The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-16
ONCE A STATE CAPITAL.
kaskasia Has Some Difficulty In
RemaIninQ In Illinois.

kaskasia Has Some Difficulty In
Remaining In illinois.
| Christian Science Monitor: The
supreme court of Illinois fsw
weeks ago decided that while the
sitting of the channel OF the Missis-
sippi river had separated an island
from the mainland, Of which 1t was
originally part, close to the terri
tory of another state on the oppo-
site shore, the line OF longitude mark
ink the middle of the stretm when
the boundary line was declared is
still the line of division between
state jurisdictions. Thus Kaskaskia.
instead of being declared in Missouri.
remains an Illinois possession. Kas-
kaskia was once the capital of I'LL
nois, but it dates back much farther
than the beginning, of the nation OF
which Illinois is sovereign state.
La Sale is credited, by many author
tiles, with having founded the settle
ment In 1882. When Joliet and Mar
quette assembled the river, according
to the latter's journal. they found
village called Kachkaskfa, contain
ing seventy -four cabins, where they
were very kindly received by the In
habitants. From this point they were
conducted to the Lac de Illinois, now
Lake Michigan, where the explorers
separated On later visit to the
section Marquette refers to the VII
lage of the Kaskaskias." In course
Of time Kaskaskia became the recog-
nized name of the place, and on
scores of occasions in the last two
centuries 1t has seem ed. from the
threatening action of the river. that
only the name Of the pioneer village
and former western metropolis would
be handed down to future genera
tionss.
& 1t should be said, however, that the
original site of Kaskaskia was aban-
doned. The change was one not un-
common in the days Of early settle
ment. When new site became de-
sirable, the name borne by the old.
together with all the other portables,
was removed Allouez found vii
lage which he calls Katchkachfa, In
1878, and this leaves the inference
that the settlement founded by La
Sale was in another locality. Says
the first named. speaking Of his
second visit II found the village
much increased since last year. 1t
was before composed of only one
nation. the Katchkachia. There are
now eight, the first having called the
others, who dwelt in the neighbor-
hood of the Mississippi. You can
readily form an idea Of the number
OF Indians who compose this town;
they are lodged in 351 cabins. easily !
1t is believed that Gabriel |
II. hn nt thra
of Kaskaskia on the Missis- |
ton from its native state. The date /
of its foundation would be about /
1900. Charlevoix was in the settle
ment In 1921. and gave 1t still an
other spelling, KaskasQuia. And. by
the way. Charlevoix was native OF
the est. Quentin in the North of
France" SO familiar now to students
Of the conflict on the western front.
Nearly half a century later, Cap
tain Philip Pittman described Kas-
kaskta as by far the most consider
able settlement in the country OF the
illinois, as well from. its number of
inhabitants az it's advantageous stu
atom at stands" he says, ION the
side OF small river which is about
eighty yards wide, and empties itself
With gentle current into the Mis-
,issippi.-'
Kaskaskia continued to prosper
md to hold its prestige as the lead.
ng town in the Illinois country down
o 1920. when It began to exhibit
symptoms of recession. In 1881 the
and Kaskaskia rivers be-
anne united above the, village by a
leep channel, which the former had
ut across the peninsula that forms
he southern extremity Of the Amer
can Bottom. thus leaving what re-
NAMED Of the historic old place on
n island. The very river upon whose
,lacfd waters the French settlers
added their light canoes, the
secure port" has become the bed of
he combined currents OF the Mis-
issippi and Missouri rivers, and. It
$ added, by a native OF the town
rho has written Of its decline and
all, "the history Of the world affords
o parallel to the rapid and absolute
isolation OF old Kaskaslzia" In ex.
Of this seemingly exagger.
ted language. 1T must be remem.
cred that there was long period
( the nineteenth century during
hitch Kaskaskia was the most i'm.
ortant town IN the western terri
ories Of the United States.