The Famous “Block P” Line

(By Dan R. Conway)

Continuing the sixth in a series of articles dealing with the history of navigation on the Upper Missouri river as first printed in the Hysham Echo May 5, 1927

Phenomenal Development of Steamboat Traffic on the “Big Muddy” Between 1862 to 1867; The Transportation Enterprises
of Late Senator T. C. Power; “Block P” Line was the Leader Among Missouri River Enterprises

Birth of the “Block-P” Line

Observing that there was good profit to be made in freighting, Mr. Power had already, in 1868, put several wagon trains on the trails leading from Fort Benton inland. At that time the greatest portion of supplies for the mining camps in the southern part of the territory was being shipped from Omaha and other river points by steamer to Fort Benton.

This addition did not relieve the situation so far as was concerned the handling of merchandise from Fort Benton west, but Mr. Power, finding that his firms experienced some delays because of inadequate steamboat transportation, conceived the idea of building and operating a line of river boats. So, to be assured of the required stocks of supplies, Mr. Power, in 1869, together with I. G. and Geo. A. Baker, of I. G. Baker & Co., built the steamboat “Benton.” This venture proved all that was anticipated for it, Mr. Power and his associates had constructed and launched the steamboat, “Helena,” another named the “Butte,” and several others, operated under the direction of what was called “Benton Block-P” line.

Officers of the Company

The officers of this company were R. C. Power, Manager; John H. Charles, superintendent, Sioux City, Iowa; and Isaac P. Baker, general agent, Bismarck, N. Dak.

The firm derived its name from the trade brand of the boats which appeared in large size above each of the steamers. The “Block-P” was designated in the following manner:
       

Advertising the

“Block-P”Line

An accompanying illustration on this page shows a small reproduction of two pages of an advertising folder, such as was used by the company in the early eighties. This folder (the property of Captain I. P. Baker), is in the form generally used by railroads and other common carriers, is eight pages and neatly and attractively printed. To read its contents is to learn in most forcible language that competitive advertising is not a commodity new alone to the twentieth century.

The Union Pacific and Central Pacific were then just nicely established, and with the crude running stock of that era, these roads were experiencing the difficulties and discouragements that were peculiar to early-day rail transportation. Of this condition, the “Block-P” line made capital in its appealing advertising. For instance, on Page Three of the folder we read:

“THIS IS THE BEST ROUTE

“Because you AVOID A TEDIOUS RIDE over a narrow gauge railroad. Because you know when you start just what your expense will be, as our rates are published open, and that is the limit of your expense. Not so by other routes, where only a portion of your expense is published, and before you reach your destination you find your outlay doubled, and expense for extra baggage more than passage.”

“EMIGRANTS SHOULD GO TO MONTANA VIA RIVER ROUTE
“Because it is more comfortable for families and children to travel on a Steamer than to be cooped up in emigrant cars for 6 days.

“Meals and Berth are included in first-class ticket via Benton Line. Three Square Meals a Day. A good Bed at night. The best attention, the finest scenery and the healthiest climate in the world, are the inducements offered by the Benton ‘Block-P’ Line.”

Again, on Page Four, we find opposition lines of steamers are not estimated at a very high standard in this piece of advertising matter. We read:
“Beware of tickets that read good on any boat! They are not good on any boat - only a few wild one, that make a trip when they happen to have a load. Be sure you see that your tickets read

VIA BENTON LINE
The line that carries the U. S. Mail. Another advantage of the Benton Line tickets is that the STAGE LINE FROM FORT BENTON is controlled by the same management. Persons holding Through Benton Line tickets have preference of seats in Stage.

“Six persons, by going together in one party, can avail themselves of Immigrant rates on wagons.

“A weekly line of Steamers will run to Fort Benton during the boating season, leaving Bismarck every Saturday. One hundred and fifty pounds of baggage allowed each passenger to Fort Benton.”

Catered to Park Travel

Yellowstone National Park tourist traffic was, even in those days, an item worth catering to, for we read the following on Page Two:

“If you are going to MONTANA, demand through tickets via BENTON LINE. Take Northern Pacific Railroad vit Bismarck, making direct connection there every Saturday with the BENTON LINE of Steamers, “BENTON,” “HELENA,” BLACK HILLS,” and “BUTTE.”

“For FORT BENTON and at Fort Benton with the BENTON & HELENA DAILY STAGE LINE for Fort Assiniboine, Fort McLeod, Fort Walsh, Yogo Mines, Martinsdals, Sun River Crossing, Fort Shaw, Silver City and HELENA.
“At Helena with DAILY STAGES for Butte, Missoula, Deer Lodge, Virginia City, Bozeman, and from there Excursion Parties fit out for the famous YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.”

It will be noticed in this quotation from the little folder that the Benton Line operated its own stage outfits to Helena and other points. These overland lines were established by Mr. Power to meet the demand for reliable transportation facilities. His company operated mule and bull teams for handling freight to the various points inland, as well as an exceptionally well equipped line of passenger and mail stagecoaches.

This overland express and passenger service between Fort Benton and the inland cities was very extensive, especially during the fall when a large number of miners left for the eastern states via the river route. At this time, Mr. Power’s company operated stage lines between Helena and Fort Benton and between Fort Benton and Billings and these proved successful enterprises, augmenting and facilitating the steamboat traffic.

Boat Arrivals in the 80’s

Following is a list of the boat arrivals at the Fort Benton levee, from 1880 to 1888, as compiled by T. C. Power & Bro., for the Montana Historical Society. Many of these steamers were the property of the “Benton Block-P” line.

Editor’s Note: There was quite a list of towns and dates listed in the original publication and ended by saying:
This is all we have any record of. Hoping the above will be of some help, we remain,
T. C. POWER & BRO.,
December 27, 1899. Ft. Benton, Montana.

It has been said of Mr. Power that, during the bull train days, he was personally in charge of the work, and that he frequently put in 20 hours a day as head of operating crews at the old Fort Benton levee, and on the road. Until the advent of the railroad, trains of not less than 50 teams, some drawn by oxen, and others by mules, were constantly employed; and thus, not only the Power institutions, but other pioneer merchants were kept in supplies.

The steamer Benton, first of the Block-P line of boats, was launched at Pittsburgh, Pa. It was loaded at that point, and for two years made trips from that city to Montana. The other vessels were built and put into service within a year or two. When the Northern Pacific railroad arrived at Bismarck, N. D., the trips were limited to and from that point and Fort Benton.

According to Captain Baker, who is the sole surviving executive of the old Benton line, the Block-P boats were employed in the transportation of materials to be used in the construction of the Great Northern railway lines, for many months after the arrival of surveying and construction crews in northern Montana.

Retrospection

Twenty-seven years ago, in commenting upon the discontinuance by congress of appropriations for the maintenance of navigation on the Missouri, the Sioux City (Iowa) Times carried an article in which it reviewed old river days on the Big Muddy. The Times said in part, as follows:

“The disposition of congress to discontinue appropriations for maintenance of navigation on the Missouri river recalls to mind those happy days when the Missouri boasted as many and as fine a lot of steamboats as any navigable stream in the land.

“There were side wheel and stern wheel and center wheel steamers, and some of them were veritable floating palaces. This transportation industry on the Missouri river existed in the days before the railroad reached all the important river towns and cities and rich farming communities.
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