C. Burton Saunders was the son of Judge J. B. Saunders, and was about fifteen years of age at that time. He was a student at Clark’s Academy in Berryville and it is possible that he had read of the discovery of Archimedes in his science books. But it is still a matter of dispute as to who suggested the name for the town. L. J. Kalklosch says:

“When the discovery of the Healing Spring was a certainty, the virtue of the water beyond dispute, and a village was springing up, the necessity of a name suggested itself to the citizens and visitors as they were. Some suggested that it be named Jackson Springs; others that it be called Saunder’s Springs; but a Mr. McCoy, who had no doubt read of the discovery of Archimedes, said to name it Eureka, ‘I have found it!’ This was agreed upon and the young mountain queen was christened ‘Eureka Springs.’”[11]

I know not what the truth may be regarding the naming. I tell these tales as told to me.

VIII
THE CITY IN EMBRYO

Eureka Springs was named on July 4, 1879 and it was a boom town from the start. Within a year there were an estimated 5,000 people living near the springs. L. J. Kalklosch tells about this phenomenal growth in the book he published in 1881.

“Little did Judge Saunders think in May, 1879, when he went with his wife and son to camp in the wilderness, miles from anything in the form of a permanent dwelling place, where the wild animals dwelt unmolested except when disturbed by an occasional pioneer hunter, and among hills seemingly intended for light footed animals, instead of man and domestic animals accompanying him, that ever a city, possibly the first in the state, should spring up in so short a time.

“After his cure was an established fact, the news soon spread, passing from tongue to tongue, and other afflicted mortals, hearing the good news in the wilderness, at once turned their eyes and footsteps in the direction of the star of gladness; and soon other cases of almost miraculous cures were creditably established.

“The news spread like wildfire. Poor afflicted mortals were soon seen drifting in from all directions. Rejoicing, over the cures effected, was constantly rising in the wilderness. Many heard of the wonder, went to see, as did the Queen of Sheba, whether what they heard was true, and they could exclaim with her that the half had not been told. Others with an eye to speculation, soon found their way ‘through the woods’ to the modern Siloam so that by July 4th there were about 400 people assembled in the gulch at the spring to celebrate the National holiday. As yet the great discovery had not been noticed by any of our Journals, but had been conveyed from lip to lip, and the visitors were principally from the surrounding country and villages of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. By the incredulous it was denounced as a ‘humbug’ and the more credulous with having foolish delusions, the effect of the water being attributed to the power of the imagination only. But as the doubting Thomases went one by one to see if what they heard be true, on their return they reported about as follows:

“‘I don’t know; there seems to be something to it. I never had water act so on me. People may get well, but I don’t know whether it is the water or not; they are swarming like bees and it is hard to tell what it will do.’

“The writer resided at Harrison, Arkansas, forty-five miles east and heard all the reports that went abroad, but believed it all to be a kind of excitement that would abate with the coming of winter frost. He had not thought enough of it to ‘go and see’ as did many of his fellow townsmen.