The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-09
TODAY IN HISTORY
J Sale lakes Rossesslon Of LouisIana
WEAT HAPPENED APRIL

la Sale Takes Possession OF louisiana
One OF the most remarkable exploits in
the history OF our country haG It's Cul-
mnation on April q 1852. the day in
which La Sale took possession OF Louis
tana in the name OF his king. after an
exciting trip down tho Mississippi. There
were at least fifty In the party who cm-
earked on this expedition on the iith
day Of February. 1852. and started on
their voyage OF discovery. They soon
passed the Missouri, which Ia Sallc re
earded as the miebtter branch Of the
Great River on the 18th Of March. at
The village OF the Arkansas and in the
presence of the tribe. possession OF tho
country was taken for Louis tho Great
win every civil and religious ceremony
and carefully authenticated record was
made of the act.
Tho mouth OF the Mississippi was
reached on the 9Th OF April. and on the
IN La Sale rcConnciteTcd the south
west passage all the way To the sea. and
fixed the latitude as hear as ne could TO
be about u degrees; but. from the lrailty
of hiG canoe. hc was not able TO make
the sea.
n was on the Sth OF April that n dry
spot was found for performing solcmny
the act OF taking possession. this was
done, and column and cross were
prepared. Tho column bore the arms ot
France, and an inscription. Louis. the
reigns this Ninth OF April 1852 Every
one remaining under arms. they chantcd
the TIE Dcum. and God Save the King
amid salvos. Of musketry and cries o!
Long live the ling''
La Sale erected the column and pro
nounced that by authority Of tho royal
commission he took possession Of the
country of the Mississippi. with all its
tributaries. from the mouth OF the Ohio.
Robert Cheyalicr de La Sale was n
young Frenchman born al Rouen and edu-
Gated at a Jesuit school, While yet a
young man lie migrated to Canada and
occupied estate at Fort Frontcuac,
now Kingston. on the shore Of Lake on
tario: Inlamed with the news of Mar
leave his lands and herds and explore the
great western country, and thus scUrc
VI for his king, lie was probably the
first OF his nation to plan the holding
Of the entire Mississippi basin and the
lake region by means of military posts.
After several years negotiating. he re
ceived permission from Louis XIV 70 oc-
cupy and explore the great valley of TN"
Mississippi. 1t was La Sale who named
the section Louisiana In honor Of his
king.
After he had planted the banner OF
possession he made the long and weary
Journey back TO Quebec and thence sailed
to France, where he soon suCCccdd in in
teresting his king in planting II colony
king sent him back with -four vessels,
one Of which was an armed frigate, bear
ing nearly 500 colonists. 1t is claimed
that tho French king spent more money
English soycrcigns combined in planting
their thirteen colonies I'm North America.
The little fleet sailed into the Gulf OF
Mexico. but missed the mouth OF the
great river and landed on the shore OF
Texas. one OF the vessels was wrecked.
Many of the royaGcrs returned TO France,
but the dauntless La Sale, with a small
company, remained, built a fort and
spent some months In a frUitlcsS search
for the Mississippi. Contentious arose
among the men, and one day Ia Sale
was murdered by two of his CountrymCn.
| Thus pcVished this ambitious FIcnChmau;
his body was left TO moldcr in the wilder
ness: his dream was unrcalized. but his
name. In connection with the greatest OF
American rivers, has a place In history
second only TO that Of De Soto, the dis
coverer.
On April Q General Lee surrendered Ia
General Grant at Appomattox court
house. Va. 1865; the pony express was
started between the Mississippi and the
Pacific coast in 1860. 1t is the birth
day of James Scott duke OF Monmoutl
U6i9; Fisher Ames, the statesman and
orator GISS); Rufus Putnam. the rcvo-
lutionary soldier Q73S) George Peacock
the English mathematician Q79l); Cha
than Il. Wheat. known as "the Murat OF
America" QS26), on April .. 1883, Ed
ward ", the English king. killed him
self with pleasure" Constantine H.. the
Roman emperor. was aSsassinated (&IU),
and Francis Bacon. the English philoso-
pher, died in 1926.