of the
R ^ bekah and Pythian Sijster s lodger,
we] j ^ a mem b er 0 f the Women
^ Woodcraft
. „ .
" £ , . , , P *
0 ? 0 . " R * ^ ,, OV,r * U
* . * y t T , f I
tr ..'T* * * Te3 ** ! eRr ^.
wh,ch nftw can ncv * r ** wnt "
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Her death is mourned far and wide
for her neighhorliness and foi
,er sterling womanhood. Those pre
sent at the funeral from long distances
can bc«t attest the wtirtn in which
„hc «ras held. ,
Th(> c bn dren f rom a d i*tance wert!
Iir> | cnm , d a|fain Belt with regrei
thflt #uch a gad bought thorn
. . . h
T ° ^ ^ '*.'*"*"
f th * People of Belt and vir;n>ty our
~
deepest sympathy.
A letter from Mrs. Frank Qhirk p
says:
Well, we have reached the " P roas
ised Land" at last, after leaving Belt
Just a month ago, today. We spaas.
thirteen days In actual driving
fhe highway route, the balance of the
time was spent In layovers for re
pairs, or on account of storms or
roads.
from Denver on south the roads
were good and we passed through
some very interesting country. I do
not mean that we liked the country ao
well, but the conditions were ao dif
ferent from what wa were accus tons
ed to. It aeemed more like conditions
should have been fifty years ago. Phr
instance, we saw them hauling toga
with oxen, four yoke to each wages»
and the oxen were Jersey bred, peer
scrawny Uttle-thinga, which looked aa
If they could hardly crawl along them
selvas, not to speak of pulling a load.
But it was really surprising what
those poor little animated afceietoaa
could pull when they started out.
It became quite a common thing aa
we traveled down through Texas and
Alabama to see a pair of oxen drives,
to a light wagon or cart, by both ne
groes and whites.
Now and then we would see an old
negro mammy bumping along in a
singlt oxcart, taking her basket of
eggs to town.
If family wished to have
it
an especially high class outfit, they
would get an old dilapitated top bag
gy, to which drove one ox or a shaggy
longeared donkey and they do not
drive with lines, but with a single
jerk-rope. The negroes do not Been»
to be able to endure any cold. About
the time we were in Alabama, the
weather was unusually cold for that
part of the country. It was 82
grees above sero and every negro
would have bla ears tied up and muf
fler around his neck. One would a m
them standing in groups by bonfire«
alongside the road where they wore
at work. We met one colored gentle
man who thought he had solved
problem of warmth. He was driv
ing an old horse with sides like a
wash board, to a dilapitated wagon
with wheels that «rabbled comically
and he had an old iron pot with a
fire built in It. He would drive with
one hand and hold the other over tha
fire. The natives tell me this ia a
vary common sight during cold spells.
The "piney stood*" as it is called
by residents is full of small
sheep, goats and hog* ail running
wild. They run from year to year,
uncared for, till no man know* «rho*
belongs to him and I doubt if h* could
catch one If he did know without «
gun, for they are wild as deer.
This condition of things continued
until we «rer« several hundred miles
south of the Florida line, when thing*
began to change considerably, impros
ing as we traveled south.
Florida was a great surprise to os;
we did not know H was so big. Thera
are thousands of acres of wilderness
and unsettled land In northern Flor
ida. One »rill drive mile* and rolle«
through woods and jungles, then
come suddenly upon a beautiful little
city by the side of a beautiful lake.
There will be fine home«, flower and
shrub« of every description and ttu
streets will be »haded by magnificent
live oaks, from «rhich hang great
streamers of Spanish moss. There
I will be stately palms, fern treos, mag
jnolias, Wistarias, Hybiscus, Rosea,
Honeysuckle and Polnaetta» in bloom,
Then onc vril1 drive out of this
in fo ***• condition of wilderness
** f> *fo re -
We havo drivcn over 1000 miIe * *»•
Florida and have just reached tb-.*
p * rt I**' 11 * settled ; we are
ju*t on the edge of the big boom
country and the difference here is an
other surprize.
s *"fo rd » twy progressive, live
ly city of about 13,000 population.
It is on the St. Johns river and has
a big future ahead of it. It is in the
renter of the celery and trucking dis
triet, this district in turn to surround
^ by Orange and Grape gruit groves,
By the way oranges are 12c per doaen
and Grape fruit 28c _
Unless one were here to so« it, h.
WOU,d ** ^
" n,0 " nt worktint * *'J** ',
the way of development. Ml lo g U t
hounc.a, hotels, roa ». ny ng out sub
divisons, «gering, oto. There are
))o; enough houses for the , »copie OM
(C on. oa tost