Historical Society and Finds

Historical Society and Finds By Hyrum Kay Pursuant to a well advertised call to organize an historical society of Pocatello, Idaho, having for its object the preserving of historical data and relics that not only cover the white man's conquest of the great northwest, but also includes undisputable evidence of prehistoric colonization of this locality, had its fruition in a full organization that met at the Public Library parlors, Wednesday evening, February 1, 1922. A representative body of sixteen interested citizens responded to the call. Pres- dent C. R. Frazer, of the Idaho Technical Institute, called the assembly to order and stated the object of the meeting. J. S. Richards acted as chairman. Norman B. Atkinson acted as clerk. After a free and informal discussion, Dr. Minnie Howard was elected temporary president of the historical society, and J. S. Richards, temporary secretary. A special committee, con- sisting of Mrs. Joseph H. Petersen, Miss Edith Gant, and Nich- olas Ifft, was appointed to act with the temporary president and secretary in drawing up a constitution for the society. The constitution was to be submitted to the club the first week in March. Dr. Minnie Howard by request addressed the assembly at length, and made mention of the archaeological loss the community sustained when the pre-historical ideographs upon the lava boulder pile, that once stood on the west bank of the Portneuf river, between Benton and Holliday streets, were long since used for building material. Fragments of these chips of ideographs she had preserved, which, at the proper time, would be donated to the historic museum of the society. A set of old almanacs was found, one being of the historical year of 1834, when the first white man's abode west of the Rocky moun- tains was erected near here on the banks of the Snake river, bv Nathaniel Weyeth, and named Fort Hall, in honor of Mr. Hall of Boston, who outfitted Weyeth and other western trap- pers with a stock of merchandise for Hudson Bay. The sale contract fell through, and Weyeth built a stockade to protect himself and his men. Thus this place became ever after a place of refuge for overland travelers on the Oregon trail. Here the first American flag was raised, and the first Christian ser- mon was given, and the first Christian burial, in August, 1834. A

522 IMPROVEMENT ERA vegetable garden added its joy to the trail-weary travelers; and the walls of the stockade, and later those of the fort and its gar- rison, made this place a well worth Mecca. Dr. Howard also mentioned the finding of a bronze three- inch medallion between Pocatello and Blackfoot of the year 1684, issued for Jamestown, but probably made in England. (The find was made in September, 1907, and a description ap- peared in the Deseret News, daily, September 18, 1907.) The medallion was cast in a mould on one side, and engraved on the other, was pierced with a hole, and worn as a necklace by the red men. The inscription read: "England land scarce. Labor paid by the acre. Jamestown, corn, produce, tobac. America land plenty, labor scarce. Labor rescued by the man." This medallion is now possessed by Dr. William Cureton, now in California, but formerly of this city. Another find some twenty-five years ago by Albert W. Jones, deceased, at his residence, 344 South Main Street, was a Roman coin of the mintage of Emperor Comodus, 161-192 A. D., who came to the throne 180 A„ D. He found it about two feet below the surface while digging the foundation for his home. This coin is now possessed by Edward Stein, of Boise, at one time mayor of Pocatello. All of the above information leads to the belief that this place has been a traveled highway for hundreds if not thousands of years. The lava palisades of the Portneuf abound in Indian ideographs, and there are some that appear, too, as if done by a different race, all of which increases interest for western history. Pocatello, Idaho Expressions Feel what you say and say it with feeling, Heart touches heart in mysterious ways; More than the words are the voice tones revealing, Whether in censure, or whether in praise. Even a child in its artless affection Tells the heart's wishes with inflected tone: Feel whafl you say, tune the voice with inflection, Words express little when uttered alone. Voice of the heart in the words you are using Brings its appeal and in confidence wins: Would you succeed use no language confusing; Hearts are responsive as feeling begins. Deep in the soul is a cloister concealing Something responsive to tuneful address! Feel what you say and then say it with feeling, Heart tones convey more than words can express! Joseph Longking Townsend