The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1897-08-21
n rIoHEEa para
0snerai Merriam Helates Eaxly Experlanes.
10 This ssstisn.

0eneFsi Merriam Relates Earfg Experionos1
10 This Section.
Brigadier General Merriam visited
Fort sherman the first Of the week.
While In Spokane he related 70 the
Spokesman Review some "reminiscences
Of The early days IN this seciica - Sol-
lows:
II was 10 Spokane IN 1e7z. = said
General Merriam. "At that time ny
regiment. The Second infantry, had
been ordered north from Georgia, b.
reason Of the Nez Perez war. We came
70 this department BY rail to San
Francisco, and thence BY boat to Port
land, from which place we continued
our journey TO Lewiston by the steam
ers Of the Oregon steam Navigation
company, up Tie Columbia and Snake
rivers. On arriving 1t Lewiston we
were ordered to proceed to Spokane
1t once TO protect citizens living here
from the Indians. SO II was that the
entire regiment marched to Spokane
10 haste and went into camp ON what
was subsequently Hayermale's add
ton, In the vicinity OF Division street.
II was IN July that we arrived.
There were only four citizens living
here them. n. Glover, Mr.. Post, Mr..
IiayermaIe and Mr.. Crowley, q mission.
airy. They had taken refuge on Hayer.
males island, for they feared that The
Indians IN this vicinity were 10 join
the Nez Perces in the war against the
whites. and would attack them. We
remained In this place for some time,
then were ordered elsewhere and de.
parted. leaving behind as two compan
les. Those companies biyouaced hers
that winter. They built hnts on the
corner OF Main avenue and Howard
street. the officers huts being on the
right hand side OF Howard street, fac
Ing the river, and the mems huts being
on the left hand side. facing the river,
and north OF Main avenue. The com
handing officer. Captain Conrad, now
dead. lived with Mr.. Glover In the lat
ter's residence across Howard street
from where the city hall Row stands
A large livery stable was subsequently
located on the site OF Mr.. Gloyer's resi-
dence."
At the time Of which the genera
speaks. he was lieutenant colonel OF the
Second infantry. Unlike some arInS
officers. but still like Others, he doe
not think the Nez Perces were entirely
in the wrong in entering into wal
with the authorities at that time. II
speaking ON this subject he said:
The NeE Perces had always been thu
/ friend OF the white man from the time
they lirst met him in 1903. ON through
all the Indian disturbances and mp e
that time. Even in 1857, in the Step
toe var. they showed their friendship
for the whites by assisting the troops
10 cross the Snake nver after the
troops had been defeated by the C9uI
d'Alenes and the Spokanes. The Nes
Perces had always boasted Of theil
friendship for the white people. II
was a matter OF pride with them. They
maintained that friendly attitude up tc
1871, when by repeated ana persistent
injustice on the part OF the govern
ment, they were finally driven TO war
do not think ! am putting things toC
strongly when say this. 1t was then
supposed that the Moses Indians, the
Lower SpOkanes, Garrys band. which
lived here and claimed all this ground
about Spokane. and the Spokanes
were in sympathy with the Nez Perez,
and do not see how they could hell
being In sympathy with them. The
four people here thought that wheT
the Nez Perces broke loose these In
dians would do 30 also, and the few
settlers who are occupying land in The
Palouse quit their ranches In greai
haste. On our arrival we found ths
people had fortified themselves OF
Havermale's island. There was really
no town here, although these four pic
neers had staked out townsite. Ever
at that time they had no assuranc,
that the Northern Pacific was coming
through here, for the definite location
had not been made.