White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-06-15

The recent pageants held at Walla
Walla and Moscow, and the one soon
to be held at Seattle, have inspired an
awakened interest in the history of
the Pacific Northwest. Many old
timers who remember some of the stir
ring incidents of the earlier days have
come forward with bits of information
which serve to embellish the written
history of the settlement period of the
Northwest, and many interesting side
lights have thus been gained.
Men who bore arms against the In
dams during the brief uprisings of the
late fifties are now dead and gone, but
in papers which they left and in stor-
les which they told their children
there are many interesting bits of fact
which serve to illuminate some of the
stories which have already been writ
ten. These incidents have come out
most vividly as result of the awak-
ened historical interest, and for the
benefit of the younger generation it is
perhaps well that the main facts sur
rounding these episodes be published
at this time.
Steptoe Butte.
In the northern part of Whitman
county there is one towering peak
which dominates the northern rolling
plain of what is called the Palouse
country. This is Steptoe Butte, which
can be seen for miles in every direc-
ton. Not far away is the town Of
Steptoe, and it is more than probable
that there are those now living in
this section of the country who do
not know from whence comes this
rather unusual name. For the benefit
Of such, be it said that Steptoe Butte
and the town of Steptoe are named
for Col. E. j. Steptoe, who was COM
mander of Fort Walla Walla at the
time Of the wars with the Indians
north of the Snake river, and that the
Butte was the scene of his final
stand before the beginning of the re-
treat which marked the first defeat
of the whites in this war.
Previous to 1866 the Spokane and
Occur d'Alene Indians had always
been friendly to the whites. Governor
Stevens had made several treaties
with them, all of which looked for
ward to peaceful penetration Of the
country by the whites, without in the
least disturbing the rights and priv
ileges of the Indians. However, the
Yakimas had made treaty which had
been ratified by the government
which their crafty chiefs sought to
nullify, and a brief war followed, in
which the Yakimas were worsted.
The Tricky PaIouses.
The Palouses, who occupied the ter
ritory Immediately to the north of the
Snake river, were treacherous and
crafty tribe. They were in sympathy
with the Yakimas, but during their
brief war committed no overt act.
Mullan says of them that they were
made up of outcasts and renegades
from every other tribe in the interior,
and that their best traits were lying
and thieving.
They Immediately set themselves
about the task of inflaming the Spo4
kanes and Occur d'Alenes against the
whites. In this they succeeded, and
finally brought such pressure to bear
against Chief Gary, of the Spokanes,
that the old chief, while protesting
friendship for the whites, claimed La
ter that he was compelled to take the
warpath by the younger members Of
his tribe.
The chiefs of the Spokanes and
Occur d'Alenes were made to believe
that they had been deceived in the
making of the treaties; and in fact
they urged upon the whites that the
men who had made the treaties
against which question was raised
were without authority from the
tribe. This, however, was again in.
spired by Palouse propaganda.
Cause Of the Trouble.
About the best motive that has ever
been advanced as a reason for the ac1
tivity of the Palouses was that they
desired to form a strong enough In
dian alliance to 60 to war; the prin.
ciple involved meant little or moth
ing to them. They desired war merely
for the sake of the loot that they
could obtain, and tried to arrange
things 80 that the other tribes would
do the fighting while they did the
looting
The actual beginning of hostilities
is also believed to have been in
spired in some measure by the
friendly Nee Perez scouts which ac-
companied the expedition led by