The Coconino sun., 1926-12-03

had it's name and was recovering
from the big fire of 1886, only a few
buildings remaining.
Flagstaff was practically a town
of tents, with male population of
about three thousand, most of whom
were working with the construction
gang on the Mineral Belt railroad
The female population was fewer than
a hundred, with seventy-five percent
of them representing the butterfly
element, saloon singers ard dance
hall followers.
/ can now recall but four houses
here at that time that are still stand
ing. The most noted Of these is the
former D. nj. Riordan residence in
Milton, then known as the white
House" The two red section houses
and the John Clark house near Clark
spring were just undergoing construc-
ton by Asa Clark The latter and
his son Charlie, then boy of eight
cen, were patching in the old McMil-
Ian cabin, also known as the Hull
cabin.
Bill Hull told me some years later
than this cabin was the first struc-
ture of any kind erected in Flag
staff. He also pointed out the spot
where the flagpole had been raised
the historical Fourth of July, 1876
by the Boston party, of which Slow
Wilson was a member. The spot is
near the center Of the little open
park, now the Flagstaff baseball
ground in City park
AS | said before, Flagstaff had the
name when | arrived here; yet as
there are so many different opinions
as to just how it came to get that
name, I suggest that the few left
calling themselves old timers get to-
gether to fight it out, or rather to
tell what they know about it, and
then permit the newer population to
decide which is the most plausible
story.
Since my arrival here I can recall
several trees that had been trimmed
and had flags floating therefrom. A
Mr.. Hall, who lived in Old Town about
1891 or 1892 trimmed out a number
of tall trees all the way along the
railroad right-of-way from Old Town
spring to the Hoxworth tin shop.
These trimmed trees all resembled
flagpoles, and | recall certain
Fourth of July when at least two OF
them were honored as such with flags
flying therefrom, one Of which stood
near the former G. A. r. hall, the
present site of Rays service station.
About the same time another tree
was trimmed on the mesa east of
town at the Company target range.
| was captain of Company / at that
time and know positivel.y that this
tree could have had nothing to do with
the naming of Flagstaff. Yet | have
heard it referred to as the tree.
At meeting held in Old Town for
the purpose of establishing post Of
flee the selection of name came up.
Ed Whipple suggested Flagpole. Z.
]. Brannen offered to amend it to
Flagstaff, which was adopted. This
meeting took place before my arrival.
! have the above information from
hearsay. At that time Flagstaff,
trimmed tree, was standing IN full
view of everyone passing through
from any direction. This tree with
cut off limbs left for steps was still
standing when our camping party
trekked in. The location is on a lit
tie rise just west of the Union Oil
tanks in the northeast corner of the
Brannen addition, north of the Santa
Fe railroad track, being the north
west quarter of section %, township
81 north, range 7E. This was the
pine tree that had been trimmed by
Lieutenant Beal's survey party. The
tree had been dead many years when
| first saw it in 1887 but it was still
standing, firm but somewhat worm
eaten. In January, 1888, this flag