The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1907-06-15
Birthday of Wisconsin.
By Frederick J. Haskin.

Though Wisconsin as a State is
only f1fty-nine years old today, geol-
ogists tell us 1t is one of the oldest
spots in the world. 1t was part of
the original Laurentian highlands
and once possessed mountains that
rivaied those of Thibet, standing for
cons as portion of great solitary
island built directly from primeval
chaos. Wind and wave did their
workand disintegrated the mountains
until they were hardly half their for
mer height, then the great glaciers
came down from the north and scour-
ed the face of the earth until the
mountains were only hills. When
the eternity of ice was passed, the
melted glaciers lay as limpid lakes
at the foot of the hills, and a garden
spot was ready for the prehistoric
men who came to build great mounds
down the valleys.
1t was such a garden spot that the
voyagers and couriers de bois found
when they left Quebec and pushed
their way through forest and over
inland seas to the west in search of
furs and game. 1t was this country
that Jean Nicolet found In 1894,
when Governor Champlain sent him
to explore the unknown lands and
open a way for western trade, a way
that John Jacob Astor was to follow
two centuries later. Nicolet believed
that "the strange waters" Of which
the Indians told. were none other
than those of the China sea. He ex-
pected to be welcomed by mandarins
at the end of his journey and inclu-
ded in his outfit gorgeous robe Of
gold brocade, in which to be present.
ed to the powers and potentates OF
Cathay, but only band of naked
savages with peace pipes welcomed
him. He was sore with disappoint-
ment for many days, and even at the
end OF long years still believed that
the sea of California on Spanish maps
must be near him, and only branch
OF the "Sea Of China"
The Jesuits were almost the first
white people in Wisconsin. The mar
tyrs, Brebeuf and Jogues were two of
these, and some day when America
has saints canendar of her own, 1t
is expected that they will be canon
lied. D'Esprit and Chouart passed
through this region in 1868 on their
way to explore Minnesota. D'Esprit
wrote an account of the trip for
Charles II. Of England, Indifferent
to the sources of revenue, just SO he
was paid. The old Jesuit priest,
Pere Rene Menard, passed on to his
death In the wilderness over the Fox
river prairies, and II tradition be ac-
cepted, he one time reached the
source of the Mississippi river, be-
fore Joliet journeyed there. In 1865,
Claude Allouez established the first
house of worship in what is now Wis
consin, building a mission at Pointe
Saint Esprite on Chequamegon bay
near the present site of Ashland. -Four
years later he was relieved by James
Marquette, youthful zealot, and go.
ing near the mouth of Fox river in
the Green Bay country, established a
mission where the city of Depere now
stands. In 1871 an assistant was
sent to Pere Allouez and he left the
mission to become the first itinerate
minister in that State, preaching to
villages of Ottowas. Chippewas, Pot
tawatomies, Miamis, Kickapoos
Sioux, and Illinois.
On June IA, 1871, Saint Lusson
envoy from Quebec. took possession
of the northwest in the name o.
Louis XIV. Of France, and 1t remain
ed French for many years. A Wis
consin Frenchman with a following
\ OF Indians and half-breeds went ou
In the next century against Braddock
Langiade of Green Bay settlement
led the Indians on the Plains Of A
braham, and Rene de Boucher drew
his fighters from the Indians of Wis
consin when he went to sack Haver
hill, Massachusetts. In 1878 From
tenac, then governor OF Quebec. SEN
Louis Joliet to explore the Fox and
Wisconsin rivers. the natural water
way that connects, with slight port
age, the Great Lakes with the Mis-
sissippi. Joliet was Joined by Per'
Marquette. his former teacher. ant
these two. with their party, made on,
Of the most famous expeditions il
history. They went down the Miss
issippi as far as the mouth Of thu
Arkansas. 1t was in sight Of Mon
treal on their return trip that Joiie