The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-06-24
Couer d, AIene -skachwe.

In order that the public may be more full
informed in relation to the Occur Allen
country, propose to furnish you with fey
reflections
The Couer Alene country is located il
Idaho Territory, on the west side of th
Rocky mountains, about $50 miles from
Walla Wa!la. II is bounded on the north b.
the Kootenia country, on the south by tht
Orc Fino mines, on the east by Fort Benton
and on the west by the Blue mountains.
SkachWe, or Ceour d. Alene, takes it,
name from a lake thirty-fve miles long anC
twelve miles wide. This lake is shaped like
a sharp pointed heart, from WHICH peculiar
formation it derives its name-Couer d Alene
lin English pointed heart" The northern
extremity of this lake termina3s into a
point, like a shoemaker's awl, and from this
circumstance. twas entitled pointed heart,
or Ceour d Alene.
That locality was visited about eighty years
ago, like most localities in this region, by
the Hudson Bay Company. The place began
to assume some Importance on the arrival OF
Rev. Father De Smet on this coast, IN the
year 1885, After crossing the Rocky noun
tains he established a Mission among the
Flathead Indians, near Flathead lake, IN the
Bitter Root Valley, about 200 miles from
Fort Benton. He continued to explore the
country from that point, and conceived the
project of establishing missions among the
Pend d GRIZZLIES, Spokanes, Couer d. Alenes,
and the Kettle Falls Indians (Skweyalpys) at
ColvilIe. But these projects were not fully
realized until l847, owing to the small num-
Der of missionaries That year was truly
memorable in the history of the Catholic mis-
slonS in this western country. Fourteen
priests arrived on the northern coast in that
year, and seven Sisters Of Charity. Some of
them were detailed in this service among the
whites and Indians in lower Oregon, by Arch
Bishop Blanchet. The balance were sent by
the Arch Bishop to execute practically the
plans of Father De Smet in the location we
above. 1t is from this point that
the missions on this side of the Rocky noun
tainS began to flourish, continuing to this
day in a very prosperous condition.
S1The Couer d. Alene mission was placed in
charge of Father Josef, and Father Gazzaly
n the month of September, 1847 Father
dazzaly has continued to occupy that posi-
ion from that day to the present time. The
1alley in which the mission is located is very
pretty and very rich, butts limited, and must
emain small settlement, as the mission
low cultiVates all the ground of any value.
'In regard to the rumors of discoveries of
ieh mines in the neighborhood of the Couer
Alene mission, there are many things at
ributed to Father De Smet and other priests
which are without foundation, and which | I
esire to. correcr0 The observations attribut-
d to him by current report had no particular
10, II
lore than to any other portion of the sur
ounding region. He has never said that
here wererlch mines near the mission, and
q fact could not well have known it had
UGH been really the case, because he has
ever remained at the mission longer than
lonth at any one time. What Father De
met bass as missionary land explorer
the country, referred to that entire region II
ing between The Rocky mountains and the
lue mountains, and was simplyto the effectI
lat the country appeared to be rich in. val
able metals, including gold, silver, platin1a ;
c. HIS expressions are as follows IF the {
vilized world knew Of the immense treas :.
res contained in this region, they would !
Migrate by milllous." We cannot conclude l
at Father De Smet intended to allude to F
at point particularly. He undoubtedly re- T
FRED in a general way to those places which !
I'VE since been discovered, or may be here 6
ter--aS California, southern Oregon, BOISE ?
tsin, Carrlbo, &C., all lying or the western La
Ope OF the Rocky mountains. These obser- i
tlons are founded on a knowlege. of his t
erary works, and from Information derived e
0m him during long and intimate ac- q
Iaintance. Father De Smet has thrown c
UGH light upon the mineral resources of y
Is country in general, and the public owe j
N some gratitude for the labor expended G
doing SO, and ought not to make him say f
lat he has never said, or intended to saw Il
Now let US return to the Couer d. Aleue 0
mes; which at this time occupy SO much a.
bile attention, provoked BY the newspaper p
Lewiston--the wealth of which appears in m
e public estimation to be based upon the m
thority of Father De Smet, which as | have u
own was unfounded. II
Rev. Father Gazzaly has been in charge of 10
at post for eighteen years, and is familiar st
tn the country. He has often remarked OF
at the country lying between Orc Elmo on &c
g south, the Couer d. Alene mission on the
nth, and between Lewiston on the west, A
d Fort Benton on the east must be rich in OF
Id, silver and platina. He arrived at that W
Inclusion by receiving specimens at various &C
aes from the Indians but be has never &C
4de any personal examination of any given 5.
,ality. si
have known different practical miners a.
10 have prospected for weeks all over the VI
lntry described, who reported that they &c
covered only few colorS, and they say