The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1910-04-14
IDAHO HISTORY
New Peaceful North Side Tract Once
Scene Of Savage Indian War.

OHe would naturally expect a
strong truthful narrative from man
with John Hailey's character, and in
his history Of Idaho, there is no disap-
| pcintment.
II is substantially bound book of
400 pages and every limo of it is writ
| ten without coloring, being the unpre-
JUDGED record of events that occur
red In the building of Idaho.
1t begins with the history of the
| first settlement in Idaho by the mis-
sionaries, tells of the struggle for SUI
premacy between the Hudson Bay
company, British concern, and the
American traders and of the defeat
of the latter through methods very
similar to those exercised by the trusts
OF today In destroying competition
| Chapter 10 tells OF the organization
| OF Idaho territory, which was first
called Montana" by the house of rep
| resentatfves and was named Idaho
| by an amendment in the senate
/ There are several chapters concern
ing the troubles with Indians in the
| early days of Idaho. These Indian
tribes" says the history were known
as the Snakes, Weisers, MaIhuers, Bru-
/ neaus, Shoshones and Bannocks They
were all more or less hostile and lev
lied tribute on the poor white travelling
em1grants by begging all they could
during the day and numbering them
ano driving off their livestock in the
night
The first murder committed by the
Indians was the killing Of George
/ Grimes In 1862, shortly after he had
| discovered gold In Boise basin. Be-
lieving that they were absolute rulers
/ OF Idaho, the Indians became bold in
| their thievery and murder until the
4 pioneers were compelled to wage war
on their own account. From that time
on it life for life.
/ Up and down the valley of the Snake
the Indian fights ragged, several occur
/ ing in this vicinity and on various
occasions pursued and pursuing forces
crossed where Wendell now stands
| On page 54 of Mr.. Hailey's history,
is the following; fifty five SOL
diers went up the Bruneau to a point
near Salmon creek Indians unaware
of our camp broke bounds and indis-
criminate firing began with the result
that the Indians escaped On looking
over the ground we discovered the
tracks of band of Indians under the
guidance of the noted "Bigfoot."
| We measured Bigfoot's tracks and
they showed length OF seventeen in
ches and were six inches wide.
Speaking of RUDE Robbins, a scout,
| in one of his accounts of Indian fights,
Mr.. HALEY says:
| Feeling that it was necessary to
report to Col. Bernard, and he had no
difficulty in finding that gentleman
who was coming along with his forces
| at the rate of SO miles day.
Robbins was out with hi scouts
long before daylight the next day.
Finding the Indian trail getting fresh,
4 Robbins halted his men and went
alone to high mountainside where
he could have a view for miles.
He located the Indian camp by
starlight and they looked like hard
proposition, bein about 1000 in num-
Der, half of them being armed war
riors, and the force back of Robbins
amounted to 800.
"The sight of that big camp would
have made almost any man but Rob-
bins feel it was right to report and
advise waiting for reinforcements.
Robbins said to his superior officer,
I am here to find the Indians and you
and your men are to whip them, but as
this is quite job, the thirty scouts
and myself are going to climb that
hill and charge the camp. You fellows
come up with the canyon and meet us
and be prompt for therell be work
enough to last all day"
This plan was followed. The In
dams recovering from their surprise,
hid behind roks and kept up fire all
day. Chief Eagan, noted for his brav-
cry and horsemanship, knowing Rob-
bins, secured his favorite horse and a
repeating rifle and made a dash for
the scout He would fire at the scout,
throw himself on the opposite side OF
his horse, rise quickly and fire again.
A bullet through the chiefs wrist
stopped him, he afterwards DYING
from the wound"
The settlers on the North Side tract
who have been kicking about priva-
tons and high prices, have not be@
so badly off as were the pioneers back
in SO. Mr.. Hailey's history gives the
following very interesting informal
ton on page ga
The prices stated for produce are
the buying prices and that for the gro
ceries and general merchandise, the
selling. Per pound: Butter, $125;
potatoes 80 cents; dried fruit, 90 to
rs; ham, rs cents salt, 40 cents; lard
80 cents; beans, 10 cents; nails, 5t
cents; chickens per dozen, $36; eggs
81; bacon, 20 cents; sugar, 70 cents;
tobacco, per lb. S2.52. 1t cost $50 tc
get a pair of Kip boots for your wife
in those days. Socks cost SO dozen
whiskey was the only cheap article
costing less than coal oil, the price oil
the latter commodity being 50 gal
Ion.
Let us never believe that men are
less patriotic than they used to be
Today we have half dozen modest
self-sacrificing citizens eager to serve
the great state of Idaho as governor
Time was %when they couldn't keep
governor even by tieing him in the
chair. Out of the first sixteen COVER
nors appointed, four refused to come