The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-05-16
AT SPOKANE LONG AGO
IaFE AT THE MISSIONS NEAR
SPOKANE.
Their influence Upon the Spokane
and Nez Percc Indians Abides
TO the Present Day.

the early days of eastern Washington.
They are published in the Sunday Spokes-
man Review.l
The missions of immediate Importance
to Spokane and vicinity were those Of
Rev. Cushing Eells and Rev. Elkanah
Walker on Walkers prairie, some six
miles north of the Spokane river, and
that of the Roman Catholic fathers at
Occur d'Alene.
The marriages OF the two young Prot
estant clergymen mentioned occurred on
the same day, March 6, 1888, and both
young couples started Immediately upon
their bridal journey to the Pacific north
west. accompanied by Rev. A. b. Smith
and his bride; Mr.. Gray-of the Whitman
mission-wth his bride for whom he had
returned to New York; and Cornelius
Rogers-nine persons in all, for the vague
and far-off "Oregon mission" TranspOr-
tation facilities had so far improved, by
that time, that the little party were as
sured of the company and protection of
a caravan of the American Fur Com
pany to the Rocky mountains, and car
ried eight trunks bedding, tents, tent
poles, food, medicines, and all the para
phernalla of four young families" packed
upon the backs of Spanish mues albeit
the natural depravity of those "ships OF
the desert must have been excellent
stimulus for the missionary spirit in these
young devotees.
Of this little group it seems a strange
thing to chronicle that one-Mrs. Mary
Walkers living still. Her vivacious
spirits may have had something to do
with her tenacity of life. for she is rep
resented to have been the indomitable
adventurer, the tireless traveller, and the
professional WHITEWATER of the band
whose one momentary lapse from
hsbitual high pressure has been embod-
led mong missionary classics. Seated
one day. drenched and chilly on a pile Of
wet saddles, in a dripping tent, she had
recourse, for once, to the safety-valve
OF tears Questioned by her alarmed COM
rsdes as to the cause of her lachrymose
exhibition, she responded with grim hui
NOR. "Only thinking how comfortable
my fathers hogs are"
The party reached Whitman station the
last of August, 1893, III days after leaving
home. Among an interesting list of prices
OF commodities on their journey may be
noted sugar. coffee, tea, dollar a pint;
calico, s. a yard; whisky, $50 a gallon;
yet on some days nearly the whole camp
OF the trading company was unfit for
business because of its USE"
Arrived in this vast and vacant coun-
try they wrote posts of Hudson Bay
Company are generally about 800 miles
apart. The stations of Dr. Whitman and
Edr Spalding are 125 miles apart The
Methodsts have two stations, one $50.
end the other 400 miles from here. Beside
these there are no others in this great
territory"
HOW THEY LIVED.
For years they lived in log huts with
pine boughs and earth for roofs, and
earth and pine boughs for floors and car
pets. At Tshlmal1ani (Walkers prairie
nission). which survived for 10 years, a
cooking stove was never known. They
owned but one real chair i'm all that time,
and their only table was made of three
Boards nailed to the top of four stakes
driven in the ground The five young
Walkers and two Eells youngsters who
arrived in course of time. never knew
the Intoxicating felicity Of upsetting the
table
sawmills there were none in all the
country. but the convenient proximity
OF the flour mill Eat Fort Colvine, only
70 miles distant is gratefully men
toned
The mail came twice year. by way of
Cape Horn, to Walla Walla, which neces-
STATED a sem-annual trip of 200 miles to
the postohice
Money was almost unknown. The cur
rency of the country was beaver skins,
with tobacco and clothes for change.
The Indians of all Oregon" which by
the last enumeration numbered but p -
CO. were at that time about 100000.
At this first Spokane mission lived these
two families until driven from the coun-
try by the hostile Cayuses after the Whit
man massacre. Though apparently more
Immediately successful in enlightenine
the minds than the souls of their dusky
pupils. for they witnessed much devotion
20 learning, but not one religious CONVEX
sion in all their 10 years ministry, yet
the sterling character of these early
teachers so won the hearts of the Spo-
kane Indians that their teachings have
since borne fruit I'm many transformed
Hives among that tribe.
When the increasing hosuuues which
eliminated in the Cayuse war made II
necessary to close an the missions east
OF the Cascades. the Spokanes begged tc
retain these teachers. offered 10 fight for
them against the hostles, and, when com
PEELED to part with them. ganantly ac-
companled and protected them to Fort
Colville. and took a dramatic leave OF
them. in true aborsinal stvle.
REV. FATHER EELLS.
The godly and scholarly Cushing Eel.
returned to his chosen work after the
country was again at peace; was among
the founders of Pacific university anC
whitman college, and OF many Congrega
tional churches in Washington. His home
was In Cheney at one time and also il
Medical Lake. but he was always at HON,
IN minlstering to his red brethren. II,
n