Re: How many Stars did the Flag have that flew at the original Golden Spike ceremony?

Photos appear to show far fewer stars than would be expected.

Per the attached list, there were 37 states in 1869, Nebraska having joined in 1867.

The ... WH Jackson photo appears to show stars ranked in 4 rows, 5 across, suggesting 20 stars on the flag.

Other photos showing the flag include the following:
AJ Russell Imperial view 225 Laying of Last Rail
Stereo view 538 Space left for the last rail at Promontory, Utah
Also check out the view down the side of the Jupiter (Imperial 223 at Oakland Museum?), with all the small flags on the hand rail and running board.

Kyle

Note my NEW address of kwyatt@parks.ca.gov

Kyle K. Wyatt
Curator of History & Technology
California State Railroad Museum

Train Wrecking & Federal law

I noticed in last Friday's SF Chronicle (front news section A) re the recent Metrolink accident that the indicted man may be prosecuted under the Federal law which -- if memory serves correctly about the law date enactment -- directly resulted from the deliberate derailment of a mail train on the CalP (and subsequent death to traincrew) during the Pullman Strike.
 
Kevin Bunker

How many Stars did the Flag have that flew at the original Golden Spike ceremony?

From: wwgorman@msn.com
Date: January 30, 2005 3:46:59 AM EST
To: museum@CPRR.org
Subject: Question

How many Stars did the Flag have that flew at the original Golden Spike ceremony. Some say 20, some say 37 but the photos on this site indicate that there might have been 20, 24 or 28 but not 37.
 
Photograph R0538 by Russell appears to be the best one for counting stars but on the web it is not clear how many stars are present. It definitely looks like 4 symmetrical rows which make the number of stars the previously mentioned 20, 24, or 28.
 
Thank you. 

Wm. W. Gorman, Jr.