The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1916-02-24


Of modern civilization there ar.
three potent factors civil govern
ment, commerce and religion. These
elements are frequently symbolized by
the flag, the dollar mark and the Cross
respectively. Their advent into the ter
ritory that now constitutes the state
of Idaho occurred when the limits of
Old Oregon extended from the Pacific
ocean, along the 42nd parallel to a
point Is miles northeast Of Rawlins,
Wyo., thence along the continental
divide to the arctic ocean. Their CON-
ing was hand in hand, the first and las,
under the protection Of the second, a
relative position, some contend, that
they occupy even to this day. They
made their first stand on the east bank
of the Saptin, afterwards known az
the Lewis, and now by the beautiful
and poetic name of Snake river, at a
point six miles above the mouth of the
Portneuf, 20 miles above American
Falls, and 1888 miles out of Independ-
ence, Mo-, on the Oregon Trail.
Strictly speaking, both the flag and
sign Of commerce had been seen be-
fore in Idaho, but here was the first
manifestation of the Christian faith in
all the vast territory Of Old Oregon.
The first American flag to enter the
state of Idaho was small one borne
by George Drewyer (Drouillard,) the
interpreter of the Lewis and Clark ex-
petition, who together with Captain
Meriwether Lewis, and John Shields,
entered what is now the state of
Idaho, about clock in the afternoon
of Monday, Aug. -, 1905. Not only
was this the first flag, but it was the
first foot print to be made by white
man in the state, and the place of this
interesting event appears to have been
at point about II miles east of Sun
field, Lemhi county. This expedition
raised flag at Fort Clatsop during
that winter, but the following spring
it was made over into five gowns with
which food was purchased from the In
dams to sustain the company during
a period of famine. The second flag
was raised at Fort Astor in 1911, only
to be lowered again on Oct. 16, 1913,
upon the failure of Mr.. Astor's enter
prise. According to the terms of peace
following the war of 1912, the British
government permitted Mr.. J. B. Pre-
vost, Oct. 6, 1918, to again unfurl the
American flag over Fort Astoria, but
he had been gone hardly an hour be-
fore the British flag was again run up
to remain the symbol of authority until
1916. The next episode in the career
of the flag of the Union in the north
west brings US back to Fort Hall, the
subject Of this narrative.
In Command Of Eastern Trader
1t was motley company that COM
posed the cavalcade which emerged
from the pass at the head of Ross
Fork, on the afternoon of Sunday, July
~, 1884, and, following down that
stream nine miles, encamped near
where Fort Hall station is now locat-
ed on the Oregon Short Line north
of Pocatello. The company was in
command Of Nathaniel ]. Weyth, a
trader from Cambridge, Mass, and I'M
der whose protection there travelled, in
addition to his company of so men
and 100 horses, Captain William Stew
art, veteran under Lord Wellington
at Waterloo, who was travelling for
pleasure; Thomas Nuthall, botanist !.
J. X. Townsend, an ornitholist, and
Methodist missionary party consist
ing of Revs. Jason Lee and Daniel
Lee, Cyrus Shepard and P. L. Ed
wards.
The following day, Monday, they
travelled only six miles to bend i'll
the Snake river to the northwest,
where the company again encamped
and from a small slough near tn,
river, spent the day taking trout of
the finest quality and weighing about
two pounds each. The following morn
fling Mr. Weyth rode down the river
three miles to a point where small
water way led off from the main
stream, and which was fringed with
willow brush that concealed his pres
ence. When he emerged from the
growth he noticed large buffalo bull
near by, which he shot, and as he
stood by the carcass and observed the
wide river which makes sharp bend
to the south, and the slough forming
protection to the east, with suitable
point of land sufficient for the purpose,
he then and there located the historic
Fort Hall, destined to become one of
the most important stations on the