Tombstone epitaph., 1922-02-05
A coMMENDABLE MOVEMENT


Society, is most commendable one.
Here work that calls for the cooperation of every
citizen of city and vciny work that has long been
neglected and the Importance of which has been under
estimated On several occasions in the recent past, it
has been endeavOred to such organization under
way. and that the interest Of who are bet
ter equipped to make success of the venture has been
aroused and with such enthusiasm that the of the
move is practically assured at this day.
Tombstone is rich i'll historical data well as count
less historical relics of the days of the.eary Southwest
which at present scattered about the city. stored in
remote places and unknown to the majority of the resi-
dents of the city itself When gathered and properly
hbited in fitting locality these objects alone will draw
hundreds of visitors to view the display. which he
made to breathe the spirit OF days gone by.
Then there the history of the beginning of the in
dusria development of the great Southwest which his
tory largely about Tombstone then the greatest
mining community of the frontier country.
The Tombstone of the early days the mecca of
a people who in class and distinction matter of
history The that transpred in those days when
the law 45 and life the cheapest thing in every
day existence clearly portray the obstacles by
the steady march of civilization until today find the
fruit of the seed planted by the rugged pioneers Of those
lawless days-the flOurishing state of Arizona.
OF historic Tombstone much has been written, until
today it is known in all parts of the United States and in
many foreign countries As proof of this many
sOns letters addressed in foreign country to resi-
dents of this city, marked only Tombstone have been
delivered to the proper persons to whom they were in
tended. The addresses bore neither the words u $ A
nor Arizona yet they reached their destination due
time.
1t is indeed very fortunate that today Tombstone
still boast OF the land marks which
have been spared through Providence that preser
vaon and stand they did in the early days Chief
among these is the Bird Cage theater unaltered any
particular but standing as it did when the miners and
cowboys train robbers and cattle thieves gamblers and
bunco artists, Tipped their free flowing gold at the feet
Of the highest priced stage performers that the best thea
ter circuits of the country could produce.
Also there is the history of the staid and
element and their struggle for the transformation of the
wild and woody Southwest fro section where Might
ruled Right and the Golden Rule forced to give way
to the Rule of Gold.
While many and able historians have made Tomb
stone their topic in years by there is much in the
of real history that they failed to grasp Not
indication of their inability to the subject properly
but because of the fact that many who participated in
of the events of those days loath to assist in
turning them into the channels of preserved history To-
day this task is made easier the spirit of letting
bygones be bygones has buried itself deep into the
lives of those who verable fountains of historical
data and that which withheld in keeping with the
best policy of saying little and live long, has been divug
| ed in later years.
There is certainly splendid opportunity the
present time for the compilation of the best history
written of Tombstone and the early Southwest and the
organization of society for that purpose should meet
with the hearest cooperation of all the citizens of this
city Already considerable interest has been taken in
movement throughout the state and is safe to
sumo that many interesting historical happenings will be
brought to light and preserved for those who have fol-
lowed the trails bazed by the real developers of the south
western United States.
i Arizona is in line for rapid stride of development
the present time The giant projects which have been
the dream Of farsghed builders for the past decade
taking the form of certain possibilities. Then is it
fitting that the history of the past be brought
to date properly for the Arizona of today bids fair to
be hardly recognizable in the Arizona of decade into the
i future.
! Anent the forming of the Tombstone Historical So
ciety the Tucson Citizen says:
II "A movement has been formed at Tombstone to
ganize corporation to acquire certain objects of hstor
ca interest in that place and preserve them for the pub
lie Among other things it is proposed to purchase and
restore the famous Bird Cage theater mentioned in AL
fred Henry Lewis Wofville Tales The need of pre-
serving historical objects and data concerning pioneer
day communities illustrated recently when half a
Arizona newspapers were engaged in controversy
the question of whether Tombstone Charleston
the Wolfve of the Lewis Stories the question being set
tied in favor of Tombstone by reference to the stories