Early History of Idaho. By ex-Governor W. J. McConnell. (Caldwell, Idaho, The Caxton Printers, 1913. Pp. 420.)
It has been somewhat the fashion (and a very good fashion it is) of late years by retired public men, Governors, Senators and others, to leave in the form of reminiscences or histories the record of the events in which they were participants.
Among recent volumes in this field we find that W. J. McConnell, twice honored and Honorable, as Governor and Senator, has given the world a view of the Idaho of which he was one of the builders.
This volume may be considered as having official endorsement, for it is authorized by the Idaho legislature.
Governor McConnell is well qualified for the work. Long residence in the great state so well styled the "Gem of the Mountains," an intimate acquaintance with affairs from the days of the Vigilantes to date, an accurate memory, and a clear, simple and vivid style, all qualify the author to tell the story of Idaho.
Broadly speaking, we may note that the book consists of two main features. The first is a series of events in the days of the "bad man," the mining and Indian era. The second is largely composed of extracts from legislative sessions and judicial proceedings. In this material and the handling of it are both the strength and weakness of the book. For the account of the desperadoes, though vivid, interesting, and no doubt characteristic of that period, occupies so much space as to give a disproportionate importance to it. The extensive extracts from legislative and court proceedings, though valuable, lack the introductions and explanatory connections desirable for a continuous story. They therefore lack perspective and give a fragmentary impression. Moreover the two types of matter are rather incongruous, one being so much of a "Wild West" type of narrative and the other suggesting a small volume of session laws.
There are occasional slips in names and statements indicating imperfect proof-reading. On page 31 we find William P. Hunt. It should be Wilson. On page 32 it is stated that the Hunt party was near the site of old Fort Boise on Dec. 24. This could not be possible for they were in the Grand Ronde on New Year's Day and had been struggling for many days along Snake River in the vicinity of the present Huntington and up Powder River into the present Baker Valley. On page 33 we find Worth for Wyeth. We find Spalding spelled Spaulding, and De Smet appears as Demet.
But these and other slips are relatively of little moment and do not detract from the general interest and value of the volume.
Among the many items of interest in the history of legislative acts is the mention on page 370 of the fact that the Idaho Territorial Legislature acted as a divorce court and that a number of discordant couples were separated by act of legislature. One historical matter of much interest, which has almost drifted from the remembrance of the present time is the effort made in both Idaho and Washington, as well as Congress, to attach Northern Idaho to Washington, in 1885-6, and the final failure of the congressional bill to go into effect.