The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-07-09


hiles across a desert when they
reached Spring creek, Little Lost
River, travelling northward they tol.
lowed Little Lost River sixty miles
until they arrived al the top of the
Salmon range of mountains. They
journed down this creek called Sal
mon river lnow Lemhi) until they
reached a point twenty miles above
where IL empties into the Salmon
river.
The coun ry through which we
had travelled was drearS waste,
very unforbidding, and covered
thickly with wild sage. and at that
time was but little known TO white
people. 1t was eastern Oregon now
Idaho.
You may wonder what the purpose
of the colony could have been. There
were three purposes; The first was
to acquire more territory and provide
homes for the thousands and thuus-
ands OF emigrants coming into Salt
Lake City every year. Second, To
civilize and Christianize the natives
We realized that the American In
dian possessed many fine traits, and
we believed that his happiness could
he greatly Increased and his useful
ness far extended il We could teach
him modern aud civilized ways
Third, our purpose was to establish
peace with all the Indians OF the
intermountain west. There were
four other colonies sent out into dis
tant parts OF the Rocky Mountains
for the sane purposes. We believed
that the surest and quickest way to
put an end to Indian warfare was
not TO light aud kill them, but To 20
amongst them during peaceful times,
and teach them how TO live the lives
of industrious Christians. Ii was "A
combination of these three purposes
which brought us here TO establish
permanent homes
They arrived Mt this point June
18Th, which way three hundred aud
thirty-three miles from Ogden, ac.
cordlng t. the odometer constructed
by Col. DAVID Moore. Here they
huiltsa fort ana named IL Fort Lem
mr.. 1t was about twenty rods
square. The wall vas built OF logs
sixteen feet long, standing on end
and close together. IL had one gate
OH the east side and one on the west.
They built their houses Of logs, on
the inside OF the fort. Bastions we've
built at each corner OF the fort.
On their arrival they found a large
mum Der OF natives consisting Of Ban-
nocks, Shosnones and Nez Perces, who
were on their annual fishing tfip.
Through their interpreter, Geo. W.
lljll, the Indians we're made 10 un-
derstaBd that tie colony had cone
there to settle, that they wers their
friends, they were there TO help them,
to teach tnem how Ia till the ground,
now TO build houses aud live like
white people. The Indians gave the
cOlonists a friendly welcome.
In the afternoon Of the same day
on which they arrived, the colony
commenced TO build their irrigation
canal. d. Moore and Is. r. Cum
mings surveyed tile ditch with a bot
tie filled with water for level and a
steel square for straight edge. A
part of the company commenced work
engaged in herdiug cattle. The water
for irrigation was brought from
creek on the east side OF the valley,
about forty rods above the fort, where
the dan WAS built, to food the land
before it could be plougbed.
About the 22nd Of June the colony
planted peas, potatoes, tuTnips. etc.
This was the first irrigation that was
done in the Great North west. Ban
croft gives this credit to these first
settlers. The crops OF the first year
we're a failure, being destroyed by =
heavy frost on the night Of the Itb
OF September. The same year the
grassboppers appeared in countless
numbers and deposited their eggs.
There being no saw mill, the lum
Der for the ~inoOss. doors and 6oors,
Nas Manufactured with Whip-ss~
EerVy day and night a strong guard
was placed over the cattle. and men
were forced to ga heavily aimed
Prior To tile l0ss OF the crops 10 sss
discovered tie supplies Oh han0
would run short and the SEED remain
Ing would be insufficient for next
years sowing. 80 early in August.
about One-half II the colony returned
to Utah for supplies and to cary ~
q all. In Jaly, ls,5, Louis Vs.. SBuTts
no and John Leasitt started from
Ogden, Utah, with four yoke of oxen
hitchsd 20 wagon loaded With sUD-
plies and mail andarriysd at the Sal
nor river country August j., $50.
They returned on the 18TH of Nov
ember, 1sj5. bringing the mail from
Utah. Some Of them also brought
their families; viz. r. Burise
brought his wife and three children: /:
u. Moore. his sife aud daughter: e.
A 49,. A. Ii. If..E