July 5, 1860
A surveyor and a topographer set out with four men to map the Big Blackfoot River and see if it's fit to run a railroad through. Lt. C.R. Howard and Theodore Kolecki have just returned from the east slope of the Rocky Mountains on a preliminary reconnaissance.
Now their real work begins. They're under orders from Lt. John Mullan, who's building a military wagon road from Walla Walla to Fort Benton. Mullan wants to survey the feasibility of railroad routes through the country as well.
Howard and Kolecki find that a railroad through the narrow first 20 miles of the Blackfoot would require construction of nine bridges. They're following an Indian trail which climbs over "several rocky spurs from 300 to 600 feet in height, whose steep, almost perpendicular faces are washed by the waters of the river" - no place for a railroad. The next 38 miles are over "slightly undulating ground," before entering another canyon that will lead to the town of Lincoln in later years. "A railroad could keep on the northern bank of the river without involving heavy work," Kolecki wrote of the canyon in a report to Mullan in 1863.
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For the last 22 miles to the top of Cadotte Pass, "the country is very easy," Kolecki wrote. "The traveler, on foot or on horseback, can hardly reconcile himself to the idea that he is approaching the summit of the mountains, so smooth and easy is the road, so gentle the appearance of the mountains around him. … After crossing the river (Cadotte Creek) the last time … and ascending gradually a couple of hundred feet, he finds himself in view of the immense plains of the Missouri."
When a railroad is finally built over the Divide in Montana more than two decades later, it goes up the Little Blackfoot River and through a tunnel at Mullan Pass near Helena.
July 8, 1884
At dawn "Old Man James" walks out of his cabin on the Missouri River at Bates Point, a dozen miles below the mouth of the Musselshell. He's greeted by nine vigilantes led by prominent cattleman Granville Stuart, who has organized what will become known as "Stuart's Stranglers" to rid Central Montana of its plague of cattle rustlers.
James complies with an order to open the corral and drive out the horses. But he backs into the cabin and fires his rifle through a port hole. A volley of shots follows from other port holes in the cabin, which is soon set on fire.
Six thieves are killed in the ensuing assault, including gang leader Jack Stringer, also known as "Stringer Jack." Five others escape, four on a makeshift raft, but they will later be arrested by soldiers near Poplar. While being transported by a U.S. marshal for trial, they'll be intercepted by a posse and hanged near the mouth of the Musselshell. Only one, Paddy Rose, makes a complete getaway. He escapes to Fort Benton and, aided by wealthy friends, flees to Canada.
July 11, 1888
Fifty guests are on board as the Montana Central pulls out of the station at 7 a.m. for the first journey from Helena to Butte.
The special train is draped in flags and bunting, and its passengers include company president C.A. Broadwater and Preston Leslie, the territorial governor.
A mile outside of Butte, the train halts as construction was still in progress. Guests ride by carriage into town and are taken to the doors of the Silver Bow Club.
The Montana Central, which stretches from Great Falls to Butte, is part of James J. Hill's Great Northern system. It's the first GN line to cross the Continental Divide, at Elk Park Pass, a few miles north of Butte. That's roughly 6,360 feet above sea level - the highest elevation the GN will reach. The Montana Central line will be abandoned by Burlington Northern in 1972.
