The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-04-23
EARLY KANsAs HISTORY.

How Kansas Came by the Name 1t Now
Is Known By.
A Kansas historian writes the fol
lowing about the state of states; SIN
1T22 3 the commander of the territory
in which was then included what is
now Kansas, claimed by France, erect
ed fort near the mouth of the Usage,
in the hope Of preventing any further
incursions of the Spaniards into the
region beyond the Missouri. It was
called Fort Orleans and was built after
the humiliation of a colony of Span
iards from Santa Fe 10y the Kansas
Indians) who had attempted a settle
ment in some portion of what is now
the state of Missouri, near the mouth
of the Usage, probably. OF the 800
that left Santa Fe with hopeful hearts
not one was left to tell the story Of the
massacre. It was only two years before
the establishment Of the fort at the
mouth of the Usage, by the French
commander, that the Spaniards started
on their mission from Santa Fe, so
their occupation, of their new settle
ment could have zen of only short
duration. They had for their spiritual
adviser "A Dominican monk, but their
guide and real commander was an en-.
gineer officer.
"The territory now called Kansas, OF
at least that portion of it that borders
on the Kaw, was occupied by the Kau-
zas Indians; and Kansas is a cor
Eruption of that primitive name, happily
too, for the original is harsh and lacks
the euphony of the modern form. It is
alleged that the name was diverted
from the original through the mistake
of a proof reader, who, revising the
very early work of some missionary
mistook the u for on inverted 'n' anC
so corrected it, and to that blundel
be are indebted for the name of Kan
sas. The Kansas Indians are called TIM
Kaws, diminutiVe of Kansas OF Kau
zas. We have see the word spelled il
old books Kausa and Kauza, but th'
e is probably the correct letter, how
ever.
"The exact route of the Unfortunat,
Spaniards through Kansas has nevel
been given by any historian in an!
work that we have seen; but the Usage
have a tradition in their tribe o
the march. The Hon. John Madden o
| Cottonwood Falls, Kan, worked on
! the supposed trail from the Indian lie
gend: They entered Kansas at abOu
the west line of Hamilton county, ant
| followed down the Arkansas river t.
about the point where Hutchinson i
now located, crossed over to the Bea,
waters Of Doyle creek in Harvey coun
| ty, thence down that valley to wher
| Florence now stands, from that poin
through the Cottonwood valley to nea
Emporia, across through Usage anC
! Franklinc ounties, then down the Osag
river to near its mouth, where the,
effected q settlement, built a chapel
and we're soon massacred by the In
dams, who we're jealous of them
about a year after the French com
mandant, De Bourgmont, had construct
ed the little fort of Orleans, be staFtet
On an expedition from where Atchisol
is to the head waters of the Smok.
Hill. In a cave 10 central Kansas, Of
that river, are some names carved o.
its walls, which may have been pu
there by members of that expedition
The following year, while De BOurg
mont was absent from Fort Orleans
the whole garrison was massacred b,
the Indians, and not soul was left t.
tell the story"