Evening star., 1884-07-26
Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR

TOMBSTONE. A. T.. July A. 1884.
Your correspondent arrived last night in this
young and bustling city of a brief and brilliant
history. The town is about five wears old, and
yet II mas been the theater OF many interesting
ana even startling. events. Tie chief interest
OF the place clusters around the rich and mex
haustible mines which have been discovered in
this vicinity. and which have already yielded
gold and silver valued at s., 00O, 600.
For three successive years there were a will d
rush of people to this mining district from all
parts Of the land A few persons accumulated
large treasures, but the wheel OF destiny
turned out blanks to vast majority of the
fortune hunters. These mines have now reached
depth OF 900 feet. at which point water in great
volumes was encountered. neceSsitating heavy
pumping machinery. On one mine the Conten-
ton, large Cornish pumps have been erected.
ana oy their aid the miners have been enabled
to sink a hundred feet below the water level,
but on account of the heavy flow, it was neces-
sary to stop work until pumps were place d in
the adjacent mines.
STRIKE IN TOMBSTONE.
The expense of working in the water being so
much greater, CSused the mine owners to de-
mand of their miners that they should work at a
lower rate Of wages than "a per day, which
had been the prevailing price, The min
ers refused. and hence work is now entirely
SUSPENDED and about 500 men are thrown
out OF employ ment. This state of things
leads naturally to stagnation In every depart
inent OF business, and gives to the town an air
OF dullness and desertion. But we have good
reason to believe that a compromise between
employers and employees will soon be effected,
when business vigOr will return with redOubled
force. The permanency of the mines is assured.
and, notwithstanding the present financial
crisis, the Immense resources which lie in this
region are destined. in their speedy develop
ment, to inaugurate brighter and better day
for the people of Tombstone All the elements
OF civilization have been incorporated into this
community, notwithstanding the wild and start
ling stories which have been circulated with
reference to the character and habits of the
people. 1t cannot be denied that there has been
much rufianism here in former days, but the
clylliZing Influences of education and religion
have created a great change in the population
OF the place.
THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS
There is public school building here very
handsome in its proportions and excellent in it's
appointments. which was built at an expense of
$4,000. and the pupils number at least three
hundred. There is also new $50, 600 court
house $4,000 city hall, an excellent hotel
(the 0ccidentaD and four neat and comfortable
churches There is daily newspaper. with the
expressive name Of the Tombstone Epitdph
HOW THE TOWN WAS NAMED
The original discoverers of the immense wealth
buried in this soil was Ed Scheffeln who left
Tucson in 1878, having learned that there might
be vast mining resources in this region, which
was then occupied by the Apache Indians. and
whose chief. named Cochise, had his headquar-
tiers established in the neighborhood The
famous prospectOr and true type of frontiers
man faced boldly all the peris which lay in his
path, and in a few years laid the foundation Of
a magnificent fortune, which he still lives to en-
JOY. When Schieffelin lett on his prospecting
trip. which resulted in the discovery of these
mines. his friends in Tucson advised him that
he was more likely to discover his tombstone
than anything else. This SO impressed him that
he named the camp Tombstone, which it has
borne ever since, and the Epitdph has given a
faithful record of the wonderful history Of the
place. w.