Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-08-12
NUMBER /
A FAMOUS OLD MINER.
EDWARD scHlEFFELIN ONE OF TOMB
STONES DISCOVERIES.


True Stories Of a Most Typical western
Prospector-How the schienIelin Bxo4H-
ers and Dick Gird struck It Rich In
Tombstone Gulch.
The Pacific coast newspapers have
been full of stories about Edward
6chieffe1in, one of the discoyerers Of
the Tombstone mines, who was found
dead in a cabin in eastern Oregon. His
remains, according to his wish, now
rest upon the top of granite peak two
miles west of Tombstone. A. 7. He de-
sired, be said, ''to be buried in the garb
Of a prospeotor, my old pick and can
teen with me, and a monument suoh as
prospectors build when locating min
ing claim built over my grave and no
other monument or slab erected"
It seems to be generally felt through
out the Pacific coast that this plain.
ignorant, kind hearted old pioneer and
prospector, who had travelled many
thousands of miles in search Of new
mines, has thus unconsciously made his
mark upon our romance and history.
That lonely granite cairn in the desert,
rising upon the extreme point Of tree
less promontory, will long be pointed
out as the grave Of one Of the most IA
nous of American prospectors.
Ed Schiefeiin's one great strike
yielded him fully third Of 81 , 600, 600.
At various times in his adventurous
career he plodded painstakingly over
the widest portions of the Rocky noun
tains and Sierras, he visited Alaska.
Mexico, South America and South
Africa. but never again found such
mine When he died. his fortune. at
one time said to be over $500, 900, had
greatly decreased by reason Of bad in
vestments and costly expeditions
The story of the finding of Tomb
stone, that briefly famous Arizonian
mining city, has been told in many
different ways. until it is fast beoom-
ing one of the most attractive Of Pacific
coast myths The simple facts are that
late in the seventies the two Schieffelin
brothers and Dick Gird were prospect
ing, sometimes together, sometimes
separately, in various districts of Ari-
zona and New Mexico. It was a time
of terrible Indian outbreaks, and the
Apaches were on the warpath, killing
lonely miners and prospectors, attack
ing the stage coaches and running of
cattle. Ed Schieffelin finally wandered
into the neighborhood of a disputed
claim, the Bronco, where eight men
had been shot in various attempts to de-
eide its ownership, and was hired at 90
day to sit ON hilltop and look out
for Indians. One day, while hunting
up a stray horse, the hitherto unsuccess-
full prospector stumbled into what was
afterward called Tombstone Guloh and
found some copper stained rock on what
became the Tough Nut mine. This he
sent to Gird for an assay, and soon after
sent ore from the Lucky Cuss. When
development was begun, thin vein in
granite widened, and promised immense
riches The claims were sold for very
large sums, and when the Apaches were
driven out capitalists poured money in
to the district. But the mines did not
justify expectations. Tombstone was
very far from being second COmstock.
The unlucky Broncho never paid dol
lar. The Schieffelin and Gird claims
yielded for time but soon ran ont.
and the camp sank into decay.
The first time met Sohieffelin, that
most typical of western prospectors,
was about six years ago After hearing
some of his picturesque prospector
yarns told him about the various
treasure expeditions to Coos island and
the legends which had caused these ex-
elements He seized upon the glitter
ing tale of diamond hilted swords, bags
of doubloons and bars of gold with the
faith of child and at once offered to
fit out schooner for the islands and TO
pay my expenses as well as give me
third of the treasure if I would go along
to repeat the legend as often as desired.
He had prospected for almost every
thing, he said, except pirate treasures.
and he wanted those diamond hilted
swords to "put in his parlor"
/ did not know at that time the story
about his parIor. Having bought .
81, 900 house in the town of Alameda,
he kept several tons of quartz in one
corner, on top of which his old pros
pecting tools. burro's saddle and camp
outfit reposed when not in use. / never
heard what his wife thought Of this
unique furniture, but there is no doubt
that the diamond hilted swords would
have rested peacefully on the quartz
pile, and it was with sincere regrets
that acknowledged to him my entire
lack of faith in the picturesque Spanish
legend of Coos island.
Schieffelin's Alaska experiences have
long deserved a chronicler. He fitted
out an expedition years ago and pros
pected over vast areas of that region.
His little steamboat assembled the broad
Yukon, and the party wintered in the
interior One man, since dead, Charles
Farciot, remained behind when the
steamer returned to prospect further.
When he desired to return, he built one
of the most remarkable little steam en-
gines ever seen on the coast 1t was
made from few pieces of pipe and
some old cans picked up about the de-
serted Schieffelin camp. and his only
tools were q file and pocket knife,
with stone for hammer. He put this
rude little engine in the stern of small
rowboat left behind for his use and
steamed 1900 miles without an acci-
dent. The outfit was afterward on exhi-
bition in San Francisco and excited the
astonishment and indeed the profound
admiration of the best machinists. who
agreed in saying that Farciot's mechan-
ical genius was Of very high order
New York Post
Old Roman Swords.
The Roman swords, before Gamma.