The Coconino sun., 1922-03-24

lit came to the writer to be one of the first to herd the stock at night. This was not very pleasant job, as rust lers were getting in their work when ever they could. Besides, there were some Navajos who were none too good to steal horses. 1 only lost two horses that night; but from that time on I was not called on to stand guard.
 We left the Little Colorado with all the water we could haul, hoping that when we got to Diablo canyon we would find plenty. Upon arriving at that point we found only 8 small amount, and the rocks were simply alive with rattle snakes. We con- cluded to leave the water to them and dealt out to each animal one bucket ful of water, a small amount for tired animals. Tie next morning we did the same, then made as rapid a drive as we could to Turkey Tanks, where found plenty of water.
 The next day we struck the place that is now the cite of the City of Flagstaff. This being the division on which we were at work, all hands turned to hauling ties from where the lumber mill now stands to build our quarters, there being some dozen Nor mon families there that the famous John W. Young had sent there few weeks prior to cut ties at IS cents each = bacon at 40 cents a pound.
 Then it began to snow, and we kept
 in our tents. The tents were none too good and we had to keep busy to keep warm. Luckily we had good supply of blankets. The storm kept up for two weeks and there was over two feet of snow on the level. The storm having stopped our freight, provisions began to run low, and MT. Kingman started with two four-horse teams for Prescott, then about the only town in Arizona outside of Tue son, and after an absence of some two weeks returned with good supply.
 We commenced our work by first laying out the bridge over the can yon six miles east of town. We made our cross-sections up to about where the lumber mill is now when the first instalment of freighters and graders came in. Then, from quietness, all was hustle, getting work started.
 One of the hardest tasks of all was to find water. We'll do I remember freighter coming up to our spring with dozen tired mules. We in- formed him that was our private wa ter supply and that he must hunt else where for water. Private be damned" he said. He was going to water his furnishing mules at that spring; without trouble, if he could, but nevertheless they were going to be watered there. We took ~him at his word, as he was just that kind of 9 fellow.
 The spring in what is now Old Town came near causing bloodshed the night before left. The graders had teams with tanks going all over the country hunting water.
 A little circumstance came up that gave me a chance to quit and get to Albuquerque. accepted the chance, as one of the main objects of my com ing out was to see what the outlook was for mineral, and my partner, who had returned from a trip about Pres colt and that country, reported that on account of the scarcity of water it would take years to develop the claim, so 1 threw up the sponge and started back east.
 The day before I started the first saloon opened near where John Clark's stables are now. We had the high toned residence of the country, being ties set on end, with wagon sheet cov- CTS for roof and pine boughs for a carpet, also for bed springs.
 With plenty of the best provisions the company could furnish us, we lived high and were able to help now and then some poor Mormon family, for l never saw people much poorer than the John w. Young people were.