Billings Senior High School - Kyote Yearbook (Billings, MT)

Page 19 text:

ear ed as a sjjeculative enterprise by this group of finan- ciers and promot- ers. It offered excellent oppor- tunities for irriga- tion; then, too, other valleys branched out of this central one. (’on Ison would never have made a permanent town for it was too near the railroad bridge which crossed the Yellowstone and was without sufficient room for yard facilities. Billings was prosperous in adverse times because of her commanding location with regard to the commerce of eastern Montana and northern Wyoming, because of the climate, to|x graphy, and resources of the surrounding country, as well as the courage, foresight, and energy of her pioneers. She has more than fulfilled the expectations of her founders. Some of those who were well known in early Billings and are now read about with enthusiasm by the younger generation are: Jim Bridger, the most famous scout of all time; Bill Cody, “Buffalo Bill”: John Bozeman, who had charge »f the mail trails; Muggins Taylor, who took the first message of the Custer fight on its first lap of its journey, to Columbus; Charlie Reynolds, (’nster’s favorite scout: Yellowstone Kelly, who was a hunter: Skeleton Butte, who was a scout known for his fearlessness: Cncle Billie Hamilton, who was the most efficient sign talker in the west; X. Bidler, who was one of the first deputy sheriffs; Liver-Eater Johnson, who was never known to shirk a duty and was true and loyal to all friends; and Calamity Jane, who had her good points as well as her bad ones. Many people have won- dered why the principal north and south thorough- fares of the city should bear such large numbers as from twenty - fourth to thirtieth street. The reason is to be found in the history of the city, and, all that remains of hirst street is some unrecog-

Page 18 text:

 C L i Xyolt location was: latitude. 45 de- grees and 45 minutes; longi- tude. 31 degrees west of Washington; 108 degrees and 30 minutes west of (ireemvich: section 33. town- ship 1 north; section 3. town- ship 1 south: range 26 east: 000 miles west of Duluth: 915 miles west of St. Paul; X) miles north of St. Paul; 3112 feet above sea level. Its site was laid out by the Minneapolis and Mon- tana I.and and Improvement company. This company had a stage coach put on exhibition in Boston, and. in this way. sold thousands of dollars worth of lots liefore even a shack was erected. Before May. as soon as the weather was good and the rain over, the engineers' building was started. A street car line was built l etween Billings and Coulson. using horses to pull the cars. Both towns were trying to exist, refusing to come to a satisfactory agreement. I lu new town was several months old before the |M st office was moved. Therefore, Billings people were forced to go to Coulson for their mail, and. with every round trip ticket, each person received a free glass of lieer at Coulson. Whiskey was easier to get than water, this being considered a luxury. Until 1886, all water was hauled from the river in barrels. About this time, the Northern Pacific Railroad company built its railroad and thus furnished the necessary boom, as well as the name, for the town was later named after the president of the company. Frederick Billings. The two main streets were parallel with the railroad and so were named for the com- pany, Minnesota and Montana avenues. Saloons lined one side of the street and hurdy-gurdy places lined the other. By June, there were 500 people, and Billings was enthusiastically called the “Magic City ’ But, two years after this “Magic City” had enjoyed its Iwjoin. it was afflicted with the hardest times from which any town ever recovered. In 1883. when a depot was erect- ed for the Northern Pa- cific, the railroad refused to use it. Billings was practically “made to order,” found-

Page 20 text:

 C lie i C oU ni zed depression, now covered with grass in the vanished town of C011I- son. A real estate In Mist- er’s home, which was in the most desirable place, is now near the fair grounds, or somewhere close to the tourist park. In those hectic days when the six - shooter was law and a “necktie” party not unheard of. Maverick H «e Company elections were nice, so- ciable affairs. There was never any illegal voting. They placed their ballots on the table and the voter was told which was the best way to vote. For excitement, the town had three disastrous fires before sufficient pro- tection was gained. Thousands of dollars worth of projiertv suffered and the insurance companies even threatened to withdraw from the town. But. at this time, the Yellowstone Hook and Ladder company was organized; then, later, the Billings Fire Department, which lasted about a year. On January 14. 1NS‘ . they formed again under the name of the Maverick Hose company. It is difficult lor visitors now to realize that this is the same Billings which was the scene of so much Indian fighting during the early days of its career and that the exploits of its citizens are still within the memory of our oldest inhabitants. The war-whoops of the savage and the crack of the frontiersman’s rifle are heard no more! The rimrocks still guard the sleeping valley Ijelow. and the pine trees murmur the same requiem over the graves clustered around old luiothill monument, erected by I. 1). O'Donnell. Seldom, now, the coyote howls from the top of the bluffs, and never dares venture down into the town. But, those generations, which have followed along the trail which was blazed by such hardships, sacrifice, and danger, will ever honor these pioneers, and never weary of retelling with pride their tales of valor and heroism, and, at all costs, will continue to main- tain the old Bozeman trail! —By . Elizabeth Hirst, '29. Footnote —Material taken from Stout's History of Montana. Saun- ter’s History of Montana, early Bil- ling» newspaper», ant pioneer». HSd Newman nml Tarty