Historical Note - Week of June 7th

The Anaconda Standard, June 10, 1895

CROSSED THE RIVER

A Plucky Woman Who Undertook the Dangerous Task

BUT SHE KEPT HER PROMISE

And Now the World Marvels at Her Daring

Special Correspondence of the Standard

Livingston, June 8.—Mrs. Minnie Hickox, who has just entered upon the discharge of her duties as teacher of the public schools of Cooke City, is a lady who cannot fail of success in any given direction. Her ambition and grit would stand many a man in good stead. She is one of the few women who are equal to almost any emergency, and is deserving of praise for her indomitable pluck. She left this city to open the Cooke school on Thursday morning a week ago. Upon arriving at Cinnabar, the terminus of the railroad, she found that the stage would not leave that day on account of the washing out of the bridge across Gardiner river. The stream was so swollen that the stage driver dare not undertake to make a ford. This was a dilemma not counted on by the plucky school teacher. She had given her word that she would be in Cooke Monday, and she determined to make it good, even if she had to continue her journey on foot and swim the streams. There was no time to be lost, and so she started out. All there was left of the Gardiner bridge was a single stringer. Nothing daunted, the lady stepped boldly onto this and walked across the raging river. It was a perilous undertaking even for a man, and a woman less brave and cool-headed than Mrs. Hickox would have been very likely to have become dizzy and lost her balance. Mrs. Hickox, however, proved herself equal to the emergency, and reached the opposite bank of the roaring mountain torrent in safety. As luck would have it, she found a family en route to Cooke camped close by, and securing a horse, mounted it and continued her journey. It was a pretty long ride for a woman who had never ridden a horse—the distance being 60 miles over a rough mountain road—but Mrs. Hickox kept on her weary way until she reached her destination. Upon arriving at Coke she was so badly used up with her long ride that when she got off her hose she had to be assisted into the hotel. She had the satisfaction, however, that she had kept her appointment.

Some additional Cooke City happenings:

The Standard office in this city is in receipt of the following correspondence from Cooke:

There will be an annual meeting of the New World mining district on the 20th day of this month for the purpose of electing a president and recorder, and to transact any other business that may come before the meeting.

There is very little snow on the mountains and people interested in representative work expect to begin active operations June 15.

Charles Pendleton and wife, who have been in Helena the past winter, have returned to Cooke. Mr. Pendleton contemplates opening a meat market this summer.

Thomas Harding and wife returned two weeks ago from Livingston, where they have been sojourning during the winter months.

Mrs. J. Jobb, a former resident of Cooke has recently returned from Bozeman.

Bert Holland, who went East a month ago and was joined in bonds hymeneal to a Chicago lady, has returned and expects to go up into the mountains in a few days to attend to his mining property.

John Curl has moved into more commodious quarters, where he is prepared to cater to the traveling public in a manner that will meet the wants of the most fastidious.

James Graves has improved the interior of his store and has a larger stock of goods than he has ever carried before, the price of which has been greatly reduced, in many instances, goods can be bought as reasonable as at Livingston, Bozeman or any other place where people have formerly been in the habit of getting their supplies.

S.F. Whiting, having recently dispensed with his mustache, is looking younger, and, if possible, more handsome than ever. This will, of course, be very welcome news to his numerous Livingston friends, especially the fairer sex, the society for which he is still pining.

Sam Frazer, brother-in-law to the proprietor of the Curl house, arrived to-day.

The Cooke school opened June 3 for a term of three months with Mrs. M.N. Hickox of Livingston, as teacher.

J.P. Allen, proprietor of the Cosmopolitan hotel, has engaged the services of a lady who has had considerable experience in hotel business, as is attested by the liberal patronage extended. Mr. Allen understands the wants of patrons and will spare no effort in contributing to their comfort.

Mr. and Mrs. N.J. Tredennick, who left Livingston the last of May by team for Cooke, met with some inconvenience in that they were delayed at Mammoth Hot Springs, caused by the bridge over the Gardiner river being gone. Mrs. Tredennick, however was not satisfied to remain, and meeting a lady equally anxious to proceed, they concluded to make the remainder of the trip on horseback. After having forded the river the two ladies were soon on their way rejoicing. They were getting along finely until the clouds gathered and the rain and hail began to descend, which was not the most pleasant position in the world to be in. However, they continued their journey, reaching Cooke after being on the road a day and a half, which is very good time, as it is a distance of 65 miles. Mrs. Tredennick is busily engaged settling her house and expects her husband in the course of a day or two and they will soon be cozily domiciled in what is known as the Major Eaton residence.