The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23
TOMBSTONE'S OLD COACHES.
TREASURE BOXES FOR WHICH BOL
ROBBERS LAY IN WAIT.

LkODDeTy Et0uuCCu " n
ionnl Mishnps to Bnndits-Brave Drivers.
TUCSON. Ariz.. April 1o.-The recent sale OF
the last OF the four stage coaches which ran be-
tween FL Paso. Tex. and the famous mining
camp OF Tombstone. Ariz.. twenty years ago
and transported hundreds OF passengers and
tens OF thousands OF dollars In bullion is reviv-
ing the memories Of all the old-time miners In
the Territory concerning the glorious days OF
stage coachinR In Arizona and the hair-raising
experiences the coach drivers and occupants
had with desperate bandits and accomplished
hiRhwaymen. The surviving coach has been
bought by a circus. and will be used for exhibi-
ton purposes In a Wild West act. For eleven
years the battered. weather-beaten and bullet
marked vehicle stood in q barn at Benson. The
other three coaches were broken up and de-
stroyed years ago. A Benson man. realizing
that some day there would be a new interest
In the fourth coach. bought IL In 1884 for $50.
He sold It last month for 800.
When the Tom gold and silver mines
were opened in March. 1879. and a tow OF
10000 people grew UP In fourteen months.
there we're no railroads In Arizona. Tho near
est was the Texas and Pacific. with its western
terminus at Ell Paso. some 220 miles east from
Tombstone. The Southern Pacific and the
Santa Fe railroads did not build into the Ter
ritory unit 1882. When tho news went abroad
that Richard Grid and Ed schseffelin had found
ore that went 900 ounces to the ton in silver
and S45 a ton In gold. every mining camp In
Arizona, New Mexico. Colorado and California
was thrilled. When reports came In May. 1873.
TINT other and later miners on the scene at
Tom bstone were making from $4,000 to $4,000
a month each in the sulphurets. thousands OF
half-orazy mon went hurrying over mountains
and across deserts to Tom bstone. Throughout
the hummer and fall OF 1879 and during the
whole Of 1880 and 1881 there was no camp In
the West except Leadville that compared in
wealth production and Gayety with Tom bstone.
First and last $S.OO0.0 900 was taken out OF the
Tombstone mines.
The international Express Company was or
ranized In Galveston. Tex. In June. 1879. to
run q stage coach line between Tombstone and
II Paso. The concern was a part OF the Wells
Fargo Express Company. Four stage coaches
were put on. and zach was to make q round trip
from the railroad to Tombstone every i've days.
There was room. within and without. for four
teen passengers on each coach. The company
knew that IL was going to do stage coaching In
the widest and most lawless part OF the Union
at that time. and took precautions to protect
its passengers and its bullion. The treasure
boxes were doubly strengthened. the drivers
were armed with the best weapons. and .
guard, who was an expert shot and sat always
with q short rife in his lap. rode on each coach.
In some localities among the San Rita Noun
tains two armed guards rode on every coach.
But with all these precautions the Tomb
stone stage coaches were probably held up
oftener during the first two years they were
run than any other coaches In the Union. The
coach sold. tho other day was held up by
masked robbers fully twenty-five times in
three years. four times In the month OF Sep
tember: 1870. It's front and sides show where
half . dozen bullets pissed Into or through It.
The route from. Tombstone TO Ell ,Paso led
through 200 miles OF country where, no white
men lived In those days. except the garrison
at Fort Bowie. There were vast stretches OF
alkali plains. where a white man was not seen
for weeks at a time. A better region for high
way robbery could scarcely be imagined.
.There were on the route passes miles long
through the San Felipe and Dragon
mountains. There were outs where outlaws
might be In concealment for days until the
stage coach was upon the scene. and
then the robbers. in absolute security. might
suddenly call on the driver to stop and allow
the coach to be robbed. The mountain fast
nesses abounded in safe hiding spots. whore.
among the granite boulders and ninty trails
even an Apache Indian would have difficulty in
tracking fugitive marauders. In those days
the police system OF Arizona was a farce. and
the few United States marshals and other peace
officers were too deeply absorbed In mining
possibilities in Tombstone to give time to
chasing bandits. So the wagon roads from
Tombstone to q Paso. and also from Tomb
stone to Tucson and thence to Yuma and Los
Angeles abounded with highwaymen.
The money and bullion carried by the Tomb
stone stage coaches was an inducement for
desperate outlawry. In the hold-up at Mas
eallero Pass in October. 1880. the robbers got
twenty -four pounds Of gold bullion. besides
$500 In cash taken from the passengers. and
q lot OF diamond studs. rings and gold watches.
1t was not uncommon for a coach out OF Tomb
stone to carry $16,000 or $4,000 In bullion.
and for each passenger to have from 5000 to
$4,000 in his leather-belt grips. 1t is reckoned
that the four stages between Tombstone and
El Paso carried about $65O.O00 in bullion dur
ing 1880. while the stages westward from
Tombstone to Yuma and Los Angeles. via Tue
son. carried as much more. Major George
Hardness OF DeminG once rode as guard on a
, coach from Tombstone to Fort Bowie that
d. carried 800 900 in coin and bullion. This for
tune was intrusted to a numbering vehicle and
: two men. over a 200-mile route where murder
might occur at any moment. There was no
other way OF getting the metal to market.
The bravery OF the drivers OF the Tombstone
! stage coaches is still q theme that all the old
timers in this region well upon with particu-
lar fervor. A half dozen drivers were killed by
outlaws on the route to Ell Paso. and as many
. more were wounded by men in ambush. But
the stage company never knew q time when It
could not find some one to risk his life In
driving q coach over any part OF the route.
The pay OF a driver was $50 a month. After
the hrst six months OF the company's existence
two relay stations were established. and there
after tho drivers had to drive only fourteen
hours at a stretch. aud they made better time.
I: There were four and six horse teams to each
y coach. and 1t not only required a vast deal OF
NERVE to sit outside the stage as a target day
and night for outlaws. but. further. the work
demanded the very best OF driving skill and a
lot of physical endurance. With the express
eompany's iron bound. blue-painted treasure
box. holding about a bushel. under the drivers
seat. with a sawed-off shotgun and several PTS
tolls close at hand. the coach driver would gath
or a bunch OF leather reins In each hand. and
yelling sharply at his horses to start UP. would
go out Of Tombstone In a whirl. II any stage
driver ever felt a twinge Of fear when he looked
into the muZzle OF a loaded and cooke rife in
the hands OF a masked outlaw he never be-
2r.yad HE faalipps RI hia nearest Com DADjon