Letter, Homer C. Butler
from the collection of
Creation Date
circa 1916 – 1920Description
Letter to family, written by H. C. Butler. Dated Friday, September 31st 12:01 pm, [c. 1916]. Two pages, detailing a railroad trip, on a route through Valley City (ND), Glendive (MT), Miles City (MT), Billings (MT), Three Forks (MT), as noted in the letter. Handwritten in pen and pencil. Year date estimate from mention of copper mine strikes in Butte MT (1914 – 1920) and Homer's attendance at Chicago Veterinary College from 1913 – c. 1916.Transcript:
Page 1:
"En Route –
Friday Sept 3/ 12:01 pm
Dear Folks: -
Well am just riding some, half way 10 miles out of Billings Montana. I got no clothes in cities. So am only soldierized in as far that have comfort bag gladys gave me. Train is crowded. There are only four transcontinental trains per day. at valley city the 1st real scenery. We went on a bridge 100 feet above valley from bluff to bluff and above the town. Things all dried + burned up Cattle + horses awful thin. Bad lands great piles of dirt newly worked + piled up Towns are in valley. Sheep + cattle on the hills."
Page 2:
"Glendive is a modern town from appearance from bluff to look down at it
Miles city the greatest horse market in the world. Mules + horses in pens for ½ mile around
Say what has paper to say about my leaving. Should have settled with Frank White + the papers cut out my card
You can swing accts. with Frank + get a little the better of him eh.
Well the price on wheat is set so maybe no use to buy much flour ahead yet get 8 or 10 sacks can’t tell. Land is some rolling here now, getting into western Montana.
Horses driving have net muzzles on to protect from Gad flies.
Out at Fort Snelling they worked the soldiers training till panted."
Page 3:
"Just Pulled into Three Forks a mining town built up in a few days, Running side + side with the Milwaukee electric, Ink ran out. getting more mountainous as run along. Train runs in valley + mounts + hills to both sides. Butte strike is a great talk here now in copper mines. We are winding up + around mount now can see two engines ahead. Now thru cut in rock, can see 380 ft below into valley where rock + only rock mountains + elevations are great."
Page 4:
"guards are all along the roads, bridges, irrigation conduits. Sure dismal places for some guards to stay, They don’t know what 5-100 here are everything two bits. Little did I realize what I was to undertake as I started The rocky mounte are rocky alright a whole 24 hours to ride yet.
Me & my
Well
Bye Bye
Your Homer C. Butler."