The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1917-03-24

Francis ]. d. Wolff was born OF
German pareptage in the city Of Phila-
delphia, June Is, 1888. He answered q
call to q life of adventure when. 10
years of age and enlisted as a private
in the United States army at Fort
Gates Michigan, in 1852 and irnmedi-
ately was dispatched with his COM
mand. under Lieutenant Colonel Bon
naville, via Panama, to the Oregon
country. They were garrisoned at Fort
Vancouver where Captain u. S. Grant.
afterwards president Of the United
States, was then post quartermaster
Of stores.
In the summer of 1853 Major Alvoid.
afterwards paymaster general of the
army, called upon Company X for vol
unteers to step out Of the ranks to join
a proposed expedition to the summit
of the Rocky mountains to meet Gov
ernor Isaac I. Stevens, recently ap-
pointed governor of the newly consti-
tuted territory of Washington, and es-
cort His Excellency to his new post Of
duty on Puget Sound. Shortly before
his death in June, 1909. Mr.. Wolff. in
speaking of this historic expedition,
said
1--WE outfitted with between 40 and
so men. Lieutenant Saxon took charge
of the pack train, and we hurried away
over the trackless wastes Of an almost
unknown country to meet Stevens. 1t
was quite we'll along in midsummer
when we started. The rains had ceased
for the season, the streams had sub
sided from the earlier freshets and the
grass was fine and water was plenty
for the stock. When we-got through
the Cascades we had no difficulty In
speeding along over the plains Of
what we called the upper country
We made stops at Wallula, Walla Wal
la and on the Snake river. We crossed
the Spokane river at Antoine Plants
ferry at a point about five miles above
the site Of the present city of Spokane.
To get the easiest grades and most d.
rect route We followed the Indian trails.
From the Spokane river we passed
into the mountains near Standpoint,
crossing the Pend Oreille river at Sc
anaquiteen ferry which was about
where LeClede, Idaho. now Is. Through
the timbered regions and especially
about the Pend Oreille lakes the mos
quitoes were very troublesome, but
when we reached the Joco and Bitter
root valleys it was pleasant In the
Bitterroot valley we established camp
Stevens but at this date can not To-
cate 1t on the maps. All that country
was included in the territory Of Wash
ington. After short stay here we
left few Of our men to care for the
supplies and went on the backbone of
the continent by way Of the Black
feet route. The Indians were at peace
in the Walla Walla, Palouse and Spo-
kane countries, but here the Blackfeet
and the Flathead tribes of Indians were
at war. We did not know this until
we reached Fort Benton. in early Sep
tember.
I'VE found that Governor Stevens
and his escort of about SO mounted men
had been at Fort Benton two days
when we arrived and, of course, our
stay was short for the governor
realized that the season was getting
late and snow would be disadvantage
to travel. This far game had been
plentiful On the west slope Of the
Rockies buffalo were found in great
numbers and the question of provisions
was the least of our troubles. James
Higgins was attached as sergeant to
Governor Stevens escort, also Captain
John Mullan. Captain Mullan busted
himself as a civil engineer in taking
observations and making detailed notes