The Coconino sun., 1924-08-01
SHALL cocoNlNo COUNTY BE THE GOAT?

To sell not to sell the Bright Angel Trail i
not political question 1t has to do only with
the proposition of whether or not the taxpayers
of Coconino county have good business sense, OF
are political freaks.
No sane Individual has ever claimed, nor woulC
one with good business sense offer to pay 100000
for the Bright Angel Trail.
The Bright Angel Trail would have been sold al
the drop of the hat for half that amount when il
was owned by private individuals.
So why should the taxpayers be made the goat
now when the government knowing existing con-
dtions in Coconino county, wherein 80 per cent OF
all lands belong to the government makes us an
offer which in good truth is partly a gift and
partly trade?
Senator Cameron in his speeches before the u.
S. senate committee said that 100000 would
just fill IN the bitches and dig the sage brush out
of the Maine-G Grand Canyon road"
He also asserts: 1T was my money, my energy,
and my perseverance that resulted in the building
of the Bright Angel Trail and also the GrandvieW
trail into the Grand Canyon and made it possible
for tourists not only from the United States but
from all over the world to come and see the great
est scenic wonder yet discovered"
Senator Cameron also told the senate commit
tee this: Il pioted one of the first parties that
ever went to the south rim of the Grand Canyon
and took wagon there in February, 1884, The
man III charge of that party was Mr.. Ayre OF
Chicago, one of the big lumbe11nen in Chicago in
terested in telegraph and telephone poles There
was strip of timber along the south rim of the
Grand Canyon and he had heard of it and wanted
to go out and investigate it. I-had been out the
previous year with a cowboy and a Supai Indian
and spent two or three weeks out there looking
the country over was the only man in Flagstaff
at the time who had ever been out there He
asked if would pilot the party out, and did,"
Captain John Hance, claimed to have dug the
Grand Canyon and piled it up, making the San
Francisco peaks.
AS near as we can ascertain, the location anG
work done in making the Bright Angel Trail, was
through the efforts of Pete Berry, Niles Cameron
Bob Ferguson and Mr.. Mcclure. Senator Cam
eron, who was sheriff and had been in a CONNER.
cial business in Flagstaff up to about 1898 took
over the rights of these pioneer trail builders
when the branch line of what is now the Santa Fe
was building north from Williams. Old timers
will not agree that Senator Cameron either built
the Bright Angel Trail or financed it. They agree |
that they turned their rights over to him and he
took charge after being defeated for sheriff by
Fletcher Fairchilds in 1898.
This is all history and the records are on file.
We regret that Senator Cameron's attitude I
must lead us to believe that his private enmity |
towards the Santa Fe railroad is much stronger /
than his desire to help Flagstaff and Coconino +
county taxpayers.
Then, in debate over the proposition, Senator
Cameron takes this attitude, which to our mind
would indicate he was against building roads in
Coconino county, except possibly the one from
Williams to Grand Canyon:
"Mr. Norbeck. | can not see anything in the bill
that would take the trail away from the county.
The Senator says the county is opposed to selling
it, The bill will not force them to sell it, as
derstand it.
"Nlr. Cameron. If the bill goes through they Fl
would turn the trail over to the national park sys-
tenn and there is 100000 provided for the build
ing of road which the county has not any right
to build and will not build if can help it."
Senator Cameron has offered no relief bill for
Coconino county, even in the form of a strike
O1ll with no possible chance of passage
Senator Cameron says the Bright Angel Trail 6
IS one OF Coconino county's greatest resources +
Will the cattlemen, sheepmen and sawrnills agree
that $4,000 or $4,000 year is our greatest asset
That will hardly appeal to men who know and "
pay the taxes h
1t may be that Senator Cameron favors Will t
Jams strongly that the financial interests of s
flagstaff and the big end Of Coconino county do i
lot appeal to him. However, we are more con-
strained to believe that his personal and political
ceilings are more centered against the Santa Eel r
ailroad and Fred Harvey. v
But why should CocOninO county be made The y
'oat? Fighting corporations has often made d o,
nan politically Fighting them toolong after the Ib
light is all over is bad political strategy The
eople eventually will come to the 'front.' even
hough they are awfully, awfully slow. Is
The Sun does not like to disagree with Senator q
ameron on this subject, but we can see no legti
nate way out of it if we would help Coconino W
Ounty.
1t is doubtful if the Prince of Wales ever wells ps