Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-08-04
H. c. STILLMAN RECALLS EARLY
DAYS AT BISBEE ANNIVERSARY

H. G. Stillman, a pioneer resident
of Douglas, was the principal speaker
at the celebration of the 5Oth anni-
versary of the first mine recorded
in Bisbee, when the event was COM
memmorated by a large luncheon
held in the Copper Queen hotel.
Stillman came to Bisbee in 1877,
at which time he was the first sup
erintendent of the mining district
luncheon given in Bisbee Tuesday, at
which time the members of the
Rotary club, Kiwanis club and She
chamber of commerce held joint
luncheon, inviting all the pioneers
of the district.
Mr.. Stillman has resided in Doug
las for 26 years and yesterday he
recalled the day of March H. 1902,
at which time he stood on G avenue
where the Douglas Drug store isl
now located and shot three jack
rabbits.
Mr.. Stillman told of the many
pioneers who attended the celebra
ton Tuesday and stated that he saw
people at this time that he had
not seen for 30 years and more.
Following the luncheon a NUMBER
of those in attendance went to the
chamber of commerce in Bisbee where
q pioneers Organization" was form
ed. Forty-five members were ad-
nitted into the club. In order to.
qualify for membership, an individ
ual must have lived in the Warren
district for Is years. j. j. Bowen
of Bisbee was chosen president of
the organization.
Mr.. Stillnan received the attend
ance prize given by the Kiwanis club,
q handsome copper cigar case lined
with cedar The gift was presented
him in the name of the old pioneers.
Mr.. Stilllnan said yesterday ST
couldn't live in any other place than
Douglas. in fact it is the only place
to live. Chicago, New York, San
Francisco and other cities are all
right, but they will never amount tc
anything as they are too far from
Douglass
Following is the speech made by
Stillman at the luncheon:
IT cannot help but note," said Still
man in opening his address, ''the
striking contrast between the recep-
ton I have received here today and
the one given me when arrived in,
Bisbee SO years ago. One could have
hardly dreamed at that time that
Bisbee would be what it is today
There were a few tents and a stone
building in the vicinity of Castle
Rock"
The speaker told of how the COM
pany he was employed by nearly
gave up the struggle to continue its
operations here and of how a large
pocket of very rich ore was finally
discovered. He praised the record Of
the Copper Queen as one of the
most remarkable in the world "Just
think he said, .'tne Copper Queen
mines have been working cohtinu..
ously and without cessation for even
a day for the past SO years. 1
doubt if there is another record like
it in the world, and if we can Judge
anything from the past, the future
holds just as much promise for
continued operation as 1 am told
there is Is years of material in
sight without developing any addi-
tional ore bodies"
In describing the wild life of Bis.
bee at its very beginning, Stillman
recalled that of the first 80 men
Who died here since the camp was
founded "28 went with their boots
on
''The events of those days were
both ludricious and pathetic, and
shooting over trivial instances oc-
CURED often. Thank God, those days
are gone, forever, for they presented
rather hard conditions and circum-
stances to live under"
He described the famous robbery or
the Goldwater and Castenado store
on Main street and of the end of the
gang of robbers who performed the
deed-all of whom were hanged in
Tombstone with the exception of
Heath, an accomplice, who was
1ynched by a gang of Tombstone and
B1sbee citizens after he had been
sentenced to life. Imprisonment in
stead of being given the same fate
as the other outlaws
The art required to pilot success
fully three-wagcn train with 20
mules over a rough and narrow
mountain road, observations, of the
life and times of those early times
including a description of some Of !,
Blsbee's most famous characters, and
3 e