From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coeur d' alene is a swiftly growing little city (County seat for Kootenai county) on the banks of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Home of The Museum of North Idaho, and "North Idaho College ".. North Idaho college is Built on or about the grounds of old Fort Sherman...Several of the fort's existing buildings are still standing on the Grounds....
Fort Sherman was a Garrison of mostly African American Soldiers. They went to war ahead of Teddy Roosevelt when he stormed San Juan Hill. While they were gone there was Union strife in The silver Valley and the St Joe Valley,(These were both a part of Kootenai county) soldiers had to be marched from other parts of the country to quell the problem with the "International Workers of the World." Also known as the "wobblies"... The Gem mine was dynomited and logging was disrupted till the strike could be settled.
St. Maries Idaho was a boiling pot with men who could not go to their jobs with out " The Red card" that symbolized their Union Membership.If it was found in their posession. They were jailed in town! If the loggers and Miners chose not to join a load of ruffians would be delivered to their camp and they would be forcably signed onto the union rolls or beaten.
Loggers were expected to bring their own bed rolls to the lumber camps and their mattress were stuffed with "tick" from the horse barn. Manure adulterated hay..etc. There are stories of camp cooks who put raisins in everything including the mashed potatoes to disguise the flys. There were no screens on the cook shack windows.Men were expected to stay in the camps for weeks or months at a time.
Steam powered stern Wheeler boats navigated the lake and River between the old Cataldo Mission in the silver Valley, and the board walks of St. Maries.
