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On 11 Jan 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt set aside the Grand Canyon as a U S National Monument. After 11 years of legal fighting, the Grand Canyon National Park was established. The Bright Angel Trail which leaves the South Rim and ends at Phantom Ranch on the north side of the Colorado River is 9.9 miles long. The trail was first built by the Havasupai Indians to access the Garden Spring for water a little ways down in the Canyon. Later, Ralph Cameron who moved to the Canyon Rim in 1890 started to built and maintain the trail and extend it to the River. 4.9 miles down the trail is Indian Garden, a rest area, outhouse, watering spot. Sidney Fred Jones lived in a small house at this spot for 5 years and was the Trail Ranger responsible for riding the Trail each day to make sure it was clear and open. He was on this job by at least 1915 and married a "Harvey Girl" who worked there before 1917 when their first child was born. Now to the Smith and Wesson part. Somewhere in this job he acquired a 1899 M & P .38 Long Colt. Not just any 1899, but one of the first Navy ordered pistols delivered in 1900. This order was for 1000 pistols and was numbered from 5001- 6000 by Smith & Wesson. the serial number on this gun is 5007 on the barrel flat, the front grip frame, and on the inside of the side plate. The Navy also had a set of serial numbers that they applied from 1-1000, this gun is numbered No. 1. The butt is stamped USN: the Navy Anchor or Trident ; a triangle with a B inside; NO. 1; C.A.B.; 38 DA . The stocks are original with no markings or numbers. The C.A.B. was for Charles A Brand, Lt. who inspected the arms. It would have been chambered for the .38 Long Colt and this would have been stamped on the left side of the barrel which was the official U.S.military revolver cartridge of its time, but Smith & Wesson couldn't quite bring themselves to mark the barrel with the word "COLT" so its was marked "S.&W. .38 Mil. This pistol has no markings on the barrel but the line series of Patents on top. Sometime later this gun was returned to the factory and the barrel flat, yoke, and cylinder all have the star with a I stamped, and the cylinder is now numbered 5038 and the extractor star is still numbered 5007. The ejector rod has the correct cap , but it is a nickel one.
If you have something to add, please do.This kind of History is fun and I like it. I wish this gun could talk. Sidney had this gun when he died in the 60's, and its now with the Family along with many old pictures from his days in the Canyon.
If you have something to add, please do.This kind of History is fun and I like it. I wish this gun could talk. Sidney had this gun when he died in the 60's, and its now with the Family along with many old pictures from his days in the Canyon.
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