Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-11
ROMANCE OF IDAHO.
How the Territory Was Named for Iittlo Indian Girl.

How the Territory Was Named for . Iittlo
 Indian Girl.
 In the autumn of 1885 I resided in Twenty-second street, New York. A genial fellow-boarder was . gentleman of about forty-five 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 evcr paid to a memDer of Con- gross. over S10,OOO, his mileage being computed from Idaho to San Francisco, thence (around the Horn) by way of New York to Washington. He was a pioneer from Now York, and for time kept q trading store at Fort Walla Walla.
 Che evening the strange name of the nc" state became subject of com ment. and Mir 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 an- other gentleman interested in the gov ernment of the Territory, while riding over some barren mountain tops or rathe" 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 small plateau, on the farther edge of which stood an Indian hovel or cabin. The tutor loneliness O! the spot Sug- gestcd to the travellers they came upon the hiding-place of some outlaw, of whom the country then boasted great number Just before they reached. but While in plain view from the cabin, an Indian woman came out and called out se 1eral times in q high-pitched. far reaching voice the word Idaho. Tie tone was combination of those of the Swiss yodeler. the Spanish Indian and Louisiana negroes. and, as was supposed, call to the squaw's husband. Tho sound of the voice as given by Mir. Cole. and he had been familiar with the indians for some years was Ea-dah-hoo- oo-oo-a drop from the first F to the scc- ond, 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.
 Tho 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 MT. Cole l 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, Mir. 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 1 one for the State. that of "gem of tho l mountains" was decided upon. The | real meaning of the word Mr. Cole never knew As the Indians name their chil. | dren from physical peculiarities or cir rumstanccs occurring at their birth, and as the child was born about daylight. the translation of light of the mount aims" was first deemed good one, but l it's fitness as name for the State had to give way to the more appropriate one of gem of the mountains" which was given to Congress as the translation of tho Indian word.
 1narrate the tale as got it from Mir. Cole, and add what, at the time, l sue- gested to him-that the State erect a monument on the spot where the name vas selected-and as amendment, that Joaquin Miller, thu poet of the Sierras, write the inscri ption.-Cor Boston Journal