Books

Dusting Off the Old Ones

Orschel's Band Wagon

In the not so early days -- say in the 90's and early 1900's, when there were several round up wagons working in the community -- that is, several on the north side of the Yellowstone and several on the south side -- it was not always convenient for the cowboys to get to town and get a supply of clothes when they needed them. To meet this situation, Orschel's store, which was the cowboy's headquarters for wearing apparel in those days, conceived the idea of sending the clothes out to the wagons instead of waiting for the cowboys to come to town. For this purpose, they rigged up a special box to fit on a light lumber wagon. This box was divided into compartments, with doors letting down from each side and both front and back, so that the stock of clothing could be easily "stashed away" and yet be readily accessible. This stock consisted of pants (they didn't have trousers in those days), socks, boots, shirts, ties, underwear, blankets, soogans, tarps, some leather goods, and most any other old thing either a cowboy or a sheepherder would be apt to buy. For the driver of this wagon never passed up a sheep camp in making his route, as there was usually good grub at a sheep wagon, as well as at the roundup wagon. The last wagon was operated by Johnny Fry (whose "land office" name was Alonzo H. Fry), and who worked in the Orschel store long after his "wagon days" were over, and until the store was closed. And what do you suppose they called this outfit -- the "Orschel Band Wagon."