Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-02-27
THE LAND OF WEALTH.
"Reminiscences OF the Discovery OF Gofd In
1dn11O.

Now that the President has signed
the bill admitting Idaho into the Union,
the forty-iourth star in our glorious con-
stellation of States, it may not be out
of place for some one who, if he did not
really give the name to this new State
first put that name in print, to record
page or two of its early history. and re-
cali an incident that still makes his
nerves tingie as he tells it.
Gold was first found, in that vast and
trackless region now forming the new
States of Washington, Idaho, aud Mon
tana, in the spring Of 1860, by q small
party of prospectors led by Capt. Pierce
on the spot where Pierce City now
stands.
The writer although not then of age,
had read law and been admitted to prac-
tice under Judge George 81. Williams,
after President Grants Attorney Gem
eral And when news of the discovery
OF gold reached Oregon, L gathered up
one law book and two "siN-shooters,
and set out on ride of many hundred
miles through the mountains for the
new placers.
But as gold was not plenty, and there
was no use foe the law-boolk, because
there was no law; and as there was an
opening for good and hardy horse
man to carry letters and money to and
from the new mines, the writer md
young man by the name of Mossman
had nailed up over the door Of the only
store as yet in all that wild region,
sign VIII :ch read: "Alossman \ Millers
Express"
Itwas 200 miles to the nearest post
Office at Walla Walla. The lover of
pretty names will easily trace this
Walla Walla back to its French set
tiers "J'iola' Jiola"
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 riv-
ers run together and make it forever
green and glorious to see, without in
stinctively crying out Vio!G' Fiola! It
is another Damascus, only it is broader
of girth and far, far more beautiful. In
this ride of 200 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 it Will be n grand land.
Lewiston, you observe, is at the head
Of navigation on the "Shoshonee" or
Snake River, by way of the Columbia
River This word Shoshonee means
snake. I fancy you can almost hear the
rattle Of the venomous reptile as you
speak this Indian word. The accent,
as in nearly ali Indian names, such as
DahOta, Iowa, and so on, is on the mid
die syllable. In reading Longfellow's
poem you will find he has preserved
the proper pronunciation of Omaha bv
putting the accent where it belongs.
And more than once this learned man
reminded me that Idaho must be pro-
nonnced in the same soft and LIQUID
fashion I ia no.
In these long, long rides we changed
horses from five to ten times daily, and
we rode at desperate speed. We used
India ponies only, and usually rode
without escort. with pistols ready at
hand. Indians We're numerous, but our
fear was not OF them, but OF white men.
In fact, the Indians were by far the
most peaceable people We had to deal
with. They always kept our "Sta-
tions," that is, the places where we
changed horses and drank cup of COT
fee. These Indians We're of the Nez
| Perez tribe. II may not be generally
known that these noble Indians We're
nearly civilized long before the re-
nowned Chief Joseph (who fought the
whole United States for half a.year not
| long ago) was ever heard of. These In
tlians, 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 in their own
tongue, including many Psalms. Keep
these facts of history as vel. as the
geography OF this region in mind.
AS before stated, we did not find gold
plenty at first, and the express" did
did not pay. We two boys worked
hard, took desperate risks, and lived
literally on horseback, with little food
and with less sleep for the first few
months. But suddenly gold was found,
as thick as wheat on threshing floor,
far away to the east of big black
mountain which the Indians called
"I-dah-ho," which literally means,
mountain where light comes" I hap.
pened to be in Lewiston on nv way to
Pierce City with the Express, when the
ragged and sunburnt leader OF the
party that had made the discovery be-
You'd the Black Mountain came in. He
took me into his confidence. I sent an
Indian on with my Express; and
branching off hundred miles to the
southeast, reached the new mines, took
up Claims" and opened up an Ex-
press Office before dozen people knew
the discovery which was to give State
after State to the Union. You will find
the place on the old maps, and some
of the new ones, marked "Millers-
burgh." But there is no town there
now.
The gold lay almost in the grass
roots, in the shallow surface, like
grains OF wheat. 1t was high bleak
place, densely wooded and intensely
cold as winter came on. Greater dis
coveries lay further on and in kindlier
chimes. and broad valleys and rich
cities receive you there now. But our
story is of the snow AMI the stony steeps
Of Mount l-dah-ho.