An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 182

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524

USA > Idaho > Kootenai County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 182
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 182
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 182
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 182

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Montana under the escort of the deputation of Coeur d'Alenes who had gone there for the purpose of bringing the promised "Black Robes" to their territory. Father Point and Brother Huet selected for their first estab- lishment a site at the mouth of the St. Joe river and placed it under the patronage of St. Joseph. St. Joe river owes its name to that first Catholic mission. Two log buildings for mission purposes were erected at this point. Two years later the venerable Father Joset, whose missionary labors covered more than half a century joined himself to the mission. About this time, the fall of 1844, Father DeSmet converted and baptised a number of Kootenai Indians and in the spring of 1845 about a dozen of the Nez Perces tribe, mostly chiefs, begged to be instructed in the Catholic faith. As the Nez Perces language differed from that of the Coeur d'Alenes, which the fathers had already succeeded in learning, they had to have recourse to a Coeur d'Alene Indian, who himself spoke the Nez Perces but indifferently, to act as interpreter. With his aid and that of signs they succeeded in converting a few of the Indians who had come to the Mission.

The same year, 1846, the mission on the banks of the St. Joe river was abandoned because the site, al- though an ideal one in the fall, was every year flooded by the spring freshets and consequently rendered un- suitable for the agricultural pursuits upon which the Fathers depended so much to civilize their Indian neophytes. Father DeSmet started out into the wilder- ness accompanied by some Indians, to find a new and more suitable location for the Mission. This was found on the opposite side of the Coeur d'Alene river from what is now known as Cataldo. Grounds for the mis- sion buildings were selected on a hill between the river and the forest, on either side of which was an extensive prairie. At this point the river widens into a beautiful bay, making of the location an ideal one for the purpose intended. It was there that in 1853 was begun by Fathers Gazzoli and Ravalli, who had assumed charge of the mission two years previously, the building of the first Catholic church erected in Idaho. That structure still stands, a silent witness to the zeal and energy of the Jesuit Fathers, about sixteen miles from the Coeur d'Alene lake, where the steamboats make their upper landing. There are many stirring events in the history of the "Old Mission" building which make it especially cherished in the minds of all early settlers in the north- west. Beneath its moss covered roof have rested Generals Sherman, Sheridan, Isaac Stevens and others prominent in the civil and military history of this sec- tion. Father Ravalli drew the plans for the imposing structure which the Indians under his direction and that of Brother Magri executed. Brother Magri was a skilled carpenter and engineer who also built a dwelling house for the Fathers, a horse-power grist mill, a bak- ery and other necessary small buildings, besides a large storage barn and stable. The buildings, with the exception of the church and a small dwelling were de- stroved by fire, in March, 1867. They were afterwards rebuilt. The magnitude of the task undertaken by the Fathers and the untutored savages may partly be real-

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ized when one reflects that they had at their disposal none of the tools and conveniences for building which are considered indispensable in civilized communities. They manufactured trucks. harnessed themselves to them, and brought down the timber. rocks, etc .. to the spot selected. They had no nails, so they turned out wooden substitutes which to this day hold the different parts of the building together. The red men of the forest received no pay and asked none; bitt worked solely for the honor and glory of God. Not to be al- lowed to work on the building was considered severe punishment, which was sometimes inflicted for dis- obedience to orders to the great humiliation of the culprit.

That the Jesuits did not always have smooth sail- ing with their Indian converts is evidenced by the war made upon the government troops in 1858, in which the Coeur d'Alencs, in spite of the efforts made by Father Joset to dissuade them, took an active part. In consequence of this rebellion the Fathers resolved to abandon the Mission ; but General Clarke, commander of the Department of the Columbia, and Colonel Wright, who had led the expedition against the Coeur d'Alenes and other tribes, and had defeated them, urged the missionaries to stay at their posts, saying : "These Coeur d'Alene Indians will yet become good." Their present condition fully verifies that prophecy.

Because of the decision of the Department of the Interior which left the mission outside of the Indian reservation and because, as the Indians became civi- lized, there was need of more arable land than could be found in the region of the old mission, the fathers removed in 1880 to the spot now known as DeSmet. DeSmet Mission is situated in the midst of a rich agri- cultural district about ten miles from Tekoa, Wash- ington. Anyone desirous of convincing himself of the success of the Jesuits in civilizing and christianiz- ing the Coeur d'Alenes has but to pay a visit to that mission and to the reservation of which it is the cen- ter. The neat farm houses, the well-tilled fields, and the general appearance of prosperity visible every- where, show that the savages, whose excessive cruelty distinguished them among the neighboring tribes, are now peaceable and thrifty farmers, a credit to their teachers and pastors.

DeSmet is located near Hangman's Creek, on the slope of a range of hills probably four or five miles from the southern boundary line of Kootenai county. The location is a beautiful one and is peculiarly adapted to the needs of the mission. Since its establishment in 1880 many changes and improvements have been made. There is now located here the St. Mary's con- vent, a. school for girls. The educational work among the Indian girls is under the direction of Sis- ter Jane de Chantal, who is Mother Superior of the convent. She has an efficient corps of assistants all belonging to the order of the Sisters of Providence. There are at present about sixty pupils attending the convent. The convent building is a modern structure with all needed conveniences.

There is also a school for Indian boys under charge of Father Caruana, assisted by Father Schuler.

Here many of the youths of the tribe are educated, not a few of them going from this institution to the larger Indian schools in the east. A good two-story build- ing has been erected for school purposes. Besides these two school buildings, there is an attractive church building 100 by 70 feet, whose foundations were laid in 1881, and a large house occupied by Fa- ther Caruana and Schuler and fitted for the accommo- dation of visiting priests and missionaries. There are also other structures for use in school and church work. In addition to the money expended on church and convent buildings, twenty thousand dollars have been spent in the other necessary structures. All buildings have been erected by the church, without any assistance from the government. All government aid for the maintenance of the school ceased in 1900. A short distance from the mission buildings the In- dians have built a village, the counterpart of which probably does not appear any where else in the coun- try. The buildings range from the merest shack or shed, costing a few dollars, to modern two-story frame structures, costing several thousand dollars. There has apparently been some effort to plat the village with streets, but they have succeeded in forming only narrow alleys where there is scarcely room for teams to pass. The houses are crowded together, the shack beside the more pretentious dwelling, and face in all directions without regard to the so-called street. There are, perhaps, one hundred and fifty of these dwellings in the collection. There are no fences, or walks, or trees, and the greater portion of the time there are no dwellers within the habitations. Many of the Indians live from twenty-five to seventy-five miles from the mission. During church festival and fast- ing periods the farm houses are deserted and there is a concerted movement toward the village. Every year these people assemble to make novenas for Christmas, Easter, Corpus Christi, and the Feast of the Sacred Heart. During these novenas they move their fami- lies to their mission homes. From hill and valley wagons containing the whole household, not excluding the dogs, may be seen slowly trundling to the mission. Buggies and other modern conveyances are also to be seen ; the more stalwart and daring of both sexes, however, come on horseback. The horses are un- harnessed, hobbled and turned out to graze. Smoke begins curling out of the cottage chimneys. The si- lent village suddenly teems with life. For a season the time is occupied in attending religious exercises and in the interim, engaging in all sorts of out door sports and pastimes. The great majority of the Coeur d'Alenes are members of the Catholic church and are devout and diligent observers of all its cere- monies. As an illustration of their strict observance of these forms and of their faithfulness in living the doctrines of the church, an incident or two may be related.

As has been stated, when the village is occupied during seasons of special religion observances, a por- tion of the time is spent in social enjoyments and in games. Base ball is a favorite game with the Indian youths. One afternoon in the summer of 1002 when

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the tribe was gathered at the village, a sight that could hardly find its counterpart anywhere occurred in the midst of an evening baseball game. The batter knocked a "high fly," and nimble and emulous hands were endeavoring to catch it, when suddenly the An- gelus bell tolled. The ball was abandoned to follow the way of its momentum, and players and spectators, with uncovered heads and on their knees, devoutly recited the Angelic Salutation. Some United States Treaty commissioners, who met the Indians in solemn council, were surprised to have their deliberations unexpectedly interrupted by all the Indians, who, with- out a preconcerted sign, fell on their knees, made the Sign of the Cross, and spent some time in prayer. Again it was the Angelus bell.

Their high sense of the purest morality is evi- denced by an illustration as brave as it is instructive. One of the half-breeds (there are only about half a dozen or so on the reservation) deserted his wife, secured a divorce and married another woman. The Indians protested to the agent that they would not, could not, tolerate this on their reservation. The agent contended that the couple were legally divorced and could not be molested. The reply was: "A- las forsaken his wife and taken up with another woman; our children know and see A-'s real wife constantly ; they see him living with the other woman; we know nothing about the white man's divorce, but we do know that our children see this scandalous example, and the criminals must leave the reservation." And they did leave. Sixty years ago these Coeur d'Alenes were confirmed polygamists.

Since the death of Father Joset, who was for so many years connected both with the old mission and the DeSmet mission, Father Joseph M. Caruana has been in full charge of the work. Father Caruana has been here and at the old mission continuously since 1880. This, however, is his third period of service among the Coeur d'Alenes. He came to the old mis- sion first in 1862, and has spent in all, over forty years as an Indian Missionary. The Indians hold him in great reverence, and his influence over them is wonderful. He has taught them honesty and justice, and they believe him implicitly. Thieving is un- known on the reservation. If anything of value has been lost and is found by an Indian, the finder takes the article to Father Caruana and in course of time it is returned to the rightful owner, as nearly all members of the tribe pay regular visits to the priest. If an article of lesser value be found, such as a halter, a pipe, a pouch of tobacco, a spur, a piece of machinery, it is carried to the gate leading to Father Caruana's house, and hung or placed on the fence, or post, where the loser eventually finds it.

According to Sub-Indian Agent Charles O. Wor- ley, there are now on the reservation seven hundred and seventeen Indians. This number includes a few Spokane Indians. The present chief is Pierre Wild- shoe, written by the priests "Weilsholegu," and the sub- chief is Peter Moctilwa. There is an Indian police force of ten members, but it is very seldom that their services are required. About the only offense there

is to deal with is that of drunkenness. On rare occa- sions an Indian secures liquor at Tekoa or Harrison, and when such a thing occurs the offender is given a quick trial and commensurate punishment. All the reservation Indians are well-to-do, and many of them are wealthy. Wealth, however, has no influence before an Indian tribunal. In October, 1902, one of the poorer Indians accompanied by a wealthy friend who had a bank account of several thousand dollars, went to Harrison, secured liquor and became intoxicated. They were arrested at Harrison, confined in the city jail over night and fined for disorderly conduct. After their return to the reservation Chief Wildshoe heard of their escapade, sent his police after them, gave them a trial, and sentenced them to several weeks in the Indian jail at the mission, and there they stayed, under guard, the poor and the rich together, until the expiration of the sentence. Cash fines for such offenses are not imposed and bail is never accepted.

Criminals or "bad Indians" are almost unknown among the Coeur d'Alenes. They have been a very few exceptions. For an outrage committed near De Smet, Basille Adrain was sent to the penitentiary, where he died after seven months' confinement. Paul Harry was another "bad Indian" who made a criminal rec- ord. In the summer of 1887 he murdered a half- breed Indian woman, named Mrs. Peavy, and her child, near Farmington, Washington, on the reserva- tion. He was arrested and placed in charge of a squaw who permitted him to escape. After hiding in the mountains for several months he returned to the reservation, was re-arrested and jailed at Rathdrum. After several months' confinement, with the assistance of a white man who was sharing his imprisonment, he broke jail and went back to his former haunts, send- ing word to Sheriff William Martin that he had des- perate Indian friends with him, and that if he ( Martin) came after him he would meet a warm reception. Sheriff Martin went to the reservation, re-arrested him, single handed and alone, and returned him to the jail. The Indian was afterwards admitted to bail in the sum of $100, and, for some unexplained cause, was never prosecuted for the murder. A few years after the commission of this crime, however, he was convicted of horse stealing and died after a few months' imprisonment in the penitentiary.

Wildshoe succeeded Chief Andrew Saltice, who died April 20, 1902. The older chiefs of the tribe in the time of Fathers DeSmet and Joset were Chiefs Basha and Vincent. These chiefs were leaders in many of the tribal wars in early days and in the wars against United States troops in the 'fifties.

The Coeur d'Alene Indians' reservation originally extended as far north as the Spokane river, spread east into Shoshone county, and included the region of the Coeur d'Alene mines, and west into Washington, including territory in the region now occupied by Spokane, Rockford, Tekoa, Farmington and Palouse. The government seems never to have made any special acknowledgement of the rights of the Indians to this territory, although there was a tacit acknowledgement when Governor Stevens was sent in 1870 and 1871

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to treat with the Spokane Indians and endeavor to induce them to move into the Coeur d'Alene reserva- tion. This was repeated in 1887 when the government appointed John V. Wright, Jarred W. Daniels and Henry W. Andrews, a commission to purchase from the Coeur d'Alenes all of this Washington territory. A treaty was made, which was not ratified until 1891, by which the lands were ceded for a consideration of $150,000. In 1889 another commission, composed of Benjamin Simpson, John H. Shoup and Napoleon B. Humphrey, was sent to treat with the Indians. In September, 1889, a treaty was signed, ceding to the government the northern and eastern portions of their reservation. This included on the west of Lake Coeur d'Alene all lands south of Spokane river to a line about eight miles south of the north line of township forty- eight. It also included the region of the Coeur d'Alene mines on the east. The consideration was $500,000, and the treaty was ratified by Congress February 18, 1891. By the terms of this treaty the government agreed that none of the remaining lands of the reserva- tion should ever be sold, opened to white settlenient or otherwise disposed of without the consent of the In- dians residing thereon. The reservation is now wholly within Kootenai county, and the north boundary on the east side of Lake Coeur d'Alene is a short distance below the north line of township forty-seven. This line leaves the lake less than a mile south of the town of Harrison. At the time of this sale to the govern- ment each Indian received as his share of the purchase money $1,033. Among the Indians, as among the whites, there are wise men and there are foolish men. Many of the Indians invested their money in loans, in stock and in comfortable dwellings. A great deal of it was invested in wire for fencing. As there has been no allotment of lands to the members of this tribe, and as there is a great surplus of land, each Indian may fence as much as he chooses. In one in- stance at the time of this sale, an Indian, named Daniel Quenemosa, expended the entire thousand dollars in barbed wire and fenced in several thousand acres, the greater portion of which he has no use for whatever. It is said that another member of the tribe had visited Spokane a number of times and had witnessed funeral processions headed by plumed hearses with glass sides. His ambition was to own such a vehicle for a family carryall. When he received his money he went to Spokane, paid $900 for a hearse, to which he hitched his team of cayuses, and into which he loaded his family, consisting of a wife and several children, and mounting the seat, drove proudly through the streets and on to his reservation home.

The Coeur d'Alenes have abandoned all distinctive features of Indian tribal life, such as the blanket, tepee, dances, unshorn hair, etc. Indian costumes have long since been laid aside and the dress of civilization adopted. In general appearances aside from the rugged Indian faces they can hardly be distinguished from their "pale-face" brethren. In the descriptive chap- ter of Kootenai county will be found information con- cerning the farming industry as followed by the In- diians and the results that have been obtained.

The government looks after the tribe throughi Gen- eral Indian Agent Albert M. Anderson. Sub-Indian Agent Charles O. Worley has been stationed on the reservation since 1896. He first came here as en- gineer at the government flour and saw mills north of DeSmet. Next to the "black gowns" Mr. Worley is held in highest esteem by the Indians. He is consulted in matters of business and in all other affairs his at- thority is universally respected.

There are no authentic accounts of the presence of white men in extreme northern Idaho during the forties excepting the fur traders and missionaries. In April, 1853, Isaac I. Stevens, who had just been appointed governor of the territory of Washington, started west from St. Paul to explore a route from the sources of the Mississippi river to Puget Sound. In Gov. Stevens's report of this journey, we find de- scriptions of the Spokane river, Coeur d'Alene river and lake, St. Joe river, Clark's Fork of the Columbia, and Pend Oreille lake. This is evidence that he had his company spent some time in the central portion of the Kootenai county of today. The Stevens expedi- tion was in pursuance of the act of congress in the same year appropriating $150,000 for the exploration of a northern route across the continent. From the fact that Mr. Stevens was one of the incorporators of the Northern Pacific railroad in Washington territory in 1857, we assume that his descriptions of the country had much to do with the selection of a route for that road nearly a quarter of a century later, and that con- sequently his visit and explorations had a very direct bearing and influence upon the settlement and develop- ment of the country.

On August II, 1856, a law was passed by Congress authorizing the appointment of a commission to unite with a similar commission to be appointed by Great Britain for the purpose of carrying into effect the first article of the treaty of June 15, 1846, that was to determine and mark the boundary line between the United States and the British possessions westward from the summit of the Rocky Mountains. In Feb- ruary. 1857, Hon. Archibald Campbell was appointed commissioner for the United States, and Lieutenant John G. Parks, U. S. A., was appointed chief astrono- mer and surveyor. Three commissioners were ap- pointed by Great Britain. Captains Prevost and Rich- ards, of the Royal Navy, were first and second com- missioners, respectively, their duties being limited to the determination of the water boundary referred to as "the Channel which separates the Continent from Vancouver's Island." In the summer of 1858. Col. J. S. Hawkins, Royal Engineers, appointed by the British Government commissioner, to determine the boundary line along the forty-ninth parallel, arrived in the United States prepared for field operations. At a meeting of the joint commission the following agree- ment relating to the plan of work was entered into: After discussing plans for determining and marking the line as far eastward as the Cascade mountains, it was concluded to be inexpedient at that time, in con- sequence of the great expense, consumption of time, and the impracticable nature of the country, to mark

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the whole boundary by cutting a track through the dense forest. It was therefore agreed to approach the forty-ninth parallel in accessible regions, and from fixed points, cut a track through the forest, not less than twenty feet in width on each side for the distance of half a mile or more, according to circumstances. Further, that the boundary be similarly marked where it crosses streams of any size, permanent trails, or any striking natural feature of the country. In the vicinity of settlements it was deemed advisable to cut the track for a greater distance and to mark the bound- ary with stone monuments. The work was prosecuted through the summers of 1858, 1859 and 1860, but owing to the breaking out of the Civil war, all opera- tions were suspended, and have never been renewed. The work of running and marking the boundary was carried on through a country previously almost un- known. The forty-ninth parallel extends for the greater part of the distance over rugged and precipi- tous mountains that attain a great elevation and it was found impossible to follow it continuously. In some instances trails were opened from the south to the boundary, through regions of comparatively low elevations, involving great labor in cutting, grading and bridging to make the route practicable for pack- mule transportation. Water courses were numerous and rapid, rendering fords frequent and dangerous, and a slight rise of many of the streams would have made them impassable but for the timely precaution of building bridges at small streams and ferryboats at the river crossings. Many of the trails opened are now traveled routes to the mines then and since dis- covered. In this way the boundary was marked from the Sound east about 400 miles, or to a point in Mon- tana east of the valley of the Kootenai river. During the summers of 1858 and 1859 one of these trails was made through Kootenai county. Its course was from the old Plante ferry on the Spokane river, via the present locations of Rathdrum and Seneaquoteen to a joint on the Pend Oreille river twelve miles below the Campfield ferry : thence in a northeasterly direction to the present site of Bonner's Ferry ; thence down the Kootenai valley to the vicinity of what is now Port- hill. This route afterward became known as the Wild Horse trail. Two hundred yards from the K. V. railroad depot at Porthill may be seen one of the In- ternational Boundary stones. The exact line is marked by a post which is beneath the earth's surface. and over this is heaped a mound of rough stone. There are two of these monuments on the Kootenai county line, the one described at Porthill and a similar one where the Mooyie creek trail crosses the International Boundary, thirty-two miles from Bonner's Ferry. When we con- sider the great dangers that were faced and the almost insurmountable difficulties that were encountered by the members of the commission in a wild and unex- plored wilderness, some idea may be had of the her- culean task performed by these fearless agents of the government. The mounds and the cleared spaces con- stitute a magnificent testimonial to the men who ac- complished the work after "fifty-four, forty, or fight"

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 182

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1524

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524