The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-07
tAEs IN TOMBSTONE.
1he Present Appearance Of the
Once Famous Silver Camp
s Of Arizona.
1kllions Sunk In Costly Mining
Machinery Which is Now
Rapidly Decaying.
&ulnous Effect of Demonstrating Silver
still Hope of Revival in
Mining.


pondent of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Below was the Contention valley, in the
bosom of which nestles the pretty and once
prosperous city Of Tombstone-name of ill
omen. The picture is an exceedingly pretty
one to one who loves the mountains and
whose heart throbs in unison with the music
of the drill and hammer and the drop of
the tireless stamp mill. There is no more
picturesque place in Arizona than Tomb
stone. none more prettily located, and not
one enjoying more salubrious climate or
possessing more intelligent, enterprising
and generous population.
Its massive blocks and elaborate places of
business are reminders of the prosperous
days Of 1880 to 1885. During that period
millions were invested in mining machinery
and within three years more than S., 600 900
were paid out in dividends. Below lay the
original discovery Of the camp-the Tough
nut mine. Beyond, to the right, was the
Contention, the Grand Central and other
properties that contributed SO much to
making Tombstone at one time the largest
silver producer in the country. l esti-
mated-and it was subsequently, confirmed
by inquiry at the offices of the mines-that
was looking on hoisting plants and mills
that cost fully $5,0 GOO, Goo.
This estimate does not include the long
since abandoned mills and shelters that
line the San Pedro from Benson to Charles
ton and beyond the Nogales. These latter
must have cost several millions more, and
stand as reminders of the ignorance Of the
for their reduction. To-day but one of
them is in operation-the Grand Central
mill-but they have had their uses. They
furnished the light by means of which their
builders and operators were enabled to find
the loadstone to attract the precious metals
&vrx~, <HaO n$ f0v,%n k...~
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 a 100
are at work to-day. The streets that once
swarmed with people 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 mil
lionaires healed those cracked throats with
few years ago. is now vacant, dark and
dreary, the boxes, that hang like bird cages
from the sides, still carrying 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 desolalion.
The transition came as in a night.
With the dying out of the flames of the
Grand Central in 1885 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 disaster 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.
stone, and express determination to do
so 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
righteous law paralyzed the entire camp.
The Grand Central company did not feel
warranted to replace pumping plant that
cost between $a5O,00O and 100000. Soon
others ceased pumping, the water gradually
rose, and no one could work below the
later level.
While work was prosecuted below that
level no change was found either in the
value or the characteristics of the ores.
there was no reason to believe that with
silver at a fair price the large dividends
should not be continued indefinitely. Those
riches are still in these mines, under the
water. They cannot be reached unless the
water is lifted, and that means the expendi-
ture of sum approximating 81 ,0OO, 900. No
one company feels like going to this ex-
pense, since its pumping would help all its
nelRhbors; indeed, every mine in the camp.
Efforts have been made to consolidate the
great interests of the camp and Jointly
erect q pumping plant, but without success
thus far. All miners agree that the body of
water encountered in this camp is enor-
nd khpA to- tn boo \.
but With silver permanently at from &1.15
to $l.2O this difficulty would be soon over
come and Tombstone would once more be
itself.
With the advance of the price of silver
comes new hope. Nowhere is the progress
of the silver bill watched with greater inter
est than in Tombstone. All its hopes are
conferred in that measure, as are those of SO
many camps less widely known, scattered
along the mountains from the Mexican line
to the British boundary.
The eastern railroad and iron men who
are blindly following the lead of the gold
bugs in the fight against silver would find
on Contention mountain food for thought
Aside from the correctness of the financial
theory advanced by the double-standard
economy not to be despised. In this county
of Cochise I venture the assertion that
more than O,O00, 600 has been invested in
mining machinery. Most of this was
purchased within five years, from 1875
to 1884 In its wake followed railroads
and other machinery, the value of which
cannot be computed. This being true of
this small camp, what is the value of the
mining machinery of the country? Is not
this great interest entitled to protection
What would be the effect to completely par
alyze it2 The iron works of the country
would feel it Immediately and SO would the
railroads. For instance, there is one camp
in the northern section of Montana-Butte
City-that, according to the report Of Pres
ident Charles Francis Adams, alone fur
nishes one tenth of the business done by the
entire Union Pacific system. Is it good
statesmanship to cripple such an industry
All over the country, wherever foundries
and machine shops are located, the infu-
ence of the silver miner is potent. Tens
Of thousands of the highest priced work
men are kept busy to make machinery fol
the mines, and this in the very sections
where the cruelest blows are struck the in.
dustry. The railroads derive the greatest
benefits from the mines. They haul the
maohinery. the ores and fumes; they carr,
the product to the mints most of the sup
niles and transport those who work in tn
mines and those who subsist on them. Fore
most among the friends of silver should b,
The railroads and the manufacturers.
Thsoo are the thoughts suggested by
yisit % this rich yet abandoned mining
eawn. whose life and energy WAS we'll nigl
anulcd ont by the demonstration OF sill
yer.