Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-01-31
THE ROMANCE OF IDAHO.
How the State Was Named for Pretty
Little Indian Girl.

How the State Was Named for Pretty
Little Indian Girl.
In the autumn of 1865 resided in Twenty
second street, New York A genial fellow
boarder was gentleman of about 45 years,
who was putting some mining stock ON the
market. His name was Cole, and he claimed
the distinction of having for 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
a member of congress-over 0,0o0-his mile
age being computed from Idaho to San Fran
cisco, thence around the Horribly way of
New York to Washington. He was pioneer
from New York, and for time kept
trading store at Fort Walla Walla.
One evening the strange name of the new
state became a subject of comment, and Mr.
Cole gave me the following 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 morn
ing about 10 o'clock, in company witR an
other gentleman interested in the govern
ment of the territory, while riding over some
barren mountain tops, or rather kills, the
road became so rough as to compel the slow
for the new state became topic of conversa
ton. 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 suggested
to the travellers that they had come upon the
hiding place of some outlaw, of whom the
country then boosted great number Just
nod Int ,1oi,,
from the cabin, an Indian woman came out
and called out several times in high spirited
far reaching voice the word Idaho. The tone
was combination of those of the Swiss
yodeler, the Spanish Indian and Louisiana
negress, and, as was supposed, a call to the
squaw's husband. 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 E to the sec
end, long a, almost as if ah-ah, and must
cal, long-drawn-out dwelling upon the hoo,
using the full force Of the lungs in expiration
and in crescendo.
The squaw's call was answered by the sud
den appearance of an Indian girl about 9
years of age. She was clean and better look
ing than most of her race. The inference Of
both Mr.. Cole and his companion was thai
lQdnO was tu6 guns Htulle anu Guc lucet VI
adopting it as the name of the new state &C.
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 considera
ton of the sex and surroundings of the In
dian whose name had helped solve the diff
Guilty 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 children from phys
ical 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 good one, but
its 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 the Indian word.
Inarrate the tale as I got it from Mr.. Cole,
and add what, at the time, l suggested to him
that the state erect monument on the spot
where the name was selected-and as amend
ment, that Joaquin Miller, the poet of the
Sierras, write the inscriptions. P.
Roche, NJ. D., in Boston Journal.