The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-09-16

Pierce City, taken from the Lewiston
Tribune, will be read with much in
terest by the people of this district.
Before the creation Of Clearwater
county Pierce City was in Shoshone
county, and beginning with the first
election following the labor disturb
ance of 1899 Judge Cowen served
three terms as county commissioners
of this county. During that period
public business kept him In this city
almost continuously and he became
widely known in this section OF the
county where his sterling worth as a
citizen and his faithful and efficient
service as a public officer were fully
appreciated. He is a splendid type of
the pioneer who brought with him to
the western wildness physical cour-
age supplemented by a stern sense OF
right and justice whi,;h paved the way
for the civilization we now enjoy. The
Miner speaks for a host of friends In
Shoshone county In congratulating
Judge Cowen on this anniversary and
in expressing the hope that he Will
celebrate many more amid the golden
hills and gulches of rich Old Pierce
The article from the Tribune follows:
Reached Pierce in 1852.
To pass through a life of pioneering
for 81 years, four score and seven.
nearly a century, Is an experience that
has fallen to the allotted span of life
Of but few men and can never again
he experienced by any n In the
United States. But such has been
l'fs's trail for the venerable Judge ].
B.. Cowen of Pierce City, Clearwater
county, idaho.
ON Sunday. August %. 1915, Mr..
Cowen celebrated his eighty seventh
birthday. at his home in Rich Old
Pierce the famous Idaho pioneer pla-
Ger mining camp which is still 80 miles
remote from railroad and keeps on the
map as a gold producer. Mr.. Cowen
came to Pierce City from California
in 1852, SO years ago. and is the oldest
pioneer still living in the camp, COM
ing into the wilderness with a party
the irst year after the discovery OF
rich placer gold in this section Of the
northwest territory which was but
li'tls known or explored at that time
nv whites. Even at that time pioneer
ing was not new to him for when a
very young man he came to Califor
mia during the early rush of gold
seekers and passed through the Tar-
led experiences Of the older mining
camps in that territory. And still
fcrther back in the earlier days Of his
long life as a frontiersman he car re-
member his boyhood days, being born
In 1928 in Wisconsin, where he spent
his childhood, which was about as far
removed from what is known as CIV
i~lization as one could get at that time.
He has never followed a railroad-the
railroads have followed him and come
long after his time in every section
where he has spent his life. Born
near the Mississippi river many years
h.fNre Chicago had ever thought of
or dreamed Of such a thing as rail
transportation, his memory u n back
to the old Frink & Walker stage line
to Galena and the history OF 1.-THE
Banditti of the Prairie" MI. Cowen
came to the Pacific coast at a time
when such transportation was consid-
cred ~impracticable II not imposs ible. |
Then vending his way from Califor-
mia along the western coast in search
OF the elusive yellow metal which has
spurred men on through NOR piiya-
tons and hardships than any other
one desire that ever burned its way
into the minds of men, Mr.. Cowen
landed almost among the first whites
in these rugged. treasure-laden old
mountains. canyons and valleys OF
Idaho. With the party at that time
was also Mr.. Frank Carl, who spent
the remainder Of his days in Pierce
City, from which place he crossed the
last divide about two years age at the
age OF "a or SIS years.
Mr.. Governs entire life has been
spent in close association with vari-
ons tribes Of American Indians. of
whom he always speaks OF being on
the friendliest Of terms-in fact but
few men understand the Indian char
acter better than he. The same al |
be said of the Chinese. with whom he |
has been as closely allied. both in
everyday life and business dealings |
for many years in mining camps as II |,
has been possible for white man to {,
be. |.
Murder Of Frazer. /.
Back in the eos Pierce City (and r
the original camp of Orc Fino) was a
One Of the richest placer mining ser (
tons the world has ever known, pro- I
ducing ten of millions Of dollars in
gold. Later on, in 1885. there we're
but few white men left and several
hundred Cinnamon engaged in work. G
Ing over the old ~diggings, At this
time d.. NJ. Frazer was operating the
only white store in the camp. One
morning Mr.. Frazer was found in his 4,
store horribly murdered.a having been IL
literally hacked to pieces with knives. CT
The news spread rapidly throughout n