Montana State University - Sentinel Yearbook (Missoula, MT)

Page 14 text:

THE MINING INDUSTRY A Copper industry smelter ogointt o copper sunset ore but two of Montana ' s natural treasures. On May 26, 1864, President Lincoln signed a bill creating Montana as a territory with Republi- can Sidney Edgerton as its Governor Immediately problems orose because of a Democratic constitu- ency. Edgerton finally gave up and shipped out of state, leaving the colorful Thomas Meagher as acting governor. Under this Irishman ' s administra- tion, Montana held its first constitutional con- vention Documents were prepared in Helena for Washington and were lost, no records, no notes, nothing was left. Transportation was a mojor headoche in the new territory As early as 1853, Lt. John Mullan, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, storted building a wagon road overland from Fort Benton to Wolla Walla In 1864 John Bozeman, with Jim Briger, branched off the Oregon Trail to bring settlers to Montana over the Bozeman trail When it drove its golden spike at Garrison in 1883, the Northern Pacific, a land grant railroad, became the first transcontinental railwoy in the area The N P was followed by the Greot Northern under James J. Hill which crossed the country by way of the newly discovered Marias Pass in 1893 10

Page 13 text:

VEULVE HALL Thii historic building is named offer Montana ' s winner of the 1877 Congressional Metol of Honor and is located of historic Fort Missoula With such quick riches come the criminal, trying to get rich quicker and easier Ironically, these leeches were named The Innocents Crime was prosperous in early Montono, but citizens finally formed o vigilance committee Warnings in the form of a code were sent to undesirable citizens telling them to get out or else. During the Vigilantes ' reign, twenty-four men were hanged in six weeks — a record surpossmg even the California group ' Among those to swing was Henry Plummer, sheriff of Bannack ond leoder of the Innocents BUFFALO Once kings of the proine. these moieshc onimal ' now survive cn government ranges TWO MODES OF TRANSPORTATION The statue of John Mullan stands beside o steam locomotive to symbolize Montana ' s earliest days. 9

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Indians! A word that meont fear to the pioneers. On June 25, 18?6 r o command of 268 men under Colonel George Custer was annihilated by Sitting Bull ' s same 5 r 000 braves. tn a retreot from Washington to ConoJa m 1 877, the Nez Pierce, led by Chief Joseph, were captured in the Bearpow Mountains, but not until Joseph displayed h s military genius at the BottFe of the Big Hole and at evading his numerous assailants. SITE OF CMSTSR ' S LAST STAND Thcw Hulls, hid Custer ' s CATTLE In the 18fi0s rhe cofTlc lungdom ol ihc G cat tugGr?. and losl surp vr 5,Q£ 0 hgu Indian ' Plains developed in MonTarw.