Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-07-01
TOMBSTONE, One
OF COUNTY'S
OLDEST TOWNS
by MRS. MARY c. WEBSTER,
1899 seventh Street.


road, over the Main Street Through
Arizona, the ride to Tombstone, a
little more than so miles, is very
enjoyable one.
Approaching the town on the high
way from -Bisbee, one sees a pic
turesque town, ideally situated on
high ground (the altitude is 454O
feet) with excellent drainage, as
gulches on each side carry off ALL
the surplus rainfall. On the south
side are hills which are filled with
natures richest metal treasures, and
east north and west are spread views
of plains and mountains which are
wonderful to behold. Eighteen miles
north are the majestic and rugged
Dragon mountains, and it is very !
much worth while to see just one
sunset reflected on the rocks of this
range, as viewed from Tombstone. |
Looking west one seems to see, many
miles away, an almost endless pla-
teau, rising into the purple peaks of
the milestone range, but between
Tombstone and the Whetstones, lies |
part of the San Pedro valley and
the railway station of Fairbanks. |
North and east from Tombstone are
little hills and gulches with noun
tains in the distance, the Mules;
Swisshelms, Chiricahuas, Grahams,
and a glimpse of the White noun
tains can be seen from nearly any
road leading out of Tombstone
Thirty miles south are the beauN=
full Huachucas and the water supply
for the town is piped from a spring
in Miller canyon of this range I
have counted at least IL different
ranges of mountains, approaching
Tombstone either from the north
east or the southwest.
Tombstone was discovered in Febru-
ary, 1878, by Ed Schiefflin. The odd
name originated through a jest made
by a man in Tucson who told Schief-
film when he started on his prospect |
ing trip to take along something with
which to chip his name on a rock,
because he undoubtedly would need a
tombstone before his friends saw
him again. At that time the Apache !
Indians were on the warpath in the
vicinity. The friends also told him
that when the Indians were subdued
he and some other friends would come |
out and find this rock and .inscribe an
epitaph on it. When Schiefflin found
tn silver ore, he named the claim
Tombstone" took some samples of the
ore and hurried back to Signal, where
he had it assayed by an assayer, Rich |
ard Gird. When the ore showed 500
ounces of silver, to the ton, Ed Schief-
film, with his brother, Albert, and the
assayeY, Richard Gird, formed a part
nership and went back to Tombstone.
They staked out more claims, and these
were soon bonded for 100000; within
a few years 100000 had been taken
out of the mines. In 1882 the Schief-
film brothers and their partner sold
out for the sum of $1,8OO,OOO, which
they divided equally between them.
Despite the fortune which he had
made, Ed Schiefflin died a poor man;
his death occurred in Oregon in the
spring of 1897, near Grants Pass. He
had been dead several days before the
body was found by some prospectors
whose attention was attracted by a
faithful dog that was keeping watch
over his masters body 1t was his
wish, specified in his will, that he be
buried in the garb of a prospector,
with his pick and canteen by his side,
on top of the granite hill three miles
west of Tombstone, where he had first
camped when he started on the pros
pecting trip which led to the discovery
of the Tombstone mines. The body
was brought back, and on Sunday,
May 23, 1897, the prospector was laid
to rest among the hills and rocks he
loved so we'll. In his will he had di-
-
pectors build when stalking claims,
should be erected from the granite
boulders that are strewn so thickly
over this HILL The monument is 30
feet high and has a 10-foot square
base 1t is distinctive landmark
which can be seen from the railroad,
and is very close to the Bankhead
highway, going west from town.
After surviving all the thrills and
roughness of a genuine western min
ing town, Tombstone has settled down
to calm existence; there are num-
Der of old time relics to be seen there;
the Bird Cage theatre building, which
was famous as a dance hall in the
early days, is one of them. There are
a number of other buildings, includ- Il
ing the substantial brick court house
built in 1882: the city hall, and Schief- 4
film hall, which was erected in honor
of the Schiefflin brothers in 1881
Tombstone has an excellent school /
system which compares well with any
in the state; the schools are housed in
three good buildings, one of which is
the modern union high school built
in 1922, and to which pupils come from
a distance of rs miles and more.
There are number of nice resi-
dences and garden; nearly anything
dences and gardens; nearly anything
supply of water. There is also a good
swimming pool, which is open during
the summer months.
At the present time the mines are
under the management of the Bunker
Hill Mines company and are being OPP
Grated to a great extent by leasors
TWO or three small mills are also in
operation, being used to work the ores
to small extent.
There are several restaurants, two
or three garages and service stations,
several stores and first class bak-
cry, splendidly equipped, from which
L. I