Show member of powell expedition credited with naming famous ic le painted desert of arizona frederick S dellenbaugh of new york the only survivor or oc major J W powell a company who first went down the colorado river in the november issue of science magazine corrects any false impression pres slon as to who named the painted desert region ot of arizona mr Dellen Dellenbaugh baughs a letter in science a reprint of which was waa sent to D S spencer of salt lake la Is as ag follows in silence tor for october Oc toler page there Is a statement that the painted desert region was first discovered by coronado in 1604 1504 and was named by him el bl pintado desterno Desler to the area called the painted desert in arizona was waa named by lieutenant J C ives in 1858 this can easily be verified by reference to the report ot of lieutenant ives on his hl expedition to explore the lower colorado river when he traveled overland eastward into the region in question ans ana applied the name on page 76 of the geological part written by dr newberry that report states under the heading painted desert Dea ert after crossing the little colorado at lt camp 85 a detachment ot of our party struck northward ascending the mesa wall which bounds the valley north ot of our crossing place we entered a region to which the above name was appropriately given as aa indicative ot of its barrenness and desolation as well as aa ol of the peculiar scenery which it exhibits and on page SG 86 he writes the erosion then reached the surface of the marl series and thence to the distance of 40 or 50 miles we could see walls walla and pinnacles of red and white rising abruptly from the green plain producing the peculiar scenery ot of the td desert it would seem that dr newberry was the real author of the name painted desert since ives in his narrative does not mention it but ad it had his approval it may be accredited to his expedition in general he placed it on his map between the little colorado and the Alo aloyuis quis copl towns there seems to be an obsession to attribute to the spaniards the naming of the natural features they never saw major J W V rowell first explorer of the grand canyon of the colorado gave it that name yet I 1 have heard of some boma trying to ascribe that name to the early spaniards |