The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-02-28
ROMANCE or IDAHO.
tow the Territory Was Named for a Lit
Indian Girl.

Pow the Territory Was Named for Little
Indian Girl.
In the autumn of 1865 I resided in
Twenty-second street, New York. A
genial fellow-boarder was a gentleman
If about forty-fve years, who was put
ting some mining stock on the market.
His name was Cole. and he claimed the
distinction of having for his initials
three Csc. c. Cole-of being one of
the first members of Congress from the
new State. and of receiving the largest
mileage ever paid to MEMBER of Con-
gress. over $1O,0 his mileage being
computed from Idaho to San Francisco,
thence (around the Horn) by way of
New York to Washington. He was
pioneer from New York, and for a time
kept trading store at Fort Walla Walla
One evening the strange name of the
new State became subject of COM
ment. and Mr.. Cole gave me the follow
Ing account of how the name came to be
adopted, and also the selected meaning,
or rather the meaning which he and
others concluded to give as the Indian
words translation. One bright morning
about ten o'clock, in company with On
other gentleman interested in the gov
eminent of the Territory, while riding
over some barren mountain tops, or
rather hills, the road became so rough as
to compel the slowest travelling. AS they
plodded on the name for the new State
became topic for conversation. While
talking over the various names that had
been suggested they came to the top of
a small plateau, on the farther edge of
which stood an Indian howell or cabin.
The utter loneliness of the spot sug-
gested to the travellers they came upon
the hiding-place of some outlaw, of
whom the country then boosted great
number. Just before they reached, but
while in plain view from the cabin, an
Indian woman came out and called out
several times in high-pitched, far
reaching voice the word Idaho. The
tone was combination of those of the
Swiss yOdeler, the Spanish Indian and
Louisiana negroes, and, as was supposed,
a call to the squaw husband. The
sound of the voice as given by Mr.. Cole,
and he had been familiar with the
Indians for some years. was Ea-dah-hoo-
COCOA drop from the first E to the Sec
ond. a long A. almost as if ah-ah, and a
musical. long-drawn-out dwelling upon
the hoo, using the full force of the lungs
in expiration and crescendo.
The squaw's call was answered by the
sudden appearance of an Indian girl
about nine years of age. She was clean
and better looking than most of her
race. The inference of both Mr.. Cole
and his companion was that Idaho was
the girls name, and the idea of adopt
ing it as the name of the new State oc-
CURED to both men at about the same
time, Mr.. Cole claiming to be the first
to speak.
All efforts to find the English of the
word resulted in failure; and finally. in
consideration of the sex and surround
ings of the Indian whose name had
helped solve the difficulty in finding
one for the State, that of ''gem of the
mountains was decided upon. The
real meaning of the word Mr.. Cole never
knew. As the Indians name their chill
dren from physical peculiarities or cir
cumstances occurring at their birth, and
as the child was born about daylight,
the translation of Eight of the mount
aims" was first deemed good one, but
it's fitness as a name for the State had
TO give way to the more appropriate one
of 'sgem of the mountains" which was
given to Congress as the translation of
the Indian word.
Inarrate the tale as got it from Mr..
Cole, and add what, at the time, l sug-
gested to him-that the State erect
monument on the spot where the name
was selected-and as amendment, that
Joaquin Miller, the poet of the Sierras.
write the inscription