The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1913-07-17
WILL REMAIN
"SNAKE RIVER"
Chairman Cannett of Geo.
graphic Board Says Change
Cannot be Made.

Snake" will always remain the
name OF the great river that flows
for hundreds OF miles through Idaho
and then joins In such volume as to
give the Columbia the great dignity 1t
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.. Talkngton, 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 a letter to the United
States geographic board, says the
Lewiston Tribune. The reply of the
board, In the form OF a letter writ
ten by Chairman Henry Gannett,
would indicate that there is little pros
pect OF the hope ever being realized.
The letter received by Mr.. Talkington
is as follows:
Il have your letter of June 25, 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-
stitutions of Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington. 1t is doubtless used in
legislative acts relating to several
counties, and for a century, has been
in well nigh universal use In print,
In writing. and in speech. 1t could
not be displaced. Since it is an in
terstate stream. congress could only
iegislate 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 meant muddy waters"
just as the Indian designation for the
Clearwater meant clear For a
period old Biographies referred to the
river as "The Lewis" or CLARK" Mr..
Talkngton states, but later public
works definitely established the
stream as Snake"
Except for the great winding
course it takes, never has a stream
been given more contradictory
name, If name is to be significant
of its characterictics. Snake can
not be separated from littleness, use.
lessness and treachery. But ldaho's
river is big, 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 sire am. making
boundary lines at points for four
great states; from the approach in
Wyoming to natures marvellous,
Park-it starts with sweep across
ldaho's broad southern plains, feeding
millions of thirsty acres; makes a
jump at Shoshone that obscures Mi
agara, and then plunges on its 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 and carry it to the sea.
1t is a never ending band Of silvery
energy binding together the great
commonwealths that go to make the
northwest America the best America
of them all. and Is yet to be factor
industrially that will cause its bene-
ficiaries to truly feel there is moth
ing i'm a name after all"