Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-11
J. T. Glenn, Living in the
Midst of Present Day Civ
ilization, Believes Many
Changes Have Not Been
for the Better.
MEN OF REAL WORTH
BLAZED WAY IN WEST
Tells of the Sterling Quail
ties of Some of the Men
Who Made History in the
Years When Idaho Was
Nothing but a Vast Sage
brush Desert.

STAR Feb. 10.--The rapid passing of
the early pioneers, those admirable
characters of local history, who through
the most extreme vicissitudes incidcnt
to pioneer life, reclaimed this immedi-
ate section of the west from a lonely
sagebrush desert and transformed it
into one of the most highly developed
sections of the entire United States,
has been so marked within recent years
as to make them objects of national in
tcrest and admiration. Indeed the
magazines Of the east and the poetcal
volumes Of the west teen with rccita!s
of thrilling heroic struggles in which
they figured as the chief actors. so
swiftly have these intensely interest
ing characters passed from the great
west, made great by them and through
them given II romantic splendor pecu-
liar to itself, that at this time but few
of them remain. Here and there one is
occasionally found, however, reflecting
the greatness of the west, made great
by the courage, big hcartedness and
uneXcelled manhood of himself and his
contemporaries.
Among this class of men but re-
markably few are to be found in the
Boise valley, ut of the few this place
has IA representative in tlc person IF
j. 7. Glenn, one of it's oldest and most
highly respected citizess. AS a boy, lie
came to the state with his parents i'll
1862, and a brief time later located On
Dry creek. The nearest town was then
Walla Walla. Wash, and the Umatilla
landing was the one trading point f
the Boise valley. Here amid scenes
characterized by prvation and ordeals
which develop real character Mr..
Glenn grew to manhood. The sage
brush desert was his playground and
his sports were those which developed
those sterling western characteristics
SO much admired
BOISE NOT ON MAP.
Boise had not yet been established,
but in 1864, it assumed tn proportions
of small village, and consequent to
the sparsely settled condition of the
country, it's citizens, Mr.. Glenn declares,
/ mingled freely together and truly en-
acted the big heartedness now record
ed of these brave men i'll the annals Of
history.
NarroWnesS was not tolerated. Men
were stern but just Their standard o.
manhood WAS honor and honesty. The
law of the land WAS largely the dc
nand of its citizens that all live up 10
! that standard and rigidly was il en-
I forced. Life was constantly featured
| by incidents of excitement, dangerous
experiences which called the fullest
measures of the bravery and fortituIc
of the people into activity, and Mr..
! Glenn's reminiscent recital was not
| without an element of pathos as he
fcontrasted the present with the past,
and declared that there was less Cf
interest in the life Of today.
When it is recalled that this Boise
valley pioneer hcrdcd cattle over the
| plains as "A young man. was later one
of the principal factors in the opening
of the northwest stage route and final
I ~ rounded out his pioneer experience
/ by service OF several years as n goy-
J eminent scout Indcr General o. >.
! Howard, it can easily be imagined that
none but an cventful life appeals II
can appeal TO his reminiscent mind.
LEADERS IN PIONEER DAYS.
! In commenting upon the leading
| 'DufatIcrS III inc DuDilS lllt u iIlS S''-
| ton in those early days. Mr.. Glenn rn-
! phasizcs that Governor William Nc
| Council, John Haley and james AS-
| new were the most prominent. other
citizens to whom he pays tribute were
Peter Soma, Ben Holiday and James
J McCarty. all leading characters in
those truly western days. John HALEY,
Mr.. Glenn declares, is more entitled
to credit than any other man for the
accomplishment of the opening or set
Ting OF the Boise valley country, for 10
| him belongs the nonor OF the opening
of the northwest stage route and the
| maintenance of 1t operation.
| What Cecil Rhodes was 10 Sou,ii
Africa Mr.. HALEY was I, this section
of the west, Mr.. Glenn says. and ne
| terms him "rhe Cecil Rhodes of the
| Pacific Northwest" He insists that
impartial history will record Mr.. HALEY
as one of the vests greatest characters.
! As Mr.. Glenn INDUCED in remnls-
cences of years notable in the history
| Of his own life as well as in that If
! this part of the west. he was notably
affected. He recalled many thrilling
! events of the then desert country.
Many Indians then roamed through the
country and conflicts between them and
| the white settlers were of frequent oc-
currenc9. Massacres of the settlers by
the Indians were not uncommon, and
wherever they ventured, these sturdy
| lives with them.