Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-10

the picturesque career of the gallant
young explorer Of the West.
In speaking of the coming celebra-
ton, which will be held mainly at Col
| orado Springs, writer in the Boston
Transcript cOrrects some of the mis-
apprehensions which are widely held
regarding Pixies Peak. 1t was not dis
| covered by Pike; it was not assembled
by him; it was not called by that name
either by him or in his lifetime; it is
being exceeded in elevation by q peaks
lin Colorado alone. And yet these icono-
the slightest from the merit of the GAL
liant young officers achievement. His
is one of the great names Of early Am
eriCan exploration, comparable with
those of Lewis and Clarke; in fact, he
did for the romantic country to the
Southwest what they did for the fam
Gus route to the Oregon. He was a
prolific diarist and letter writer. and
the story of his journey, originally
printed in 1870 has been brought out
in a three-volume edition in 1895. an
notated by Elliott Coues. Anyone per-
using the voluminOus mass of materi-
al which it contains may well believe
that the Spanish authorities in Mexico
took great many papers away from
Pike when they captured him, which
il is assumed remain in the archives at
Madrid One aim Of this centennial is
to secure the restoration of these to
the State of Colorado, just as the Brad
ford History was brought back o.
Massachusetts. Representative Brooks
of Colorado, the chief engineer of the
celebration, has Interested Secretary
Root in an endeavcr to get back the
papers, and correspondence on that
subject has been opened with the Span
ish capital Pixies death in the War
of 1872, from the accidental discharge
Of a magazine at the time when dis
, tingushed military career was appar-
entity opening before him, heightens the
interest in his exploits.
1t is stated that Pike called this ele-
walton the Great Snow Mountain. and
the whole region was spoken of as
.New SPAIN" The peak had long
been known to the Spaniards as the
, Ultima Thule Of their possessions. 1t
{ is true that Pike and his three COM
panions were the first white men
known to have come within "the dis
lance of Is or Is miles" of the peak. as
: II seemed to them. He wrote that 1t
appcared to them, Gas high again as
= what we assembled, and would have
taken a whole days march to ride to Its
r base" The peak was first surmount-
: cd by DR.. Edwin James and two com
panions in July. 1920. in connection
with Major Longs expedition to the
8 Rocky Mountains. when It was named
t James's Peak. But it was not des-
, tinod long to bear this designation.
The early settlers who went into
: Colorado. having heard Of Pixies
: achievements and Of his approach to
this commanding elevation, took up the
t douhlv aIliterative title pixies Peak
which It has ever since horne. IL was
Tho nharse of common speech in the
,hirties. although it was later in get
. ting into the books. map pnhiiSileo
in 1870 gives both names. while Beck
, with's report published az late as 1s9'
b,s only James's. John c. Fremont
, the "Pathfinder." in his explorations II
1874 calls it Pixies Peak. doubtless be-
, cause that was the name locally en-
nlovod Governor Alva Adams declares
tho origin of the name an "historica
mystery" adding: 1T begins to appear
In the literature Of the prairies anc
mountains about the middle Of the cen
{ tury, but it was not irrevocabiy chris
, toned until the Pixies Peak gold eX'
citement. when the name was nXeo u
rom,;n az long as men loved to lister
) to stories OF valor.
I The Transcript writer points out ina
Q much of the old correspondence of Pike
Is exceedingly interesting in the ligh
r ri modern conditions. He believed
: the Rocky Mountain range providen
n tally thrown across the western hall
: of the country as a great natural bar
: rier against further settlement in that
3 direction. protecting the people east o.
e It from hostile aborigines and foreign
:. foes. He misjudged the country to the
x west on which he looked almost as seri
:. ously as did Christopher Columbu:
= himself The coming autumn VII
Is mark a revival of interest in Pike:
8 career 1t is somewhat unusual Il
d celebrate the marking of mountain
II Most of our centenaries have com
e memorated first settlements. admis
e sions Of states to the Union. and inn