The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 13

Midland Empire Society World-Wide News SECOND SECTION 56TH YEAR NO. 162 BILLINGS, MONTANA, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1941 PRICE FIVE CENTS Local Feature Stories City Social Events Medicine Wheel, Located Just Across Boundary Line in Wyoming Remains Veiled in Mystery Billings, Laurel and Yellowstone Valley Benefit Greatly From N. P. Line; (This is one in a series of articles on the railroads and national defense.) By IRV WYATT Before analyzing the place of railroads in the nation's defense program, it is important to have some conception of what a railroad means to an individual community and region In more normal times. For this purpose, a brief survey of the Northern Pacific railway has been made, with detailed information" on Montana, and especially the Yellowstone division which extends odd practices of which megalithic Naturalist Aided Running Rum to Indians John J.

Audubon, the famous naturalist, who was a guest at Fort Union in the early '40s, studying flora and fauna of the region, aided a steamboat captain to outwit agents along the Missouri river in running liquor into the northwest to be sold to the Indians at a fancy profit. Near the middle of the last century there was little thought of prohibition. Many persons drank and to have been independently developed in different regions of the earth, as to compel us to believe that it was in effect one culture. It reached through all regions inhabited by the brunet Mediterranean race, and beyond through India up the Pacific coast of China, and it spread at last across the Pacific and to Mexico and Peru. It was a coastal Culture not reaching deeply inland.

This pecular development of the Neolithic culture was called Neolithic (sun stone culture because of the sur worship and the megaliths, stone structures) and included many from Mandan, N. to Livingston. Wyoming Rock Monument Continues to Baffle N. P. Shops at Laurel Are Busy In this one division of operations, the Northern Pacific railway employs 2,587 persons, and pays them an average of $327,000 In wages.

I IMIHIIIl.IIMIlf'"l"llTl'in- Approximately one third of these ii 1 1 Above is pictured the famous Medicine Wheel, located otop Medicine mountain in the Big Horn range just across the Montana-Wyoming border. This picture was taken several years ago, before the erection of a protective fence, by E. W. Snelling of Lovell, then a forest ranger in the Big Horn National forest. He secured this good perspective by standing on his saddlehorse.

Its existence hints at early civilization in this section long before the advent of the Indian as we know him today. Jul David and Goliath Battle Is Reenacted When Blackfeet and Crow Tribes Clashed Near What Now Is Site of City of Lewistown thought nothing of it. These drinks ranged from root beer through homemade wines and cider to whis ky, gin, etc. There was, to be sure, a growing consciousness of the evils arising from overindulgence in alcoholic liquors and an effort was made to exorcise "the demon rum" by means of temperance societies and signing of pledges, but otherwise the Inalienable priviledge of the individual to get drunk remained unquestioned with one exception. Liquor Is Banned Whisky, the government had come to realize, while it might agree with the white man, did not Improve the disposition of our Indian wards, and it became unlawful to sell It to them.

Unfortunately, the Indians craved It, and were willing to pay almost any price to get it. At that time there was an Immense profit to be made In this Illicit business and there were plenty of white men who did not fear to run the Inspection gauntlet. It was not uncommon for the Missouri river boats to engage in this trade, so long as navigation continued on that river. In 1843 the American Fur com pany sent its annual supplies up the Missouri on the Omega, with Captain Joseph Sire, master, and Joseph LaBarge, pilot. With the sup plies was what was termed the usual amount of liquor." Among the passengers were Audubon, and others of his company, bent on scientific discoveries.

The boat passed the first inspec tion point without any trouble, but shortly afterward was called upon to submit to a search" by an army lieutenant, who had been empowered to act instead of the agent. Audubon Volunteers This order caused great conster nation on board the boat, until Audubon volunteered to aid the cap tain. He himself carried liquor with him, and had a permit from the government to do so. This permit he showed to the lieutenant, and then suggested that together they visit the camp, his object being to give Captain Sires time to conceal the whisky. The lieutenant, greatly honored by Audubon's evident pleasure in his society, led him to camp, where he entertained the naturalist for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile Captain Sires was not idle. The hold of a steamboat of that period was divided by a partition extending its full length, the two sides being connected by a curve under the hatchway In the forecastle. There being no windows in the hold the deck hands used candles to light them at their tasks as utter darkness prevailed a short distance from the hatchway. During the absence of Audubon, the liquor was loaded on cars, and run far back in the hold on one side, and the workers were instructed as to their further action. By the time Audubon and the lieutenant returned, everything was In readiness for the latter.

Captain Sires insisted on a thorough search and demanded that one of like strictness should be given other I I rLJ OJc The battle of David and Goliath was reenacted on the flats west of what now is the city of Lewistown when the Crows attempted to prevent the invasion of a band of Blackfeet Indians. Reed's fort was the name of the station at the time of this conflict between the red men and it was in charge of Major Reed, for whom it was named, and a Bill Bowles. Bowles was a squaw man and was married to a daughter of a Crow chief, Long Horse, whose band made its headquareriri thedcimtj Perhaps Bowles was not married to this squaw in the conventional manner, as there was no one in that country legally capable of marrying them at that time. The usual way in those days was for a man to buy Well Shod to The Medicine Wheel, now a well-known tourist attraction in this section of the west, continues to baffle. The wheel, situated atop of Medicine mountain just across the Mon tana-Wyoming boundary line, was erected long before Indians, as we them today, lived in what now is the Treasure state.

In fact the mystery that veils the wheel hints at early civilization in the area that now comprises Montana and Wyoming. S. C. Simms of the Field Columbian museum was told of the existence of the wheel In the Big Horn range of mountains in August of 1902 and wrote as follows of his attempts to locate it, his visit to the spot and his conclusions regarding it: "Although I made many Inquiries of the old men of the Crow tribe regarding the 'medicine wheel' and its significance, I found not one who had ever visited it. A few of them had heard of it through their fathers but could tell me nothing whatever of it excepting that 'it was made by people who had no "At different times I chanced to meet with two Sioux Indians who were visiting the Crows, and they also were asked about the wheel.

After inspecting the diagram of it, which I had hastily drawn in order to make clearer the questions asked them through an able interpreter, each of the two Sioux drew a diametrical line through the wheel and, pointing to one half, said, and then pointing to the other half said Each one declared that he had not seen the wheel nor knew of its location, but had heard of it some time ago. Guide Is Engaged "The information obtained up to this time being too meager to warrant an attempt on my part to locate the so-called wheel or even Medicine mountain, I had almost concluded to abandon hope of seeing the monument on this visit, when I was approached by a white man, known to the Indians and the whites of the reservation as who had spent much of his life prospecting in the Crow country (in fact, he had been adopted when a boy by a Crow chief named Sorrelhorse), and who informed me that as he was thoroughly familiar with the surrounding country he could tell approximately where the 'medicine wheel' was situated. I therefore engaged Mr. Silver-tip to conduct me to it. We left the Crow agency, accompanied by men named Green and Reynolds, and arrived at the base of Medicine mountain after sunset of the following Friday.

"The ascent of the mountain was laborious and difficult. After a climb of about five miles we came upon an old, well worn trail on the north side of the mountain. Unlike the south side of the height, which is almost perpendicular, the north side is a steep incline. Wheel Is Located "The summit of the mountain is not extensive in area, and it is Irregular in shape. Within the narrow limits of this eastern end we found the medicine wheel as it had been described.

"The peculiar structure consists of a large number of limestone slabs and boulders of various sizes. Directly in the center, or at what may be termed the hub, stands a circular structure about three feet high, of the same kind of stone, radiating from which are 27 lines of stone leading to a well formed perimeter. Around the outer edge of this circular rim of the wheel, at irregular distances, are the remains of seven smaller stone structures, all of which come in contact with the perimeter except the most southerly one which stands several feet away, although it is met by an extension of one of the spokes beyond the rim of the wheel. Each of these smaller stone structures is circular at the base with the exception of the easternmost, which is squarish, and unlike the others, has a covering of stone slabs ana an opening on the outer side through which entrance may be gained by crawling." Phases Are Distinguished What was this medicine wheel? What primitive race built it on a lonely mountaintop? Three phases of human history, before the knowledge and use of metals, are often distinguished-first, there is the so-called Eolithic age (dawn of stone implements), then the Palaeolithic age (old stone implements), and finally an age in which the implements are frequently well fuiished and polished (Neolithic age). At some period there seems to have been a special type of Neolithic culture widely distributed in the world which had a group of features so curious and so unlikely Above are three scenes of the Northern Pacific railway yards at Laurel, taken at the time of completion of remodeling and enlarging of the turntable at the roundhouse there to accommodate the giant locomotives employed on the line to take care of increased business on the line.

movements, artificial deformation of the heads of the young by bandages, tattooing and the use of the symbol known as the swastika for good luck, will serve as examples. This odd (Continued on Page 10, Column 3) Long Horse rallied his band, got all the white men he could to Join htm, made war medicine and went forth to meet the Blackfeet and give battle. Long Horse Big Indian Now Long Horse was a tremendously big Indian, about 6 feet and 8 or 10 inches tall, well proportioned and about the biggest, finest looking specimen of an Indian in the west. He rode a big, fine horse that weighed about 1500 pounds no cayuse or Indian pony could carry him. The Crows and Blackfeet met on a creek east of Reed's fort, called Flat Willow, and the Blackfeet were told that this was Crow country and they must turn back, at which they laughed.

There was, evidently, some pretty smart white men with the Crows and it was finally arranged between the two bands of Indians that the two chiefs, Long Horse and Weasel Calf, should fight between the two bands and whichever was victorious the other band should retire. The Crows and the smart white men had kept the big Long Horse and his fine saddle animal in the background. So each chief was armed with a lance, a knife, a tomahawk, and a shield of dried buffalo hide and rode forth to fight and the Crows naturally expected that their man with his size and weight and strength and his big horse would ride right over the smaller Weasel Calf and his cayuse. 'David' Kills 'Goliath' It was a kind of a David and Go Hath performance, as it turned out. They both charged and both lances were caught on the buffalo hide shields and both chiefs were un horsed and fell to the ground, but the Weasel's lance had pierced Long Horse's shield and gone through his body and stuck six Inches out of his back and killed him, while the Weasel had suffered no injury except from the fall from his horse He jumped up and ran to Long Horse with his knife in his hand to finish him, and saw that he was dead.

He did not stop to scalp him but cutoff one of his long braids of hair and held it up and gave the warwhoop, then ran back to his peo ple. Some of the young bucks among the Crows wanted to fight and avenge the death of Long Horse but it was pointed out to them that their medicine was probably bad that day and that they had better go home as-agreed and make some good medicine snd try it again another day. So they picked up Long Horse, laid him across the saddle and tied him on and started back with the body. When they got back and the squaws had wailed over Long Horse for a couple of days and the medicine man had made the medicine to help him on his way to whatever place a dead Indian goes to, they finally built a platform up in a big cottonwood tree, wrapped Long (Continued on Page 10, Column 1) on Visit Association And then for a happy climax Packsaddle Ben, the head of the ridin' Greenough clan, came to call, made her an honorary member of the cowboys' association. Patricia had met and talked with three outstanding rodeo personalities and relatives reported that It "boosted her morale 1,000 per cent." employes live either in Billings or Laurel, and this fact alone is proof that these two Yellowstone county cities have a sizable economic stake In the progress of the railroad industry.

In 1939, for instance, records show that 2,953 carloads of freight originated at Billings, and in 1940, this Increased to 3,600. City Grows as Trade Center During 1939, there were 1,392 carloads of freight shipped into Billings over the Northern Pacific, and last year this Increased to 1,590 carloads, a fact which also shows the continued growth of the city as a retail and wholesale trade center. Passenger ticket sales at Billings for 1940 totaled $154,305, and this year, Billings, along with principal cities along the line, will show further increases in both passenger and freight revenue, judging from the present trend. Billings and Laurel, considered as a unit, mars almost ine geographical center of Northern Pacific operations. About 800 of the 2,587 employes live in either one of the two cities, and with their families comprise more than 3,000 cf the population.

The Laurel plant of the Northern Pacific Is an extensive one, with numerous buildings and structures. L. L. Perrin, advertising manager, pointed out. The principal buildings include a 40-stau rounanouse, car snop, powerhouse, oil house and boiler washing plant, a stockyard and a large Icehouse.

"Each of these buildings Is In a cost classification of $25,000 or more. and there are numerous other buildings of lesser valuation. Our Laurel stores department carries thousands of Items, all carefully arranged and recorded from which supplies are drawn by various departments. 5 "These items range from huge bolts to spare equipment. The central reclaiming plant reclaims all waste journal box packing for the entire system.

This material amounts to more than 3,000,000 pounds a year. Grit and metal par- tides, together with lubricants, are removed from the cotton 'waste', and the 'waste' Is again saturated with oil for re-use," Perrin explained. Build Can at Laurel "Our car shop consists of three main buildings, 100x250 feet, 12x106 feet and 110x251 feet. The first two are frame buildings, and the latter one is built of concrete and steeL A staff of 241 employes is now engaged in the car shop which repairs existing cars and builds new ones. During 1941, we are building 250 steel-sheated box cars at Laurel.

They are modern, 50-ton capacity cars, weighing 46,000 pounds each, and have Inside measurements of 9 feet, 2 Inches wide; 10 feet, 6 Inches high, and 40 feet, 9 Inches long. The value of these cars will be approximately $698,364," Perrin said. The water treating boiler washing plant near the roundhouse takes water delivered there from the city's pumping station, and treats it to remove chemicals and slit, which are the principal causes of foam and formation of scale in locomotive boilers. Perrin points out that one of the most interesting departments1 at Laurel Is the wheel shop where machinery turns new surfaces on axles, bores car wheels and squeezes wheels onto axles under many tons of pressure. The annealing furnace, another feature, treats steel car parts, subjecting them to high temperatures for long periods to reduce brlttleness and to remove the internal stresses that follow welding.

Repair work at Laurel includes running and light classified repairs to locomotives which are handled at the roundhouse, and light and heavy repairs to freight cars and light and heavy repairs to work equipment which is done at the ca; shop. Service Other Lines "The Great Northern and Bur. lington railways make use of the Northern Pacific car repair service and locomotive repair service at Laurel as required. This work for these two railroads consists of serv icing their cars and locomotives and the making of such running repairs as will enable their rolling stock to reach its home headquarters, after breakages ocurr," Perrin commented. Principal Northern Pacific buildings at Billings Include the passen ger station, freight depot, power house and roundhouse.

The power house supplies current for station facilities, and the roundhouse has 21 stalls. Locomotives used on local runs are serviced at the Billings roundhouse, while the Laurel roundhouse Is equipped to service and repair all classes of locomotives, including the newest and heaviest passenger and freight power units, the mammoth A-3, A-4, Z-5, Z-6 and Z-7 engines. The Northern Pacific maintains and owns 13.56 miles of main tracks at Billings, and yard and spur tracks add another 27.83 miles, or a total of 41 29 miles. At Laurel, it owns and operates 10.44 miles of main i (Continued on Page 10, Column 1) astonlnhment at hearing thin, and said he would find a plant the botanist could not analyze. Borne Indians, who had spent the preceding winter where the boat was tied up, had dropped a few kernels of corn and these were now Just beginning to sprout.

Carefully digging up a plant of this, and concealing all but the leaf, the guide brought It to the botanist. The latter, not expecting to find corn growing in that part of the country, could not make out what kind of plant It was, and finally had to confess the fact. The guide then removed the wrappings and disclosed the grain of corn, to the discomfiture of the scientist. (Continued on Page 10, Column 8) boats. Then the lieutenant was taken Into the empty side of the hold, where, of course, nothing was found.

One side exhaustively inspected, the lieutenant -was led into the other, which was also empty, the cars with the liquor having been safely transferred Into the part of the hold Just examined. It is needless to say that the Omega was released with a clean record. On this trip an amusing incident occurred, having nothing to do with liquor smuggling, but showing that Audubon's party did not escape the treatment generally accorded to pll- grlms. Audubon's botanist had boast- ed of being able to tell the name of any plant by merely seeing the leaf. The French guide expressed The Old and the New a girl from her father for a few bottles of whisky or some trade goods, stealing her, winning her in a horse race or in a poker game Major Reed never was a squaw man.

It was not considered good etiquette in those days to ask a man where he came from, or where he was going. It simply wasn't done and curiosity regarding such things was frowned upon and discouraged and brought one decided unpopularity. The major was a well-educated, gentlemanly man, who bore Lltal8elf welli even wnen in drlnk Blackfeet Approach One day an Indian runner came to the fort and reported that band of Blackfeet was coming that way from the north. As the Crows and Blackfeet were mortal enemies: Follow Shot milady's pet pooch to keep his tiny feet from contact with the cold sidewalk. Rhodes makes his boots of stout leather to withstand the wear and tear of sharp stones.

Just as in shoemaking he starts with a last. The dog's feet are placed on a piece of wood and outlined. The block then is cut and trimmed to shape and size before the leather is moulded about it. The completed boot is laced with a leather thong which can be tied about the leg. How do dogs react to these foot coverings? After becoming accustomed to the boots many dogs are said unwilling to work without them.

Some even learn to stand In water to soften the leather. pital for treatment. The other day she heard that one of the Greenough girls of Red Lodge was visiting in the hospital and Patricia told her nurse that she would like to meet the famous cowgirl. Not only did she meet one of the girls, but both Margie and Alice came to call on her. i irmra i 1 11 wrMni-ftHWr 'mnrr This husky hunter waits with his boots on to sprint his way over rocks or riffles to retrieve, in comfort, whatever birds his master bags.

Boots for bird dogs may sound like just another fancy idea, but it might be something for Midland Empire hunters to consider now that hundreds of them are working their retrievers nearly daily in the fields and marshes. When a hunter's feet hurt he keeps going. But when a hunting dog's feet hurt, that's another story. And it is mighty disappointing to have a dog fold up when the birds are popping out of the brush and the ducks are winging over. A fellow in Kansas City, W.

Roy Rhodes, endured such an experience and decided to do something about it. He started making boots for field dogs. These boots differ quite a bit from the dainty foot coverings worn by grandmother, Mrs. Catherine Heins, and her aunt. Mrs.

Lester Zimmerman, with expectations of seeing some of the country's top-hands in action during the Midland Empire fair. But early in August she was stricken with infantile paralysis. For several weeks now she has been confined to St. Vincent hos 16-Year-Old Washington Girl, Stricken Here, Happiest Member of Cowboys' Pictured above at the right, is the first of 14 giant new locomotives purchased this year by the Northern Pacific railway to power increased traffic across the northwest. It made its first test run from St.

Paul through Billings last week. This engine weighs 473 tons and was constructed for transcontinental passenger and high speed freight service. is one unit of a $3,500,000 order. It has 77-inch driving wheels which can roll it along at 85 miles an hour. To the left is shown the Northern Pacific's first locomotive, the 2-ton Minnetonka, purchased in 1870.

In front of it are shown George H. Daimond, almost 91, (left) and Arthur 5. Clark, 78, retired Northern Pacific engineers who were engineer and fireman together in the early days. They drove the old wood burners, the first of the coal-burning engines, and have followed locomotive developments for more than 60 years. Mr.

Daimond railroaded from 1871 to 1922 and Mr. Clark from 1882 to 1932. They put on enginemen's clothes to man the new 1941 giant tor a short time upon its arrival at St. Paul from the factory, A 16-year-old Kirkland, Wash, girl is likely the happiest, if not the youngest, member of the International Cowboys' association at present. Patricia Mulr.

daughter of Mrs. Alice Muir of Kirkland, has long had a hankering to see real cowboys in action and early last summer came to Billing to visit her.