The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-27
THE RoMASeK or IDAHO.
How the State Was Named for = Pretty
Little Indian Girl.

Little Indian Girl.
Boston Joarnxl
In the autumn OF 1865 resided on
Twenty-second street, New York. SAYS DR..
Edward p. Roche. A genial fellow hoarsier
was gentleman of about Is years,
who was pttting 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 territory. and of receiving
the largest mileage ever paid to member
of Congrsss--over $40. o1uhis mileage be-
ing computed from Idaho 10 san Francisco.
then around the Horn by way OF New
York to Washington. He was pioneer
from New York, and for time kept trad
ing store at Fort Walla Walia.
One evening the strange name OF the
new territory became q subject OF CON-
ment, 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 morning, about 10
O'Clock. in company with another
gentleman interested in the gov
CIulHtlit Vi tIE NIfttDIAs WUite
riding over some barren mountain tops. or
rough bills. the road became so rough as
TO compel the slowest travelling. As they
plodded on, the name for the new territory
became a topic of 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 hovel or cabin.
The utter loneliness of the spot suggested
10 the travellers that they had come upon
the hiding place OF some outlaw, OF whom
the country then boosted great number.
Just before they reached 1t, but while in
plain view from the cabin, an Indian wo-
man came out and called several times
in high-spirited. far-reaching voice the
word Idaho. The tone was O combinat 10 n
OF those OF the Swiss yedeler. the Spanish
Indian and Louisiana negress. and. as was
supposed, call to the squaw's husband.
The sound of the voice as given by MIR.
Cole, and he had been familiar with the In
dams for several years. was Eh-dah-h hoo
COCOA drop from the first + 10 the second,
a long a, almost as II ali -ah, and musical,
long-drawn-out dwelling upon the hoo,
using the full force of the lungs b expira-
ton and crescendo.
The squaw's call was answered by the
sudden appearance OF an Indian girl about
o years OF age. She was clean and better
looking than most of her race. The infer
ence OF both Mr.. Cole and his companion
was that Idaho was the girls name. and
the idea of adopting it as the name OF the
new territory occurred to both men
at about the same time. Mr.. Cole claiming
Il, be the first 20 sneak
AL efforts TO find the English OF the word
resulted in failure, and finally, in consider
alton OF the ser and surroundings OF the In
dian whose name had helped solve the diff
ficuIty in finding one for the territory. 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 physical pecuIiaritics or cir
cumstances occurring at their birth, and as
the child was born about daylight, the
translation OF Light on the Mountains was
first deemed good one, bu, its fitness MS a
name for the territory had 10 give way 70
the more appropriate one oil Gem OF the
Mountains, which was given 10 congress as
the translation OF the Indian word.
narrate the tale as got from Dir. Cole,
and add what, at the time ] suggested 70
him-that the territory erect monument
on the spot where the name was selected