Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1922-03-31
INTERESTING REVIEW Of THE LIFE
AND ACTIVITIES OF JUDGE C0WEN

placer diggings in what is now
Lake county, long before Leadville
became a noted silver and lead |
camp So 1 might go on and lead
the reader through a maze of lesser |
discoveries of these early times, but
we will now confine ourselves to
matters nearer home.
Judge Cowen, like many others
about him, heard of these new ex-
elements, but felt disposed to leave
well enough alone and stay with
what he had. He spoke Of becOn-
ing acquainted in the early fifties
with E. D. Pierce, Of Pierce City
fame. He never spoke very highly
of Capt. Pierce; said he was a nom
descript miner when he first knew
him, and not given to hard work,
but having dreams through spirit
| ualism that he would find greener
fields elsewhere.
| That Pierce was a chaser of "rain-
bows is evident from the many diff
ferent localities he was met with in
prowler and a "stampeder," a"roll-
ing stone that gathered little moss"
for himself He was in the stam-
|
lumbia in 1856. He turned his
to Walla Walla in 1858. It seems
among the Indians. But he never
seemed to prosper.
Mining was a current topic OF
conversation among all classes OF
men in those days, be it Walla Walla
o1c a
others Of his kind, could whet their
dreams by what they heard told.
The mountains of what is now Ida
no, lured him, for they were un-
prospected as yet, and the tales he
could have heard from the early
trappers, and the mention of gold
made by such men as father DeSmet
, and Captain Mullin, fired his zeal
, to try the mountains OF the Clear
water country.
Just when he first invaded the
Clearwater country Is not definitely
settled. Some say 1859 and Others
, 1850. Judge Cowen said 1859
. Other writers deny this and sa,
1860.
, Tom Beale told me that Pierc,
made an effort to start from Walls
Walla In 1859 but was hampered II
getting others to 90 with him a
they wero watched by tho militar!
a authorities. but that Pierce ant
). several others with him. outfittet
I and went In the early winter to tn
Snake river, where they finishes
wintering below Alpowa. Tha
Q spring, under the guide Of Nez
. perce woman by the name Of Jane
they struck across country passinI
4 near to what IL now Moscow an
q following an old Indian trail tina
: crossed the upper Pouatch cree
, passing through kamas meadow
: near what Is now Bovill and Ell
d River. then up Reeds creek, name
, for one Of their party. over what
a now Reeds creek mountain
"a Quartz creek and Canal Gulch.
n Beale insisted that in 1851 he sa'
4 the names of some of the party, II
20 cluding James. written on q tree b
. the side OF the old Indian trail owe
:, Reeds creek mountain. This sount
r feasible as these white men wei
n trying hard to keep out Of sight
the Indians who were objecting
r. tthe violation Of the treaty made
q 1855. A detachment Of Dragon
~ were sent to stop them but new
i. found them. Such route wou
er keep them out of sight Of the /
w dians Beale had an opportunity
70 knowing this a. we'll as any man
,,s that time.
ad They came out by way OF q
s- Whiskey creek trail, through &
IA kamis meadows Of the Grangemo
-. country and to the mouth Of t
~ North Fork where the were
as across by Harry Wheeler's father
90 Nezperce. His father was shown
Io. little of the gold by Pierce, but
r.. had very little Pierce and most
,rs those with him returned to Wa
~ Walla. Here Pierce organized .
~ (CooiinuoA on local DAGo.)