Middletown transcript., 1921-10-03

into the Grand canyon at the bend below the Lit
tie Colorado on June &c. He named the canyon
Puerto de Bucareii (Bucareli's pass) in honor of
the then vicerOy
Grand river both above and below its junction
with Gunnson river was named Rio San Rafael
by Fathers DOminiguez and Escaante in 1176. To
the south branch the present Gunnison river, they
gave the name Rio San Javier (Xaver) and re-
ported the Ute Indian name as TOmchi. In this
area Pixies maps, 1S05-07. like other early maps
are difficult to interpret. His "Rio de los Animas
Qas Anmas) is much more like Grand river than
his "Rio San Rafael" In 1S43 Fremont letered
it Grand river, as did Captain Stansbury in 1S49
But for long years the maps showed great di-
versity Of nomenclature. Below its junction with
the Gunnison, this river usually called Grand
river, rarely Rio Colorado or Grand and even
Colorado. Above the junction 1t was called Grand
Bunkara Blue and North Fork of Grand river. Gun
nson river was named variously Eagle, Eagle Tail,
South Fork of Grand, Grande and Grand river.
In after years Captain Gunnison's name became
gradually fixed the branch which he explored,
and the name Grand on the north or main branch.
while the naine Rue river describes small
south branch of the latter in Summit county.
Colorado.
Green river was called Rio de San Buenaven-
tura by Domniguez and EScalante in 1776 and
Escalante says CDiaro, Sept. II, 1776), that it
was so named in 1863 by Fr Alfonso de Posada.
ers represented it crossing the Great basin ard
flowing into the Pacific ocean. Thus it was that
the River Buenayentura became the famous "ghost
river" which for years haunted the maps of the far
West Pike, 1SO5OI, mapped it with headwaters
in the position of upper Green river, having an
affluent Rio de San Clemente (Escalantes name
for White river, an east branch of the Green riv-
err and flowing southwest into Sewer lake (name-
less) Before 1911 however, upper Green river
fo no connected
The Astorians called it both Spanish river aud
Colorado river. 1t was called Rio Colorado by
Jedediah S. Smith in 1924 and Rio Colorado OF
the West by William II. Ashley in 1925. Bonn.-
Vile 1887 lettered it Colorado of the West on his
map of the territory west of the Rocky Mountains
The name Green river dates at least as far
back as 1924. Dale refers to news item in the
Missouri Intelligencer, June 25, 1925, Of a party
leaving Santa Cruz in November, 1924, to trap on
"Green river" Fremont says that the Spaniards.
contrasting 'its timbered shores and green wooled
islands with its dry sandy plains,' named it Rio
Verde (Green river); Bancroft speaks of an en-
ployee of Ashley's "NIr Green who gave his name
to Green river; and Chittenden advances the
theory that the name may have been suggested
by the color of the water
The act Of congress providing for the organizo.
ton of the territory of Colorado was approved
February %. 1861. As introduced and as passed
by the house, the bill named the proposed new
organization the territory Of Idaho-"Idaho" hav-
ing been selected from many names proposed In
the senate, on motion Of Senator Wilson of Mas
sachusetts, the name Of the territory was amend.J
by striking out "Idaho" and inserting "Colorado"
This was done at the suggestion of Delegate VIII
liams for the that the Colorado river arose
in its mountains, hence there was peculiar fit-
ness in the name. Bancroft, however SAYS that
''The name Colorado given to it at the SHY
gestion Of the man (William Gilpin) selected for
it's first governor; and he quotes from a manu-
script of Gilpins follows "Some wanted il
called Jefferson. some Arcadia. l said the peopIe
have toa great extent named the states after the
great rivers Of the country, and the great feature
of that country is the great Colorado river .Ah'
said he (Wilson Of Massachusetts) that is IT..
and he named it Colorado"