USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > History of the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 20
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"The mission is composed of buildings enclosing a square. Some of them are quite old, but the barn is large and new. The church stands a little distance from the rest, and does much credit to those who ereeted it. It is constructed on a plan designed by Pere Ravalli, and is of the Roman demi-style of architecture. Pulleys and ropes were the only mechanical aids in the construction. Pere Ravalli is quite an architect, and drew up many designs before the one selected was adopted. In his room, which I was kindly given to occupy, was his library. I observed that it contained several standard works on architecture. The church was not completed, although sufficiently so for the performance of services within. The interior is prettily arranged. The altar is supported by two massive timbers of pine which are about four feet in diameter. We were informed that in erecting these pillars, an Indian who was holding one of them became frightened and let it fall, fortu- nately without injury to any one. The priests live in a self-denying manner, and the good effects of their influence over the Indians around them are plainly manifest.
"There is quite a village of Indians near the mission. They have some half dozen log-houses, but most of them live in lodges.
"While awaiting the arrival of the train, I was enabled more particularly to observe the manner in which the affairs of the mission were conducted. Brother Charles has charge of the buildings and attends to the indoor work, cooks, makes butter and cheese, issues provisions, and pays the Indians for their work, which payment is made in tickets hearing a certain value, 'good for so many potatoes or so much wheat.' etc. By this management the Indians are able to procure their subsistence in the summer by hunting and fishing, and have tickets in store for liy- ing during the winter. They are well contented, and I was pleased to observe habits of industry growing upon them. In the barn we saw their operations of threshing: four boys rode as many mules abreast around in a circle, being followed by two girls with fails, who appeared to be perfectly at home in their business. One half of the barn is reserved for their crops, while the other is arranged for cattle. Their stock at present consists of twenty cows, eight pairs of oxen and ninety pigs, which are driven to pasture upon the prairie by Indians boys daily. I noticed an Indian woman milking, and was surprised to see her use both hands, something rarely seen among the Indians. We afterwards visited the field-a large fire was burning, and around it sat Indians roasting and eating potatoes. There
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appeared to be a great scarcity of proper implements, and in digging potatoes I noticed that many had nothing better than sharpened sticks."
Governor Stevens remarked that Brother Maginn declared himself to be, like many other naturalized citizens, a good democrat, inquired who was president of the United States, and appeared to be mneh pleased when informed that he was a democrat.
Two years later, in June, 1855. Governor Stevens revisited this mission. "We were received in the most hospitable and cordial manner, and remained there the next day," says his official report. "To show something of the privations which the missionaries have to undergo. I will remark that Father Ravalli, in his recent trip from The Dalles, had the assistance of only two Indians and an Indian boy in bringing up a train of twenty-two pack animals. lle was obliged to see per- sonally to the packing of each one of his animals, doing most of the mannal labor himself, and could not get off (though he commenced at early dawn) until towards ten o'clock in the morning."
On the occasion of the governor's first visit to the mission. the Indians were called in from the fields, and he addressed them, saying:
"I am glad to see you and find that you are under such good direction. I have come four times as far as you go to hunt buffalo, and have come with directions from the Great Father to see yon, to talk to you, and to do all I can for your wel- fare. I see cultivated fields, a church, houses, cattle, and the fruits of the earth, the work of your own hands. The Great Father will be delighted to hear this, and will certainly assist you. Go on, and every family will have a house, and a patch of ground, and every one will be well clothed. I have had talks with the Black- feet, who promise to make peace with all the Indian tribes. Listen to the good father and to the good brothers who labor for your good."
That evening the governor had a long conversation with the father and brothers, and on leaving the next morning he made glad the heart of Brother Charles by presenting him a number of lariats for use in raising the timbers of the uncom- pleted church.
On the occasion of the governor's second visit to the mission, in June, 1855, the fathers and lay brothers took the oath of allegiance to the government of the United States, and signed naturalization papers. Stevens remarked that they seemed much pleased with the idea of becoming American citizens,
IN THE YAKIMA VALLEY
Captain George B. MeClellan, when traveling down the Yakima in 1853, visited the mission in that valley, and George Gibbs, a member of his expedition, has left us this description : "The mission, which, in summer, is maintained in the Ahtanum valley, is transferred (with the moving of the Indians in winter) into that of the main river. There are two priests attached to this mission, belonging to the order of the Oblats. Fathers Pandozy and d'Harbomey. The stations are small log buildings, divided into a chapel and lodging room, with a corral for horses and a spot of enclosed garden ground adjoining the one at Altanum. The fathers in- formed us that they found the Yakimas not very teachable, and that they had accomplished little except as peacemakers : the Indians were lazy and cultivated
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the ground with but little regularity, some years not planting at all. They did not believe that a resident farmer would be of use. The Indians, however, say, and justly, that they have no tools, and but little inducement to labor, their country affording other subsistence, and the toil of planting with their own rude imple- ments not being compensated by the results. With proper encouragement, and assistance in breaking up the ground, they would doubtless do more. It is probably an object with the missionaries to discourage seeular residents, who might divide their own influence over the natives.
"The courteous attention of these gentlemen to the officers of the expedition requires acknowledgment. They furnished all the information in their power re- spceting the country, seeured good guides to the parties, and aeted as interpreters with the Indians. Father Pandozy, in particular, is familiarly acquainted with the Yakima tongue. Kamiaken is the only one of the three brothers who has adopted even the forms of Catholicism, and he refuses to be baptized, because he would be compelled to put away his surplus wives, of whom he has several."
Gibbs states that a number of Yakimas professed to have a remedy for small- pox. "Father Pandozy, one of the missionaries, informed me that he believed it to be the root of a species of iris. He had onee tasted it, and it aeted as a violent emetic. The Spokanes have also another and different specific. It is known to but few persons, having been gradually forgotten since the former visitation. Re- cently. when it broke out in one of the Spokane villages, an old woman, who was blind, deseribed it to her daughter, and directed her to proceed towards Kamiaken's country, and that if she encountered none in her way, to get from him some of which he used. The girl, however, did find the herb and returned with it. The mother prepared the medieine, and the smallpox was stayed, but not until it had nearly destroyed the village. We were not successful in obtaining specimens of this plant, but Father Pandozy kindly promised to save some when opportunity offered. In regard to this disease, the greatest seourge of the red man, it has passed through this region more than onee, and was probably the first severe blow whiel fell upon the Oregon tribes. Its appearance seems to have been before any direet intereourse took place with the whites, and it may have found its way northward from Cali- fornia. Captains Lewis and Clark conjectured, from the relations of the Indians, and the apparent age of individuals marked with it, that it had prevailed about thirty years before their arrival. It also spread with great virulenee in 1843. From the other, and no less sure, destroyer of the coast tribes, the venereal, the Yakimas, and generally the Indians east of the mountains, are, as yet, exempt. Spirituons liquors have never been introduced into their country, at least beyond the neigh- borhood of The Dalles."
ST. MICHAEL'S MISSION NEAR SPOKANE
From a manuscript in the Spokane publie library, written by one of the resi- dents at Gonzaga college, we extraet the following:
In the '60s St. Michael's mission to the Indians was founded on Peone prairie, nine miles northeast of Spokane. Baptiste . Peone was the chief. In 1863 he beeame a Catholic, and from that time till the winter of 1866, when Father Cataldo made the first attempt to establish a permanent mission on the prairie, the converted Vol. 1-10
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chief's home was the stopping place of the missionaries on their periodical visits to the Spokane Indians. Father Cataldo having been assigned to work among them, his first care was to procure a chapel wherein to hold services, but they opposed him, and declared that in the absence of the head chief they could not assume the responsibility of granting his request. But as the chief was not to return for some time, the Father told the Indians that he would erect a chapel, and then if they did not desire to have it, he would totally destroy it at the end of three months. With some murmurings they assented to this proposition, and forthwith Father Cataldo erected a log structure, about two miles from the present St. Michael's mission. When the three months had elapsed, nearly all of the Indians had become Catholic, and when Father Cataldo expressed a willingness to destroy the chapel as he had promised. the new converts, of a different mind now, strongly objected, one of the chiefs boldly declaring that if the head chief did not like what had been done in his absence, he could go elsewhere; and as for the Father's leaving, they would only consent to that upon the terms that another be sent in his place.
For some time after the foundation of this mission. it was very hard to get fathers to go there, as so much other work was to be done, and as a consequence the Indians grew dissatisfied and went to the Protestant faith.
In 1878 the mission was moved to the present site, about three miles from Hillyard, and a priest sent there to officiate regularly. There were about 600 in the Spokane tribe at that time, and of these the Catholics numbered one half.
The Indians of this section used to gather together and do their hunting by driving the game onto Peone prairie, there killing and portioning it. In the fall they would assemble and start out for deer, the hunt taking about a month. An Indian was placed at a deer trail. and if there were not enough Indians, they would build a fire in the trail and put some moccasins on the fire to drive the deer back. After a few days the Indians would start towards the prairie, driving the deer before them, and when they reached the prairie there was great feasting and re- joicing if the hunt had been a profitable one.
The Indians did their fishing at the mouth of the Little Spokane. They would make two pets, one considerably higher than the other, and stretch these across the river. the higher net above the lower. The fish which they were after, known as the s'chiluize in Indian, never went backwards; they were caught in the space between the two nets, and at the end of the season were dried and preserved for food during the winter.
At the beginning of the Nez Perce Indian war, Chief Joseph sent messengers to Seltis, then chief of the Coeur d'Alenes, asking him to join in the war against the whites. Seltis refused point blank, and furthermore took steps to protect the whites in the neighborhood of the Coeur d'Alene tribe. Joseph's men had raided some of the settlements in the Patonse country, and Seltis, hearing of this outrage, immediately gathered together his men and set out to recapture the towns that were said to be raided, and then sent for the whites that had taken refuge in some of the neighboring settlements to return to their farms and towns, and he would pro- teet them and see that no harm came to them. The Colfax people, soon after this magnanimous act of Seltis, asked him and his men to come to Colfax and a banquet would be given in his honor. But the old chief politely refused, as he feared that fire- water would be flowing, and it would not be good for his men to attend. The chief
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was also great in other ways, as he had been invited to Washington several times by the presidents of that day, but he always refused, as he thought it prudent to stay with and proteet his tribe from the ravages of the unserupulous.
St. Michael's is no longer used to teach the Indian, but as an adjunct to Gon- zaga it furnishes a portion of the farm produce used by that institution, and gives a quiet resting place for the tired and overworked fathers and seholasties.
The site was on a slight rise above Chief Peone's eamp, and overlooking it so that nearly all parts of the prairie could be seen. There was no water at the site, but the Indians furnished all the necessaries of life, even while they were at outs with the rest of the whites. The priests never suffered for the lack of anything. Two structures were erected side by side, one of them a small residence for the priest, and the other a chapel where serviees were held. These buildings were destroyed a few years ago by fire eaught from a surrounding field. The old grave- yard to the east of the mission site still remains, and the graves of the Indians may be seen. The practice of burying above the ground was not followed after the advent of the mission, and all the graves were marked with erosses, which may be seen today. The graves are enelosed in little log huts, with six or eight buried in each enclosure.
Rev. Joseph M. Caruana, S. J., eame in 1862. "In September, 1862," said he, "I baptized seventeen Indian children on the very spot where now is located the Northern Paeifie depot, then occupied by a large Indian eamp fishing for white salmon. The whole country, on both sides of the river, was covered with Indian tepees and bands of cayuses." In 1864 Father Caruana made the acquaintance of James Monaghan, at his ferry down the river, and about the same time of another white man. Camille Lanetau, who had been running a ferry for two or three years, seven miles below the falls.
"About 1866," adds Father Caruana, "was built the first store in the Spokane valley, at what we now eall Spokane bridge. Of course that store was started and kept by white people. It was also the nearest postoffice we had. Our previous postoffice was in Walla Walla."
For a continuation of the early-day labors of Catholie missionaries and priests the reader is directed to the chapter on "Catholie Institutions of Spokane."
A PUBLIC LIBRARY
T
ASTUM LENOX JEN FOUNDATIONS
CHAPTER XVI
GOVERNOR STEVENS' OVERLAND EXPEDITION OF 1853
FIRST GOVERNOR CLOTHED WITH REMARKABLE POWERS-ON THE SUMMIT OF THE COEUR D'ALENES-GUEST OF CATHOLIC FATHERS AT OLD MISSION-IN CAMP AT WOLF'S LODGE-GOVERNOR OBSERVES SPOKANES AT THEIL DEVOTIONS-FIRST VIEW OF LAKE COEUR D'ALENE-MARCHIING DOWN THE SPOKANE VALLEY-GOVERNOR VISITS THE FALLS-INDIAN VILLAGE AT MOUTH OF HANGMAN CREEK-PUZZLED RY CHIEF GARRY-FORCED HIDE TO COLVILLE-MEETS CAPT. GEORGE B. M'CLELLAN-ROUNTI- FUL SUPPER SERVED BY MRS. M'DONALD-STEAKS COOKED IN BUFFALO FAT-LISTENS TO TALES OF ADVENTURE.
. His life was gentle; and the clements So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up, And say to all the world, "This was a man!" -Shakespeare.
O ROSSING the country from St. Paul to Puget Sound, to assume office at Olympia, Isaac I. Stevens, first governor of the infant territory, looked upon the troubled waters at Spokane, October 17, 1853. This region showed then little change from the appearance it presented to the fur traders of the rival Astor and Northwest companies, nearly fifty years before. The old regime of the Hudson's Bay company had all but disappeared, the Protestant missionaries had left the country five years before, but Catholie missions still flourished, and under their tutelage and the still prevailing influences of the Protestant workers, the Indians had come noticeably under the sway of civilization and peace; the industrious had grown prosperous, and some of them men of relative wealth.
Wide and far-sweeping was the domain over which this brave, energetic and able soldier came to rule, comprising the area now embraced within the boundaries of Washington state, and including as well the Panhandle of northern Idaho and a large section of western Montana, sweeping eastward to the summits of the Rocky mountains.
One better fitted, by temperament, education and training, or by knowledge of human nature, refined or savage, to fill the new office and meet its grave and per- plexing duties, President Pierce could scarce have found if he had searched the heart and soul of every strong and able American, north or south. Nearly sixty years have drifted by since Stevens came into the ultimate west; the young terri- tory has grown rich, populous and sovereign ; but a greater man than Isaac Ingalls
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Stevens it has yet to produce. Had he not fallen in one of the early battles of the civil war, his genius might have swept him to the head of the Union forces; for in bold resolution, in leadership of men, and ability to grapple with dangers and ditti- culties, he showed himself vastly the superior of Captain George B. Mcclellan when, side by side, they played their parts on the broad stage of the Pacific northwest. But Stevens was to fall in early action, and MeClellan to command the Union armies, and temporize on the Potomac as he had procrastinated on the Columbia.
Stevens came clothed with remarkable powers. Additional to his governorship, he commanded a large and thoroughly equipped expedition to search out passes and routes for a railroad from the Mississippi to Puget Sound, and was empowered to negotiate treaties with Indian tribes between the Dakotabs and the Pacific.
"It is difficult." says the son, Hazard Stevens, in his 'Life of General Isaac I. Stevens,' "to realize the magnitude of the task here outlined. It was to traverse and explore a domain 2,000 miles in length by 250 in breadth, stretching from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean, across 1,000 miles of arid plains and two great mountain ranges, a region almost unexplored, and infested by pow- erful tribes of predatory and warlike savages: to determine the navigability of the two great rivers, the Missouri and the Columbia, which intersect the region; to locate by reconnoissance and to survey a practicable railroad route; to examine the mountain passes and determine the depth of winter snow in them; to collect all possible information on the geology, climate. flora and fauna, as well as the topog- raphy, of the region traversed; and finally to treat with the Indians on the route, cultivate their friendship, and collect information as to their languages. numbers. customs, traditions and history : and all this, including the work of preparation and organization, to be accomplished in a single season."
After months of scientific labor, Stevens and his party attained, on a fair Octo- ber day, the summit of the Cocur d'Alene mountains, and from those clear heights the governor looked down upon a large part of his imperial domain. In his official reports he has left a description of that scene:
"Upon awakening this morning we were surprised to be greeted by one of the loveliest days imaginable. The sky was clear, and the air as soft and balmy as a morn in summer. After striking camp, we ascended to the highest point of the ridge, about one mile and a half from camp. Here we made a long halt, enjoying the magnificent view spread open to us. which, I venture to say, can scarcely be sur- passed in any country. Far distant in the east the peaks of the Rocky mountains loom up into view, stretched out to a great length, while the Flathead lake and the valley thence to the Black foot pass was plainly visible. Nearly the entire range of the Coeur d'Alene mountains, clothed with evergreen forests, with here and there an open summit covered with grass; numerous valleys intersecting the country for miles around ; courses of many streams, marked by the aseending fog, all conduced to render the view fascinating in the greatest degree to the beholder. The mountains were covered with luxuriant coarse grass. Seated on this point, Mr. Stanley was enabled to transfer this beautiful panorama to his sketch-book.
"Descending the peak to the general level of the ridge. we continued on for nearly six miles, when the descent commenced, and in less than three miles we passed down a very steep descent and gained the base of the mountains, which we estimated rose 3.500 feet above it. This brought us into a valley filled with gigantic
GOVERNOR STEVENS As a young army officer
HAZARD STEVENS
The Governor's son, who. as a boy of thirteen, witnessed the great commeil at Walla Walla
FRANCIS I. D. WOLFF Who was with Governor Stevens
GOVERNOR STEVENS in 1953
S! CAM- WASHINGTON B+ 10:ERHOR ISAAC I. STE.VERS ON THE SITE INFRONT OF THIS MONUMENT WHERE HE ANO CEM'L THEN CAPTAIN GEORGE D.MCCLELLAN
** ESTABLISHING
AND THIER MILITARY
AND ENCINEERING FORCES MET AND CAMPED FROM OCTOBER 17 TH TO 30TH 1853 ERECTED BY THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ASSISTED BY THE FOUR MOUND GRANGE SCHOOL CHILDRER AND OTHER CITIZENS
CAMP
WASHINGTON
1853 OCT.1908
4
MONUMENT ERECTED ON SITE OF CAMP WASHINGTON
F
1
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A UNS
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cedars. The lareh, spruce and vine maple are found in today's march in large quantities, the latter giving a pleasing variety to the forest growth. About four o'clock we encamped on the bank of the stream, which here grows much wider."
The expedition was now on the headwaters of the south fork of the Coeur d'Alene river, and descending that valley, the governor, guided by Antoine Plant of the Spokane valley, drew rein late that evening at the hospitable doors of the Catholie mission.
Under the vigilant eye of Governor Stevens this extensive government expe- dition had traversed the wide prairies of the Dakotahs, erossed over the Rocky moun- tains, and descended into our beautiful Inland Empire, without encountering serious mishap. Perhaps a better conception of the character of the expedition and the military rigor of its government en route will be obtained from the following orders which were issued early in the campaign by Governor Stevens:
"The most careful attention to animals is enjoined upon all persons engaged in this expedition, and will be rigidly enforced. The animals must not go beyond a walk, except in case of necessity ; and each mounted man must walk some four or five miles each day to rest his animal, unless it be impracticable, in consequence of his duties. At halts, men must dismount.
"On the march the train will keep together as much as possible; the speed of the wagons will be regulated by Governor Stevens' ambulance or wagon, or by the instrument wagon. The acting quartermaster will regulate the pace of the lead- ing team in such a manner that all other teams can keep up without forcing the mules. No person except guides, or those having permission, will precede the train by more than one-fourth of a mile, or go further from it than that distance, unless in case of necessity, or for the performance of some duty."
Camp regulations were embodied in the following order :
1. There is no such thing as an escort to this expedition. Each man is escorted by every other man. The chiefs of the scientific corps will, equally with the officers of the army, act as officers of the guard. It is confidently believed that every member of the expedition will cheerfully do his duty in promoting all the ob- jects of the expedition, sharing its toils of every description.
2. Each man of the expedition will habitnally go armed. The chief of each party and detachment will rigidly inspect arms each morning and evening. Ex- cept in extraordinary eases there shall be no march on Sunday. On that day there will be a thorough inspection of persons and things. Clothes should be washed and mended, and, if water can be found, each man will be required to bathe his whole person. This course is taken to secure health.
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