Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-05-11
ALL HONOR TO THEM.
Major Fred Reed Pays Beautiful
Tribute to the Pioneers
of the West.

OF INC WGSts
Today the news comes that George
Warren, an old-timer of the Wood
River country, has passed to the great
beyond. Mr.. Warren was about 70l
years old and belonged to the old school
of pioneers. He was one of the rough
diamonds of the west, always hopeful
Of the future, and, like too many old
prospectors and old-timers, lived in that
zone of expectancy that fortune would
soon smile on them. Little is known OF
old Georges relatives. He was former
ly in the employ Of Wells-Fargo & Co..
drove stage on the overland route for
Hon. John HALEY and had prospected
extensively in the mountains of Idaho
and California, going to the latter place
in 1851. The old pioneers and the G..
A. r. are answering the roll call very
fast; it will only. be very few years
before taps will be sounded and the
last of the old boys will be summoned
to the other side. There is something
sad and pathetic about the death of
many of these pathtinders, who die
alone in their cabins without even the
last kindly service Of some friend or
relative. As matter of fact, it makes
no difference. but 1t seems lonely just
the same. Thousands of these old he
roes lie IN unknown and unmarked
graves amid the mountains and valleys
that were their backgrounds.
Mrs. Dye of Oregon City, Oregon.
wrote very strong and interesting
book entitled Mclaughlin and OLD
Oregon This splendid book deserves
to be read by old and new western
folks as it portrays trnthfully the early
struggles of the pioneers of the North
west. There is also another book,
THE Conquest" am not sure. but l
think by the same writer, which recites
the struggles of Lewis and Clark in
their great work of discovery from the
Missouri river west to the Columbia
river and its tributaries. Hon. John
HALEY of Boise, but in reality all of
Idaho claims him. is writing the first
real history of Idaho that has ever been
attempted. We have one or two So
called histories of our state but they are
far short from being authentic and
were written purely 10 receive much
and give little in return. The true his
tory of Idaho will be precious posses.
sion. There will be some good histor-
ical novels written about Idaho in the
future. The Boise Basin, for instance,
ought to be Mecca for novelists.
There are several other places that will
furnish inspiration for good work
Owen Wister, who wrote 1.-The VIr-
ginian,' gathered some of his ideas
from the hills and lowlands Of our Ida
bo. Northern Idaho also possesses
abundance of material for good work.
Mary Halleck Foote wrote several in
tensely interesting books inspired by
Idaho scenes, conditions and experiences
The pioneer life of the west, the
early conquest OF the wilderness. holds
an individuality of its very own that is
subtle and precious to those who can
and do understand.
The real prospector has done his
share toward creating existing condi.
tions. They live practically in world
by themselves and are at their best
when in the mountains they love and
labor in. The hospitality of the miners
cabin cannot be outdone in any part Of
the world. It is spontaneous, hearty
and overwhelmingly generous. 1t IL
only when he comes to town that be
ever goes wrong and that is largely due
to his sociable and kindly nature. Toe
much fire water is usually about all
they can charge him with. He, how
ever, gets over that. while some folks
have failings they never get over.
There are thousands of men OF
George Warren's type in these old
brown mountains of the land of the
setting sun. Men who. are not what
Il