The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-12-10
newton Hibbs in the Lewiston Teller Aug.
10, 1897.

was used before the discovery of golC
in Orc Elmo. Although the erratiC
poet of the Sierras, joaquin Miller
claims to have coined the word in 1861
it was several years before that date
Idaho Springs in Colorado was named
and steamboat on the Columbia bore
the name before the poet claims to
have coined it. Idaho Springs may
claim the first geographical use of this
most poetic appelation. / laho county
adopt ID the name in December, 1861
two years before the organization OF
the Idaho Territory.
This state may claim a geographical
existence since March 1863. The honor
of selecting the name of Idaho for the
new commonwealth, at that time the
largest in the United States, is due to
Senator Wilson of Massachusetts. The
territory was made up of parts of
Washington, Dakota and Nebraska,
and extended from the present eastern
boundary to the Colorado line on the
south. The original bill for the crea-
ton of the territory proposed the name
of Montana for the present state of
Idaho, but the name was changed by
amendment offered by Senator Wilson
The meaning of the name was then
familiar to members of Congress. Ida
no was interpreted to mean Gem of the
Mountains, during the time the organic
act was pending
The wealth of California infected all
classes of people. The sedate Yankee,
the peripatetic and reckless plainsmen,
were influenced by exaggerated stories
of the wealth of the gold coast The
fortunes so lavishly bestowed we're the
burden of story and song. The Indians
of the plains were ever very romantic.
Their heroes were possessed of super
natural powers. The natural scenery
of their legends was always fairer than
Elysian fields.
While the stories Of the gold of Cali
fornia were current the native redmen
revived their legends of wealth, of jew
els and diadems. One story that seems
to have been international in character
among many tribes was the one of
"1daho." 1t was a diadem, not of a
royal man but of a royal mountain. 1t
was a jewel, bigger and more brilliant
than mortal ever wore. 1t was worn in
l.x- t.aft
placed in the crown as the sign of Gods
favor for the honor of the greatest
the fairest valleys and the |
best people in the world. This sign of |
Gods favor was of course always in a |
distant land. The gem of the noun
tain was of a value greater than all the
gold of California in the songs and le-
gends of the Indians. In the language |
of many Of the western tribes this
mythical gem was called Idaho"
In the year 1850 a renegade UmatiIla
Indian found his way to California
He was fine example of physical man
hood and the favorable contrast with
the native Diggers made him favorite
With the miners in the little camps he
'requented. He was intelligent and
of the native romantic char
lcter. To match the stories OF Califor-
lia wealth he recited the tribal legend
If the Idaho" Among those who heard
lis story told in broken English was y.
}. Pierce. He was a young man of u
easily influenced by the
fascinating story of wealth. He re-
olyed to find and approp riate the In
ian Idaho"
The wandering Umatilla was not a
tranger to the wiles of the modern c
The native Jared sum p
1ously during the winter season
nd paid his boarj in promises. In the
pring the pair journeyed to Oregon
nd ut Umatilla the guide lost himself =
mong his people and left Mr. Pierce to Il
is own resources. The Indian had SO Il
won the confidence of the =
hite man that Pierce fingered in the -
cinity of Umatilla for a year in the Ii
elusive hope that his guide would re-
I'm to him or that he might discover
lie deceitful native. The deserting
tide left behind the impression that -
S people had discovered his secret n,
I'd that they forbade his return to the IN
hite friends. Mr.. Pierce in the mean eli
ne took up his home in Walla Walia er
> searched the Blue mountains for in
e diadem and in the winter Of 1883 dc
ganized "A party to continue the 'i'
arch to mountains bordering the '''
n Perez territory in the hope that r.,
ey were the favored people aud that pu
2 Clearwater valley was the favored Go
Hos, Iiobt,.I h,. t1,,, NV, or tb. r,,:i.,, on