The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1906-07-06
THE NAME, IDAHO.
a Story Of Its 0riein-An Indian
Word.

| = ' i
a Story Of Its origin-An India,
Word.
\ Boston Journals: In the autumn d
1865 !. resided In Twen ty.secont
street, New York. Al genial fellow
boarder was gentleman OF about /.
years, who was putting some minins
stocks on the market. His name va.
Cole, and he claimed the distinction
OF having for initlals three Csc. 6.
Cole-of being 0ne of the tlrst mem.
beFs q congress from the new state.
and of receiving the largest mileage
ever paid toia member q: congress.
over $40, 900, his mileage being com.
puted from Idaho To San Francisco.
thence (around the Horn) by way of
New York TO Washington. He ives
piOneer1from New York, and Tor
time kept . trading store 1t Fort
Walls walla.
One evening the strange name OF
the new state became subject a.
comment, and Mr.. Cole gave me the
following account OF meaning which
he and othera concluded to give .s
the Indian words translation. One
bright morning about 10 O'clock. ia
COMPANY with another peutleman IN.
terested 10 the government Of the
territory. while riding over some
oarrcn mountain tops Or rather hills.
tne road became SO rough as 10 com.
pei the siowest travelling. As they
plodded on, the new name tor the
state became q topic of. conversation. &
While talking over the,various nsn,es
that had been suggested, they came
10 the top Of small plateau, on the
farthcst end OF which stood an In.
dian hovel or cabin. The utter
loneliness Of the spot suggested to
the travellers they had come upon the
hiding place Of some- outlaw, OF
whom the couhtrys.boasted Z great
number Just before they reached,
but while ig plain. view from tho
cabin, 40 indian came out and called
cut sevetal tines III : high-spirited.
far-reachinr voice the word Idaho.
The tone was q combination OF the
Swiss .ypdeler, fhs,s Spanish Indian
and Louisiana negFess, and, as was
supposed 4 calfsto ths souaw's hus-
band.i The sound .of voice as given
by M. Cole, and be had been famil.
Jar With the Indians. Tor. some years,
was Ee dah-hoo-oo-oo--a drop from
the ldrst + to the second, long a.
almost asif ah-ah,. and a musical.
long-drawnout dwelling upon the boo,
using the full force OF the lungs 10
expiration and 10 crescendo.
The, squaw's call was answered BY
The sudden appearance of an Indian
Girl about 8 years OF aye. She was
clean and better looking, than most Of
ner race. hainference Of both Mr..
Cole and his companion wa. that
Idaho was the girls name, and the
dea of adopting.it as the name OF
he new state occurred to'both men at
lbout the same time Mr.. Cole claim
ng to be the first TO speak.
All efforts to find the. English OF
he word resulted IN failure, and
ina!ly, Ia consideration, OF the sex
Ind surroundings OF the Indian whose
lame had helped solve the dificulty
n finding one for the state, that OF
Gem of the Mountains" was decided
lpon. The real meaning OF the
word Mr.. Cole never knew. As the
indians name their children from the
physical peculiarities Of circumstan-
'es occurring at their birth, and as
he child was born about daylight,
he translation Of '.light on the
Mountains" was at dfst deemed
rood one. but its tltnSss as a name
or thesstate had to give way to the
more appropriate one sf-.,Gem Of the
iountalns.' which was given to con-
'ress as the translation OF the In
han word,
! nArrate the tale y / got it from
'ole. and add what, 1t the time, 1
uggested to hin--that the state
rect a monument on the spot where
he name was ,sclectedGnd as amend
nent that Joaquin Mili4r, the poet
I the Sierras, write the Inscription.
EDWARD NJ. ROCHE, NJ. D.