Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-06-18
GREAT PLANS MADE
FOR PIKE MEMORIAL
| Roosevelt and Cabinet Members to
Eaiosize Discoverer of Big Peak.

BY VIM. Il. Curtis, In Chicago Record
Herald.
WASHINGTON. June i.-Presldeni
Roosevel, and Secretaries Taft. Shaw
Bonaparte Wilson and some Other
members OF the cabinet. perhaps
have promised to attend the centen
nial anniversary of the discovery Of
Pixies Peak at Colorado Springs in
September. The president will make
one OF his characteristic speeches
Several of the cabinet viii also speak
The secretary OF state would like very
much to so. but he Will be In Rio de
Janeiro in attendance upon the Pan
American conference at the time.
| When Lieutenant Pike was cap
| tured by Spanish soldiers near Trim
idad. Colo, on the 2Gth OF February
1907, they took from him several
maps and manuscripts which were
| never recovered He was allowed To
retain his diary. In which were care
fully recorded the events of each day
and the remarkable experiences that
he met with. and the original may be
seen in the archives of the war de
partment AT the suggestion of Rep
representative Brooks of Colorado.
Secretary Root is trying to recover
the other papers from the Spanish
government, or. at least. have n
| search made for them. They are sup.
posed to have been sent by the gov
ernor OF Santa Fe to tne viceroy at
| the City of Mexico. and are likely to
have been forwarded by him to Mad.
rid. The Spanish are very careful
about the preservation of documents
and It is entirely probable that Pixies
| papers may be found stored away In
| the Lonja. large building devoted
to the records of the American colon
les at Seville. That building con.
tains more raw material for American
history tnan can be found in any 9th
| er place In the world. Secretary
Root has brought the matter to the
attention of the Spanish minister, and
the latter has asked his government
10 make search.
The state of New Jersey is taking
Centennial because Pike was a ma
tive of Trenton He was born there
Jan. 8, 1779. His father. for whom
he was named, was an army officer. o
most valiant soldier of the revolution
and several of his ancestors were ia
nous in Indian warfare. The family
lived at Easton, Pa. while Pike was q
child and then moved to Dearborn
county, Indiana. Upon the files o.
the war department is letter from
Pixies father, dated Indiana Terri
tory, Dearborn county. July Is, loJi
soon after Pike was released by tn,
spaniards, inquiring for information
about him. The letter is as follows
"Sir:-f have taken the liberty o
making out my accounts of Pay For
rage and Subsistence from the 1st o
January to the 31st inst and forwart
them to the Pay Master for paymen
which ! pray may meet your approba
tion.
Permit me to request the Honor o
a few lines Informing II u. NJ. Pike re
ceived orders for His Government oil
His late exploring expedition, from
the President, Yourself, or Gen. Wi
kinson. and If any of how late tn,
last information or communication
from him. ! need not mention hoy
disagreeable state OF Suspense Is
nor to move your sympathy, to sa.
more than that the anxiety and con
cern, exhibited for His safety. by al
affectionate Mother and Wife, is Great
BY way OF cancellation to the former
! have thought proper to extend prob
ably Period of His return, until thi
month; Mrs. Pike is now beginning
to lose confidence In my opinion, con
sequently my consolating influence Il
daily lessening. and Her Affections In
creasing.
Il decline in Strength as regular n
Time paseth and However Painful tn
reflection. It is my the Bounty OF m
Country Life Is rendered Tolerabt
BE assured that | write in Pain a
well that am.
Your Very Obedt. Sery..
"ZEBN PIKE.
Henry Dearborn. Secretary q
War
Lieutenant Pike entered the arm
when he was Is years old as a priv
ate soldier-that would be about 179l
He was appointed an ensign in 179
and was promoted In regular order
After his return from the western e,
ploration he became lieutenant color
el OF the Fourth infantry, was on dut
at Washington as deputy quartermai
ter general until July 6, 1912, whe
he was promoted to be colonel of tn
Fifth infantry and was sent to tn
frontier at Buffalo. He was mad
brigadier general March ~. 1918, bt
was never aware OF the fact, because
before his appointment reached hin
he was killed while leading an assau
on Fort York, Toronto, April 81. 1871,
He was buried at Madison barrack
, near Ogdensburg.
While he was still leutenaI
+ Pike married Clarissa Brown. daugl
E ter Of General John Brown OF Kel
| tupkv raptraI la. n rms and ha