The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-01
THE ROMANCE OF IDAHO.
How the State Was Named for "a Prett
Little Indian Girl.

y" NV n ""s -Saiutu - - EFttty
Little Indian Girl.
Onward T.. Roche in Boston Journal.
In the autumn of 1865 / resided i'm
Twenty-second street, New York.A genial
fellow boarder was n gentleman Of about
As years, who was putting some mining
stock on b market. His name was Cole,
and he claimed the distinction of having
for initials three Csc. &. Cole-of being
onc of the first members of congress from
the new state, and of receiving the largest
mileage ever paid TO "a member of congress
over s~l0,OOO-his mileage being compu-
ted from Idaho TO San Francisco, thence
laround the Horn by way of New Y ork
10 Washington. He was n pioneer from
New York, and for a time kept n trading
store AT Fort Walla Walla.
One evening the strange name of the
new state becamea subject of comment,
and Mr.: Cole gave me the following ac-
count OF how the namec came to be adopt
ed, and also h selected meaning, or
rather the meaning which he and others
concluded to give as the Indian words
translation. One bright morning about
10 o'clock, I'm company with another gem
tleman interested in the government of
he territory, while riding over some bar
rem mountain tops, or rather hills, the
roal became SO rough as To compel the
slowcst travelling. As they plodded on the
name for the new state became a topic of
conversation. While talking over the va
rious anne that had been suggested they
came to the top Of a small plateau, on the
farther edge of which stood an Indian
howell or hut.
The utter loneliness of the spot sug-
gested to the travellers that they had come
upon the hiding place of some outlaw, of
whom the country then boosted a great
number. just before they reached, but
.-l..I. a.. .I..~ .,.-... E.--s 49, -.l.. - =.
woman came out and called out sew
eral times in n high spirited voice the
word Idaho. The tone was n combination
of those of the Swiss yodeler, the Spanish
Indian and Louisiana negress, and, as
was supposed, a call TO the squaw's hus-
band. The sound of the voice as given by
Mr.. Cole, and he had been familiar with
the Indians for some years, was Eh-dah-
hoo-oo-oo-a drop from the first Z TO the
second, n long n, almost as IL ah-ah. and
a musical, long.drawn-out dwelling upon
the hoo. using the full force of the lungs
in expiration n in crescendo.
The squaw's call was answered by the
sudden appearance of an Indian girl
about 8 years of age. She was clean and
better looking than most of her race. The
inference of both Mr.. Cole and his COM
panion was that Idaho was the girls
name, and the idea OF adopting IL as the
name OF the new state occurred to both
mcu NJ ABOUT TIE shtnt tlnit, MT toit
claiming To be first to speak.
All efforts 20 find the English of the
word resulted in failure and finally, in
consideration OF the sex n surroundings
of the Indian whose name had helped
solve the difficulty in finding one for
the state, that OF Gem of the Noun
tains wa decided upon. The real ear
ing of the word Mr.. Cole knew.
As the Indians name their children from
physical peculiarities or circumstances
occurring at their birth, and as the child
was born about daylight. the translation
of Light on the Mountains was first
deemed a good one, but its fitness as a
for the state had To give way TO the
more appropriate one OF Gem of the
Mountains. which was given 10 congress
as the translation of the Indian word.
| narrate the tale as got u from Mr..
Cole. and add what, al the time, sug-
gcsted 10 him-that the state erect a monu-
ment ON the spot where the name was Sc
lected-aud as amendment that Joaquin
Miller, the poet Of the Sierras. write the
inscriptions.