The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-02
AMONG THE BOOKS
Kate Stephens Writes of VAL
liable Reprint.
History Of Expedition Of Lewis
and Clark.
A VALUABLE WORK.
The Commonwealth Library
Promises What People Want.
VIII Be Made Up Of Old Rare
Reprints.
A VALUABLE WORK.

the Pacific in 1896 A reprint of the
edition of 1914 to which all members of
the expedition contributed. With maps.
In three volumes. New Amsterdam Book
company, publishers, New York. 1902.
1t was the marvellous method of
Thomas Jefferson that brought about
the Lewis and Clark expedition When
jefferson was minister of the United
States to the court of France John
Ledyard Of Connecticut arrived in Paris.
This was about the year 1876. Ledyard
had accompanied the famous Captain
Cook in his crossings among the Pac1fic
islands, and had distinguished himself
for daring. His very presence in Paris
indicated his nomadic nature. He was
pining for enterprise, and planning fur
trade upon the western coast of Amer
lea. 1t was then that Jefferson pro-
posed to Ledyard to go by land to
Kamschatka, cross the strait. fall down
to the latitude of the Missouri, and
penetrate through the vast unknown
region of that river and it's tributaries
to the United States.
At once Ledyard's eagerness led him
eastward. and, with the permission of
the empress of Russia packed securely
in his baggage, our Yankee was within
two hundred miles of Kamschatka-
when the great Catherine forbade him
to proceed. Autocrats have that way
with them. Instead Ledyard was stuff
ed in close carriage, bounced night
and day over rough roads, and finally
dumped in Poland more dead than alive
from the torture of the journey.
That was to be the first crossing of
the Rockies. and measurement of it's
rivers with the scientific exactneSS the
times and occasion afforded. Alexander
Mackenzie made his first journey two
years later.
But the pertinacity that marked JEFF
ferson's habit from his very youth,
which kept his weather book and gar
den book, and fee book, and exDendi-
ture book, and their countless entries,
which showed always the large curios-
ity of great intelligence, could hardly
brook such conclusion to his scheme.
The plans of the great apostle of the
rule of the people were not to be
brought to naught by the caprice of a
GEAR or cZarina.
Jefferson tried again a few years
later, suggesting that Captain Lewis
of the United States recruiting service,
accompanied by a botanizing French
man, ascend the Missouri and descend
the nearest river to the Pacific. In this
instance French power interdicted.
Finally when Jefferson became our
third president, he transmitted, in 1903,
a confidential message to congress pro-
posing the sending an exploring party
to trace the Missouri to it's source, to
cross the Highlands, and to follow the
best water communication which offered
to the Pacific ocean. Congress approx
ed the proposition. Captain Lewis, who
had became the presidents private sec
rotary, was put in charge with Captain
Clark as associate and commander in
the event of accident to Captain Lewis.
While these things were going on, the
United States was negotiating for the
purchase of Louisiana. and. in April.
1903, actually came into possession of
that vast body of land lying northwest
of the banks of the Mississippi. That the
expedition was now to move through
United States lands for the most part,
and report United States possessions,
did much to increase interest in its sue
cessful issue.
That was ninety-nine years ago; a
hundred years next January 18th that
Jefferson sent to congress his confiden-
tial message. What would those fore
seeing people have said If a panorama
of that country as it stands today, had
been unrolled before their eyeSi Its
great towns from New Orleans to Hell
enai Its vast tillage of the soil! It's
untiring indwellers and their indus
triesl Or even to take merely one town,
Topeka, or Kansas City. or Omaha,
hundreds of miles from the eastern limit
of their then wilderness. Those men
We're far-seeing; but they surely never
saw so far as real things stand today.
Captain Clark left Washington on the
9th of July, 1903, and went to Pfttsburg
to choose his men from the military sta
lions on the Ohio. The party he made
consisted in the words of the book, of
nine young men from Kentucky. four
teen soldiers of the United States army
who volunteered their services, two
French watermen-an interpreter and
hunter-and black servant belonging
to Captain Clark. In addition to these
were engaged a corporal and six SOL
dierS, and nine watermen to accompany
the expedition as far as the Mandan
nation-about where Bismarck now
stands in Dakota-aS extra protection
against the hostile Indians they might
encounter before reaching the Mandans.
Three boats were to bear this party, a
keel boat hfty-five feet long and carry
ing square sail and twenty-five oars,
and two pirogues of six and seven
oars. Their stores were scientific In
struments. locks, ffints. powder. balls.
clothing, some food: and fourteen bales
and a box of Indian presents. These
presents they were to traffic for such
commodities as good nature. facts and
information about the country. corn.
fresh meat. ETC., and the bales were
made up of medals. flags, looking
glasses beads, paints, knives, and rich
ly laced coats for special gifts at pow
vows of more than ordinary signiti-
canoe.
Winter caught the expedition still in
its preparation and navigation of the
Ohio. and the leaders thought it pru-
the ice of the Missouri should break
up in the following spring. They
camped opposite the entrance of the
Missouri into the Mississippi, and from
that point they sailed the 14th of May,
1904
Between this date and the BIRD o,
September, 1906 the day of the return
of the expedition to St Louis, 1.-THE
village of St. Louis" as the authors
term 1T, they accomplished their journey
to the Pacific-up the Missouri river to
its very springs gushing from a noun
tain side in crystal water and narrow
enough for man to step across, and
then down the Columbia river to the
sea; and back over nearly the san
course.
In this journey of several thousand
miles these men saw much They had
the capacity for seeing much. If they