Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
Tough Nut Street.
BY OREN ARNOLD.

1890 OMBSTONE, Arizona, once the civ
est" city between the Mississippi and
the Pacific, is planning to live again.
Its citizenship, now dwindled to
about 1900 IS preparing to revive
for week that extremely colorful period
around l881-when everyday life was hula
baloo of what we now call the Wild West.
When the noise recedes and the gun smoke
clears away, the world at large will know en-
phatically that Tombstone is so years old For
it is to be birthday celebration.
For week the present VIII fade and the past
reappear like a picture. Tombstone's streets
will see lumber wagons coming in from the
Chiricahua mountains. viii clank and claiter
with the noise of ore trains and mule SINNERS,
and whips and pistols.
Arcaded sidewalks again will be crowded.
REGISTERING throngs win be heard in laughter
from brilliantly lighted bars laughter measured
by the click of faro and the rattle of roulette
wheels.
Guests may see in vivid reincarnation many
of the great names Of yesteryear, the old
buccaneers who have shot and galloped through
innumerable pages of history and fiction. For
Tombstone lusty infant is to rise and live
again.
From the start the town has been stepped
In adventure of the most dramatic kind. To
those who know its story, the very mention
of the towns name brings to mind a rapid
panorama Of fighting and death, Of gayety and
pleasure in wild abandon, of murderous Indians,
of stagecoach robberies, of cowboy episodes, OF
honky tonks and dance halls. of gun battles, OF
all the tense excitement only a booming FROM
tier mining town can know. Over all the
colorful Western towns in fact or fiction, Tomb
stone boasts the embodiment of everything In
teresting in the flrm-chinned era just past.
STANDING today as a drab. dust-covered
collection of houses sprawled along "a
transcontinental highway, Tombstone is so un-
attractive as to make unknowing tourists won-
der why 1t Is there.
But Tombstone's glory is in its past and
that glory win be seen this Fall again when
time is jerked abruptly backward half century.
All Of Arizona will cooperate In the celebra-
ton, because the State is proud Of Tombstone.
Once it was the metropolis, with population
of 5000, when the second city had only 800
or 50. 1t gave to the State millions of dollars
in silver ORE and billions in romantic history.
Ed Schieffeiin will be at the party, not IN
person, for Ed died years ago in Oregon, a
lonely millionaire. but by proxy because he is
the father of Tombstone. Ed was the gay
dog who drifted West from Pennsylvania. dis
content with life on farm, and turned up IN
the 1905 in Southern Arizona, a swanky, hand
some fellow afraid Of nothing under the sun.
Romance lived within him, romance and the
spirit to 60 and do. to search and see, to find
and take. Exactly the type who would have
named Tombstone.
Ed was about to start prospecting alone the
hills of Southern Arizona one day when q
friend questioned him.
Where are you going, Ed?"
"Over there. Lookin for stones" he replied,
and mounted his mule to ride away. But as
that country was infested by murderous
Apaches his friend gave him a parting fling:
THE stone youu findu be your tombstone"
That same day two skeletons, bleached ON o
hillside with pile of nuggets between them,
led Ed to trace a rich silver float to q ledge
which he promptly christened Tombstone; and
f1led claim on the discovery under that name.
That was In 1879-50 years ago. Near the
spot thrUe years later stood . roaring helldo-
rado the town Arizona is preparing to re-
create this Fall
The job viii not be dificult. Chiefly, 1t viii
be a simple renovation and reopening, for
nearly every of the important buildings,
the famed landmarks, still stands. They are,
Of course In poor repair, but that wiz be
Temedied before the celebration begins
At one time the old Bird Cage Theater vas
the most famous amusement place In the West
It Is stin to be seen in Tombstone, is glory
somewhat dimmed by two decades of idleness
In it played the best vaudeville-variety 1t was
called then-actors the country knew prify to
1900.
Eddie Foy did things for the entertain,nent
of cowboys and miners, adventures and gam
blers, housewives and honky tonk girls, In the
old Bird Cage. Lolita Crabtree graced its
stage. They are two Of several who Ouee were