The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-08-21
THE DEATH OF TOMBSTONE.
The Once EIOurlShInG Town Has Lost
Its Rush and Hustle.
Taken Have Been Abandoned
and Machinery Stands IdIe.

l climbed to the summit Of the hill on
which is located the reservoir Of the Hau-
chuca Water company, writes a corre-
spondent Of the San Francisco ChFORiele.
Below was the Contention valley, in the
bosom Of which nestles the pretty and
once prosperous city Of Tombstone
Of i'll omen. The picture is 40 exceed
inEly pretty one to one who loves the
mountains and whose heart throbs in
unison with the music Of the drill aAd
hammer and the drop Of the tireless stamp
mill. There is no more picturesque place
in Arizona than Tombstone, none more
prettily located and not one enjoying
more salubrious climate or possessing a
more intelligent, enterprising and gener-
Gus population.
Its massive blocks and elaborate places
Of business are reminders Of the prosper
Gus days Of 1880 and 1885. During that
period millions were invested In mining
machinery, and within three years more
than 100000 were paid out in divi-
dends. Below lay the original discovery
Of the camp-the Toughnut mine. Be-
yond, TO the right, was the Contention,
the Grand Central and other properties
that contributed 90 much to making
Tombstone at one time the largest silver
producer in the country. estimated
and 1t was subsequently, confirmed by in
quiry at the Offices Of the mines-that !
was looking on hoisting plants and mills
that cost fully 100000.
This estimate does not include the long
since abandoned mills and smelters that
line the San Pedro from Benson to Charles
ton, and beyond the Nogales. These
latter must have cost several millions
more, and stand as reminders Of the
ignorance Of the character Of the ores and
the means needed for their reduction.
To-day but one Of them is in operation
the Grand Central mill-but they have
had their uses. They furnished the light
by means Of which their builders and
operators were enabled to find the
loadstone to attract the precious metals
from the ores Of Contention mountain.
Having served their purpose they were
abandoned, charged to profit and loss,
and are now rapidly decaying.
The plants that rested under the eye
were no more active than those that
fringe the San Pedro. Excepting one
little stack on my extreme left, they were
all idle. The cages were hanging idle on
the cables and rats and lizards inhabited
the adits. OF the army Of miners, whose
monthly pay once aggregated 100000,
less than hundred are at work to-day.
The streets that once swarmed with peo-
pie are now practically deserted. Blocks
Of handsome buildings are untenanted.
The variety theater, where serio-comics
cracked their voices and other peoples
ears and where newly made millionaires
healed those cracked thrOats with Jersey
champagne at "S5 for pints," only few
years ago, is now vacant, dark and dreaTy,
the boxes, that hang like bird cages from
the sides, still carrying a suggestion Of
wicked women, wasted lives, empty
purses and headaches. Three banks
have given way to one, and over the
whole hovers the evil spirit Of desoIation.
The transition came as in a night.
With the dying out Of the flames Of the
Grand Central, in 1886, came the gloom
that has since hung over the place. The
great strike two years before was an
injury to the camp, and It had scarcely
recovered from that when the other disas-
ter came. Five years Of idleness, five years
Of contraction in values, Of detraction
outside, Of waiting. And yet there are
here brave spirits who have never
wavered, never despaired. Through il
all they have stood by Tombstone. and
express determination to do 80 to the
end. The attachment men form for
mining camp Is stronger than that for any
other locality. In the end these loyal
Tombstoners will get their reward.
More disastrous than strike, fire or
water, was the act demonetizing silver.
That unrighteous law paralyzed the en-:
tire camp. The Grand Central Company
did not feel warranted TO replace pump
ing plant that cost between $3.50, 900 and
800, 900. Soon others ceased pumping
and the water gradually rose, and no one
n a - -aa- Z