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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1887)
FORT BENTON, MONTANA. rpHE first buaiueia enterprise ia tho I region about Fori Benton, was a trading post of tbo American Fur Company, which was established by Jan. Kipp, in 1H31, at tbo ooniluencrt of tbo Marias and tbo Missouri, twelve miles below tbo aito of tbo present city. It waa soon ascertained tbat tbo location was not a deairablo one, and tbo tmi was morivl to Brulo bottom, a few miles up tbo Missouri; but even this aito did not satisfy Major Culbertion, wbo sue cmlod Mr. Kipp in cbargo of tbo jxL Ho finally, in 1810, rcmoYcd to ono of tbo moat beautiful bottoms of tbo Up Icr Missouri, where tsaturo bail raado ways of cntranco and exit at every ini of tbo compass, Fort Ronton was then built, tbo finest and inottt complete trad ing it in tbo western country, tbo ru ins of wbicb itill stand as a monument to tbo beroic spirit of tbat riod. Tbus was lail tbo foundation, not only of a magnificent business on tbo art of tbo American Fur Company, but as well (wbat was never dreamed of then) th foundation of tbo future commercial center of tbo great ternary of Monta na, at tbo bead of navigablo waters of tbo Missouri river. Fort Benton was tbo key to tho situa tion in tbis vast region duritg tbo su. premacy of tbo American Fur Comja ny, and tbis is to lea truo of tbo sue ceeding jieriod, when tbo gold hunters mado tbeir way to tbo mountains and tbo steamboats plied tbo waters of tbo Upper Missouri In Wl) tbo tni steam, boat arrifcd in Fort IVnton, carryitg only supplies fur tbo fur oomjny. lu lbC2 tbcro wero Unr arrivals, and in 1SV tbcro wero eight, bringing tbo pio neers of tbo mountains ami general sup. plies. In K tbirty.ait stcamUaU came, and thirty-nino in IM'J, with In cream! numbers in suckling years, and Fort Benton erased to 1 eirlmivo. ly an Indian trading mL Independent traders bicated, ami the commerro which baa since grown bi such vact projior. lions, bad its beginning. Tito ruh to tbo mines from evrry directiou adlMto tbo Irajiortanco of Fort Benton, it U camo tbo cnlrci of tbo territory -tho Kiinl U) which all freight and supplies wero shipf-d by tbo river, and thruro distributed by wagon tranijrtation to tbo various mining camand was (bo 11 liveliest M town in 'bo West Bmlnes houne wero established and fortunes rapidly made. In a few years, all tbo freight for tho Northwest Territory of Canada camo by way of Fort Ronton, and was thenco distributed by freight ing outfds b) ail ji hi of tbo country. This condition of a.Tsirs continued - tho town meanthilo growing b glly pro. lrtions, svrii! ujm a ha!s so suUtan. tial as to truUr it famous in tbat ri sjct throughout tbo Nortbwrst-until lSJ .'I, Wbe( tbo ftJTOJ.lrtioa of tbo Northern Vmta railroad on tbo ult, and tbo Canadian IVifiO on tbo irtb, completely change I (ho coalition of af. fairs. In tbo foregoing, tho attempt is m do in show tbat Fort B ;.to is tbo utural trading jitt in this wholo Northrt era region, and tbat through lha f ur and plwer r'ul it was tbo rrttrf of trad and busiV, tbo rot JmirUU poM