The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-07-18
Will ALWAYS Be
CALLED THE SNAKE

Snake" will always remain THE
name o fthe great river that flow.
for hundreds of miles through Idaho
and then joins in such volume as tc
give the Columbia the great dignity il
enjoys. Periodically for years there
have been moves made to have the
name of the river changed to Lewis
in honor of the explorer, who was
one of the first white men to see this
great stream coming in" from the
south, or to idaho" Professor H.
L. Talkington, head of the depart
ment of history of the Lewiston State
Normal, has been among those inter
ested in the move and recently he
addressed letter to the United
States Geographic board. The reply
of the board in the form
of a letter written by Chairman
Henry Gannett, would indicate that
there is little prospect of the hope
ever being realized. The letter re-
ceived by Mr.. darlington is as fol-
lows:
Il have your letter of June rs, con-
corning a change of the name Snake
river to Lewis river. The desirable
ity of the change is, to my mind, un-
questionable--equally SO is the i'm.
possibility. The name Snake is used
in the act creating the territory of
Idaho, in the enabling acts for this
state and for Oregon and in the con-
situations of Idaho, Oregon and
Washington. 1t is doubtless used in
legislative acts relating to several
counties, and for century, has been
in we'll nigh universal use in print,
in writing and inspeech. 1t could
not be displaced. Since it is an in
terstate stream, congress could only
legislate regarding it, and such legis-
lation would be of no avail-the peo-
pie would continue to use the old
name"
Just how the river was given the
name Snake" definite history does
not clearly unfold. The Indian name
interpreted means muddy waters"
just as the Indian designation for the
Clearwater menat "clear." For a,
period old biographies referred to the
river as the Lewis" or CLARK" Mr.
Talkington states, but later public
works definitely established the
stream as "Snake."
Except for the great winding
course it takes never has stream
been given a more contradictory
name, if the name is to be significant
of its characteristics. Snake" can
not be separated from littleness, use
lessness and treachery But Idaho's
river is big, it is useful and bold. 1t
gives Idaho its distinction as the
greatest power state in the union;
vies with the Mississippi for honors
of Americas longest stream, making
boundary lines at points for four
great states; from the approach in
to natures marvellous
wonderful land-the Yellowstone
Park-sstarts with a sweep across
[daho's broad southern plains, feeding
millions of thirsty acres; makes
Jump at Shoshone that obscures Nj
agara and then pluges on it's way
north through the deepest river can
yon on the American continent to
emerge at Lewiston, here greeting
steamboat traffic to later join with
the Columbia to carry it to the sea.
1t is never ending band of silvery
energy binding together the great
northwest America, the best America
Of them all, and is yet to be a factor
industrially that will cause its bene-
iiciaries to truly feel there is moth
ing in name after all"-Lewiston
Tribune