Glacier County chief., 1940-03-29
William A. Coulter Elected Head
Western Air Express Company

beyond the pass, and the Blackfeet
were interested in preventing guns or
ammunition from reaching these tribes.
Arms and ammunition were always
carried in the trade goods of the fur
company men and so the Blackfeet
sought to stop the traders from going
farther west.
Jacques was David Thompson S
man Friday" a trusted lieutenant
who is mentioned often and with af-
lection in the Thompson journals. On
I'VE tasted except for chance goose
or duck amongst us; until the l4th,
when Jaco, fine half-breed arrived
and relieved us. From him we traded
% beaver tails, 40 pounds of bear meat,
and 80 pounds of dried meat, and now
thank God enjoyed a good meal
Perhaps it was in gratitude for this
food after a period of starvation that
Thompson named Jocko river in
the few Thompson place-names that
were left when Thompson's maps were
later copied.
Built Spokane House
| In the spring of the year 1910, Finlay
located and built Spokane House, a
trading post near the present site OF
! the city of Spokane, Wash. 1t was I'M
usual that a clerk was allowed to have
complete charge of such an important
task, but Finlay completed the build
ing successfully and remained in full
charge there until 1872. Officials who
inspected the post during that time re-
corded that the half-blood was doing
a first-rate job
David Thompson, who had dis
patched Jacques to the west to locate
/ Spokane House, made his first visit to
the post in 1911. He arrived there on
June IA, and made the following note
of the visit, I'VE arrived at the Spo-
kane House on the River of that name.
where I left a small assortment Of
goods to continue the trade, with
/ Thompson records an instance when
he visited Spokane House and Jacques
! had started to meet him with horses.
The two missed each other on the trail
and Thompson waited at the post,
while Jacques camped in the wilder
ness waiting and wondering what had
become Of the Welchman.
lay played the hero in Indian troubles
Just as he had in 1898. This instance Is
recorded in Alexander Ross Fur Hunt
tiers of the Far West" Stuart, another
trader, was attacked by Indians, and
was about to be killed because rain had
wet his gun. The gun missed fire sew
eral times before jacques arrived to
save the day. Ross says. His gun had
just fallen from his hands when half
breed named Finlay came up and shot
his assailant dead"
BY 1926 they were beginning to call
Jacques "Old Finlay," for he was the
father of several grown sons who were
also engaged in the fur trade. He was
an authority on the trails of the north
west David Douglas, the botanist, who
Travelled through the northwest in 1926
to study the flora of the country, made
the following mention of Jacques Fin
lay II had for my guides two young
men sons of Mr.. Jacques Finlay,
Canadian Sauteur, who at present re-
sides in the abandoned establishment
of Spokane: in which direction I was
going. Mr.. Finlay being man OF eX-
tensive information as to the appear
ance of the country, animals, and so on.
Mr.. DeaSe kindly gave me note TO
him requesting him to show me any
thing that he deemed curious in the
way of plants, etc. I reached the old
establishment at Spokane at II O'Clock,
where I was kindly received by Mr..
Finlay. As the principal object OF my
journey was to get my firelock ar
ranged by him. being the only person
in the space of 300 miles who could
do 1t, and being an item Of utmost
consequence to have done soon, lost
no time in informing him Of my re-
quest. Unfortunately he did not speak
the English language. and my very
partial knowledge Of French prevented
me from acquiring information which
I should have recorded"
At another time Douglas mentions