The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-10
ED SCHIEFFELIN,
Died May u, 1897,
Aged 40 wears.

A dutiful soma faithful husband-A kin
brother-A true friend.
1t was a simple inscription and might
well have been added TO, for not only was
he a good citizen, but he was also the dis
coverer of a ledge Of ore from which. in the
six years from 1879 TO 1885. thirty million of
dollars in gold and silver were AIKEN. 1t
was this thirty million dollars which made
Tombstone famous, though il must be adj
mitted that the name of the camp, unique
and picturesque as it is, added somewhat to
the worldwide notoriety achieved in so
short a time.
A few months after the discovery OF gold
by Schieffelin the surrounding hills were
covered with miners and prospect holes
pockmarked the earth for miles around.
The ore deposit was soon outlined. how
ever, and work was concentrated within a
comparatively small area.
The ledge was free milling quartz, which
required stamp mills TO crush il so the free
gold could be extracted. Six mills were
built on the San Pedro river, about ten
miles away, and three mills were built in
the camp itself. Water was the great ques-
ton, but the enterprising miners con-
structed a pipe line eighteen miles long.
The water was found in the beautiful Hua-
chuca range OF mountains and brought
across the San Pedro river up into the Mule
mountains, where the mineral was found.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CAME.
People came 10 Tombstone by thousands.
and in the prime OF the camp the popuia-
ton was at least ten thousand. Block after
block of houses were built. Big merchan-
disc establishments did a thriving business.
two stages a day brought passengers 10
and from the railroad. and in the language
of an old-timer, Tombstone was the warm
est proposition I'm the Southwest. Gambling
houses, dance halls and saloons multiplied
in number. and no nights revelry was COM
plete without the killing OF one or more
men.
ore was produced in enormous quantities
ore which yielded an average over $50 per
ton in gold and silver. The workings were
shallow-it was a poor mans camp. The
Contention" and 1.-THE Grand CentraI'
were the two large mines. but there were
numberless others which paid their owners
well. In the list Of properties which figure
in the early days OF Tombstone were the
Contention, Grand Central. the Prince OF
Wales. the Blue Bell. tranquility. Tough
Nut. Red Indian. Miser's Dream. Rattle
snake. Pick-Me-Up, Way Up. Gilded Age.
the Fraud. Gladstone. Byron. Never Sweat.
Swamp Angel. Nifty. Goodenough. Grave
yard, Old Mule and the Northern Light. In
1885. when Tombstone had produced its S3O.-
100000 and had become an apparently per-
manent camp. there were thirty-hve pro-
ducing mines. but the end was at hand.
and the crash came with a suddenness
which shocked the community into insensi-
bility.
At a depth OF 5e2 feet a large bed OF water
was encountered. The Contention and the
Grand Central being the largest and
wealthiest plants. soon had pumps ar work
10 keep the mines free from water. The
ether mine owners immeditely discovered
that the operation OF these two pumps was
sufficient 10 lower the water I'm the entire
district and they decided TO allow the Con-
tention and the Grand Central owners 10 do
all the pumping necessary 20 keep the thir-
ty-hve mines clear OF water.
II seems that underlying the hills was an
enormous body OF water In an extremely
porous strata. so that one shaft tapped IL
as effectually as If there had been thirty
five shafts. Tn owners OF the Contention
and the Grand Central naturally objected
20 doing all OF the pumping for the district.
and in the midst OF the dispute the pump
ing plant on the Grand Central burned
down. AS the pumps OF the Contention were
not sufficiently powerful 10 lower the water
level in the entire district. that plant closed