Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-05-09

ali the spokane County Pioneer asso-
citation requires for membership. and
even the many who feel themselves
to be pioneers are excluded by that
limitation
But the real pioneers, the men and
women who came west in the SOS
and SOS and early '7O's, still linger
with us, and we pass them by with in
difference, unmindful of the wealth of
information that is within our grasp,
but which will soon be beyond recall
with the passing of THE Old Guard. Z
Fine old men and women they are
quaint, rugged and true, breathing
the spirit of the mountains and the
plains of the great boundless west,
which has nurtured them at her fruit
fut breast. and which they love with
an undying devotion, full of tender
ness and pathos.
Such a one we found at Lewiston
in Uncle Tom Beal, the "only Uncle
Tom we were earnestly assured, and
before the pleasant afternoon OF
"reminiscences was over we were more
than willing to agree
Talks Of Old Days.
He talked with earnest interest OF
the early days. and the old voice often
Quavered, and the keen eyes filed
with tears, which flowed down the
rugged old face, as he spoke of
friends long gone but not forgotten.
II was born in Washington, D. c.,
in 1892" he said, "and come of a.
long line of fighting ancestors on both
my fathers and my mothers sides.
MY father. Captain Tom Beal, was
for years commander Of this district
and stationed for years at old Fort
Vancouver, and my grandfather, Col
onel Lloyd Beal, was at Fort Nc
Henry during the war of 1912, when
Francis Scott Keys wrote THE Star
Spangled Banner"
1t was he who kept the old flag
waving" and the old voice swelled
with pride. 81 came west in 1852"
he continued, after a pause for us
to appreciate the illustrious Colonel
Lloyd Beal, and was with the troops
at Fort Walla Walla, and in 1858
went out with Colonel Steptoe on his
famous expedition.
THE Northwest Boundary Commits |
sion made it necessary for a military |
post to be established further north, |
and Colonel Steptoe was dispatched |
with a detachment of so men to find |
a suitable site. He never anticipated |
trouble with the Indians, although he
was warned, especially by Craig, for |
whom Craig's mountain is named,
and he waved his arm grandly to the
south. If you cross the Snake,
colonel, there1l be trouble he said.
But the colonel only laughed.
Attacked by Indians.
cat the Snake we picked up our
guides from the friendly Nez Perces,
Simeon, Sam and Timothy" the voice
dwelt lovingly on Timothy" and
knew that there was a story in itself.
He paused so long that by. way of re-
minder 1 asked, with my second fen
Grafton ignorance: THE Indians am
pushed you, didn't they, Uncle Tom?"
"Ambushed!" he smiled; ''ambushed.
Just show me anything over there to
ambush behind, will you? No! They
just met us, 1900 or 1000 strong
Occur d'Alenes, Spokanes. Yakimas.
Palouses, Pend d'orielles, Kootenais
every tribue but the faithful Nez
Perces, met us and drove US back
Eat the present site of Rosalia the
famous fight took place on Sunday,
November II, 1858. Colonel Taylor
was killed almost on the exact spot
where the high school now stands
and next day my old friend, William
CASTOR the tears flowed freely now.
1.-THE night before the big fight. as
we sat around the campfire. Bill said
1--WE called him Bill, CTom. sing some
old song we all love- But with ali
those aborigines yelling In my ears
didn't seem to have much music in my
soul. Next day Colonel steptoe sent
me down to tell CASTOR to deploy his
16 men so The marked it all on on
the table, as II it had been only yes
terday, instead of half century ago) II
to protect our right flank, and BIZ
called me back and told me a long +,
goodbye. never saw him again and /
we never found his body. though we /
tried. Poor Billl / wish I had sung /
for him" 1t was the regret Of half /
lifetime for a deed of love left I'M /
done.
And Timothy led you out7"
Eyes, he surely did. sayi There