Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1920-01-04
by &. j. HRosNAN.

BY G. j. HROsNAN.
Author History Of the State of Idaho
For over 10 years the Hudson's Bay
company was the great monopoly that
cQQtr0lled not only the fur trade but
yne stock and mercantile business in
what arc now the states Of Oregon,
Washington and Idaho.
/ During the summer and fall OF 1894
thts corporation erected Fort Boise,
"a a9ixnt trading post in Idaho. 1t was
ouut BY Thomas Mckay, trader Of
the Hudtou's Bay company on the Boise
e 6tg Wood" river about three miles
southwe6t Of the present town Of Mo-
tun and about 10 miles from the mouth
Of the river. This fort had been erect
Cd Tor the purpose of maintaining some
fixed trading establishment in the
Snake River country in opposition to
Fort Hail. which had been built the
same summer by the American fur
trader. Nathaniel ]. Wyeth. 1t was a
simple log structure. In the summer
OF 1886 the Whitman party were guests
at this little Boise river post. Mrs.
Whitman in her diary tells US that at
II o'clock on Sunday morning, Aug,
II, 1885, In response to an invitation
from their polite hosts, Rev. H. H.
Spalding delivered sermon on The
Character OF Our Blessed Savior" This
was the second sermon preached with
in the boundaries of the present Idaho
the first one having been delivered by
Jason Lee at Fort Hall in 1884.
1t was at this little post that the
running gears of the Whitman wagon,
the first to enter the state Of Idaho,
was left. DIT remained in the posses
sion OF the Hudson's Bay company for
many years and was looked upon as
an interesting relic. In 1889 Farnham
saw the forewheels. axletree and thills
Of this vehicle at the second or per-
manent Fort Boise ON the Snake river
and spoke of ii as one of the curi0si-
ties of the place.
Thomas Mckay, whose name will be
forever linked with the founding of the
first Fort Boise, was one of the pic
turesQue characters associated with the
fur trade in old Oregon. He was born
at Sault Ste. Marie in what is now the
northern peninsula of Michigan. In
1911 he came to Oregon with his father,
alexander Mckay, Of the Aston party
After the DOWNFALL OF Astoria he en-
tered the service OF the North West Fur
company and fought under their ban
ner at Red river in 1916. After the
absorption Of the North West Fur COM
pany by the Hudson's Bay company in
1921 Mckay donned the uniform of the
latter company and was usually de-
tailed for service as a brigade com
mander in the Snake River country,
where competition with the American
companies was setting in with vigor
Mckay was a step-son Of DIR. John
McLoughlin, king of the Columbia and
every inch king" He was six feet
tall was a sure shot and was the idol
of the half breeds who accompanied
him ON his expeditions. Frances Full
Ter Victor tells us that he was one of
the prime story teliers of .Baclielor's
Han at Fort Vancouver and used to
greatly ainuse the clerks there with the
recital of his wonderful adventures.
1t is said he invariably began a story
by saying; TT rained, it rained; and
1t blew. ii blew, and, my God, how il
did snow I" quite regardless, says Mrs,,
Victor, of the unitfes s9 ssfsrssa'
THE sEcoNn on PERMANENT I
EORT aolaE n s = !
r,,,.; a., ,e,c 81 ~ ]. ".
80 ~. 81, ny W.. sh ~ 20 az sts
- ~. $3.50. 20, ~ 's'e ssst
-. -. 81 49, -. .s po,s
~ tts p: n'sS 's ,..
~ s o ,,.ct pa,., NJ sai s,s
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torv of the second or permanent Fort
JbOiSo DeSllS ia Iue year 1890. III tHdl
year the Rev. Gushing Eels' party
camped on the west bank of Snake
river just opposite the newly reared
fort. To Mrs. Eels of that little mis-
sion party belongs the honor OF hav-
ing made one of the first. If not the
first, references to the second Fort
Boise. In her concise journal under
date of. Aug. II. 1888, she makes this
entry: Some of the gentlemen at the
post sent us piece of sturgeon for
breakfast"
In the same year the Hudson,s Bay
company council minutes show that
John Mcleod, who escorted Mrs. Spal-
ding and Mrs Whitman so chivalrous-
to the leadership of the Snake river