100 years ago
1922: 鈥淔lagstaff is arriving in a big way,鈥� declared Hon. T.A. Riordan, president of the chamber of commerce in his address before a joint meeting of the Rotary Club and chamber of commerce. Mr. Riordan spoke of the proposed auto line between Grand Canyon and Flagstaff 鈥� which the Harvey people have under consideration. There is also the possibility of a Harvey house here. Frank Goodman, newly appointed state engineer, called attention to the fact the proposed Oak Creek Road might not be considered by the government and urged quick action to save it. The meeting was one of the most important meetings in some weeks. Mr. Goodman advised that there was reason for apprehension as to the Oak Creek Road project, which has heretofore had good sailing weather. He has been advised by the district forester that this north-and-south road was not on the approved forest highway program and could not come up for consideration with funds made available by the act of Nov. 9, 1921, as the projects selected already for Arizona would greatly exceed available funds. The apportionment of funds comes before the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, U.S. Forest Service and state highway department. The federal program calls for the completion of the Flagstaff Angell Road east. This is estimated to cost the county $125,000 and if made permanent will run up to $277,000 鈥� which will make it impossible for Coconino County to make appropriations of the kind for several years. The Oak Creek road is one of Arizona鈥檚 best bets. It will connect all Arizona with the worldwide fame of the Grand Canyon.
The Flagstaff City Council met in special session Monday evening for the consideration of a number of important matters, among them being a new ordinance for the control of the snow and ice nuisance. This matter was threshed into shape and will be up for consideration at a meeting to be held Saturday night. Dan Hogan presented a petition praying for the extension of the city sewer to serve block 4-G in the northwest part of town, and the city engineer was instructed to prepare estimates of the cost of such improvements. The park committee was instructed to work in conjunction with the school board in the matter of securing deeds and perfecting the title of the city to the Clark ranch, which the city recently purchased. Adjournment was taken until Saturday night.
75 years ago
1947: A Flagstaff man, Bill Strickland, the object of a search in the area between J. Cox Mountain and Hutch Mountain in the Kinnikinick Lake region about 40 miles southeast of Flagstaff, was found unharmed by the crew of logging truck and taken to the Saginaw logging camp south of Mormon Lake shortly before noon Tuesday, the sheriff鈥檚 office reported. Strickland had been missing since Sunday afternoon when he became separated from his two hunting companions. All available sheriff鈥檚 deputies and a posse of local men, aided by riders and horses, had been searching the area since Monday night. The two men with him searched through Sunday night and on Monday afternoon reported the missing man to the sheriff鈥檚 office. Authorities immediately joined in the search and looked all Monday night. Tuesday, additional help was called in to the search. Strickland formerly operated a farm south of Winona and was believed to be very familiar with the country in which he was hunting. When he failed to rejoin his companions, fears were expressed that he had suffered injury in some manner, preventing his return.
Deer season has caused postponement of circulation of petitions regarding civic improvements for Sunnyside but with the closing of the season, members of the Sunnyside Improvement Committee are planning additional work on the petitions and other approaches to the area鈥檚 problems. Melbourne McCormick, chairman, said that he plans to call a meeting of the committee within a few days to work out means of circulating the petitions and consider other business, including the appointment of two new members to the committee. The committee has had three petitions drawn up, one asking for the formation of a fire company; one seeking incorporation with the City of Flagstaff; and the third against such incorporation. Other business to be considered by the committee include the improvement of certain streets in the area in order that school buses may be rerouted.
50 years ago
1972: Coconino was one of four Arizona counties today declared a disaster area following heavy rains and flooding that hit the state Oct. 18-21. The recommendation of Governor Jack Williams received the immediate approval of the state鈥檚 emergency council in a special meeting in Phoenix. The action clears the way for an application for federal disaster funds. Reports show the damage in Coconino County and three other counties would exceed $3.4 million. The region was blasted by violent weather, which left at least six persons dead in a four-day period. Residents in several communities were forced to leave their homes as floodwaters went over riverbanks. Reports of the state survey team confirmed the heavy damage to property.
Another major winter storm appears to be forming in central and Southern California. The system had spread rain into much of Southern California in the desert sections by midmorning, said Paul Sorenson, official in charge at the Flagstaff office of the National Weather Service. The whole mass is expected to push eastward into Arizona later this afternoon, bringing heavy snow to the higher elevations. There is the possibility for more than 6 inches of snow for Flagstaff. The snow level is expected to drop to 5,000 feet. Heavy snow warnings have been issued as of this morning for Coconino county.
25 years ago
1997: A Scottsdale man charged with murder made his first appearance before a judge, but it wasn鈥檛 in a courtroom. Phoenix resident Eric DeGraff ended up at Flagstaff Medical Center this week after allegedly shooting a Scottsdale man and then crashing into another vehicle on Interstate 17 near Camp Verde a few hours later. He was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Scottsdale resident Vincent Garcia on Sunday. He has not been formally charged in the car accident, in which a 24-year-old woman was killed. Though such bedside proceedings are rare, a Flagstaff justice of the peace says he has convened court in the hospital before. Defendants charged with a crime must make an initial appearance before a judge within 24 hours. DeGraff was conscious and nodded in response to questions but kept his eyes closed during most of the brief proceedings. Flagstaff Medical Center employees at first tried to bar the media from attending the initial appearance but relented after the judge threatened to hold the hospital security chief in contempt of court. Scottsdale police first began eyeing DeGraff as an investigative lead in the Scottsdale murder after he was linked to a license plate number taken down by one of Garcia鈥檚 neighbors. The killing may be drug related.