Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-02-13
GOLD IN IDAHO.
Soma Int~r~sting "Reminiscences of tho
Discovery of the Precious Metal

the bill admitting luauO INTO The
Union. The fortyifourth star in our
glorious constellation of States, it may
not be out of place for Que who. If he
did not really give the name to his new
State. first put that uame in print. To
record page or two of its early
history. and recall nm incident that
still makes his nerves tingle as he tells
it.
Gold was first found. in that vast and
trackless region now forming the new
States of Washington. Idaho. and
Montana. in the spring of 1860. by II
small party of prospectors led by Cap
tain Pierce on the spot where Pierce
CITY now stands.
The writer. although not then of age.
had read law and been admitted To
practice under Judge Geo. III. Williams.
afterwards President Grants Attorney
General. And when news of the dis
covery of gold reached Oregon,
gathered up one law-book aud two
'six-shootcrs. and set out on IA ride
of many hundred miles through the
mountains for the new placers.
But as gold was not p,enty. there
was no use for the law hook. because
/ there was no law; and rs there was an
opening for good and handy horse
man TO carry letters and money to aud
from the new mines. the writer aud u
young man by the name of Mossman
soon had nailed up over the door of the
only store as yet in all that wild region,
sign which read: "Mossman and
Miller's Express"
1t was two hundred miles to the
nearest poSt-ollice at Walla Walla.
The lover Of pretty names will easily
trace this Walla Walla back to its
French settlers VOLTA! VoHur
No man can look down from the en-
vironment of mountains on this sweet
valley, with its beautiful city in the
center, whose many flashing little
rivers run together and make it for
ever green and glorious to see, without
instinctively crying out VoHa! Toiia!
1t is another Damascus, only it is
broader of girth and far. far more
beautiful. In this ride of two hundred
miles there was but one town, Lewiston.
Get your map now. and as you follow
the story OF the ride. fix the geography
of this new empire In your minds. for
i; will be a grand land.
Lewiston. you observe, is at the head
Of navigation on the "Shosbonee" or
Snake River by way of the Columbia
River. This word Shoshonee means
snake. fancy YOU can almost hear
the rattle of the yenomous reptile rs
you speak this Indian word. The ac-
cent. as in nearly all Indian names.
such as DAKOTA. Iowa. and so on, is on
the middle syllable. In reading Long
fellows poems YOU will find he has
preserved the proper pronunciation of
Omaha by putting the accent where it
belongs. And more than once this
learned man reminded me that Idaho
must be pronounced in the same soft
and liquid fashion: dl no.
In these long. long rides we changed
horses from five to ten times daily,and
we rode ut a desperate speed. We
used Indian ponies only. and usually
rode without escort, with pistols ready
at hand. Indians were numerous, but
our fear was not OF them. but OF white
men. In fact. the Indians were by far
the most peaceable people Ue had TO
deal with. They always kept our
stations" that is. the places where
we changed horses and drank a cup Of
coffee. These Indians were OF the
Neg Perez tribe. 1t may not be gener-
ally known that these noble Indians
were nearly civilized long before the
renowned Chief Joseph (who fought
the whole United States for half year
not long ago. was ever heard OF.
These Indians. under the direction of
good old Father Spaulding published
the first newspaper that was issued west
of the Rocky Mountains. They also
printed some portions of the Bible III
their own tongue. including many
Psalms. Keep THESE facts of history as
well as the geography of this great
region in mind.
As before stated. we did not ind gold
plenty at first. and the Express did not
pay. We two BOYS worked had. took
many desperate risks. and lived almost
literally on horseback. with little food
and with less sleep for the first few
months. But suddenly gold was found.
"a thick as wheat on a threshng hoor,
far away TO the east of big black
mountain which the Indians called
"I-dah-ho." which literally means
"mountain where light comes.
happened to be- in Lewiston on my way
to Pierce City with the Express. wher
the ragged aud sunburnt leader of the
pary that had made the discovery be
yond the Black Mountain came in. III
took me into his confidence. | sent NJ
Indian on with my Express; ans
branching of hundred miles. 10 th'
southeast, reached the new mines. tool
up "claims." aud opened an Express
Office before dozen people knew o
the discovery which was To give Stat
after State to the Union. You will tin'
the place on the old maps, and som
of the new ones. marked "Millcrs
burgh." But there is no town their
now.
The gold lay almost in the gras
roots. in the shallow surface. lik
grains of wheat. 1t was high bleaI
place, densely wooded and intensel.
cold rs winter came on. Greater dis
coveries lay further on and in kindlie
climes. and broad valleys and ricl
cities receive you there now. But on
story is of the snow and the ston
sleeps of Mount I-dah-ho.