Tombstone, Arizona's Riches by James Harvey McClintock

Tombstone's Riches - Page 2

The principal mining companies during the palmy days of the camp were the Contention Consolidated, Grand Central, Tombstone Milling and Mining Company, Vizina, Empire and Stonewall. Water was struck in the Sulphuret shaft at 500 feet. The Grand Central and Contention put in pumps, but found that they were draining the district, while the other companies refused to pay a proportion of the expense. The Grand Central, which had surface works materially higher than any other in the district, kept pumping to some extent until May, 1886, when the surface works burned.

The Grand Central pump was modeled after those that had proved successful in the Virginia City section and is said to have cost $300,000. It was of the Cornish type, with an immense wooden pump rod, operated by a massive walking beam that reared about thirty feet above its foundation.

Tough Nut Mine near Tombstone, Arizona.

This beam and the equally enormous flywheel still are on the hillside, a monument to departed greatness. About a year after the fire, the Contention hoist and pumping works also were burned, this practically marking the closing down of the entire district.

In the spring of 1880 the Tombstone District had four towns. Tombstone then had a population of about 1,000, established on or near the Tough Nut group of mines. Richmond was a settlement a mile and a quarter to the southeast. At Charleston, on the San Pedro River, were the Corbin and Tombstone Mills. The Contention Mill was at Contention City, also on the San Pedro River. In this same area was also the "Old Bronco Mine," which had a dark history, in which was mixed the murders of sixteen men. Dick Gird claimed that the old Brunckow house had been the headquarters for a band of smugglers, who did a little mining as a blind.

Early in 1880, Gird was superintendent of the Tombstone Gold and Silver Milling and Mining Company, of which ex-Governor Safford was president, and which owned the Tough Nut and five other claims. On March 13, 1879, the Corbin brothers, Hamilton Distin of Philadelphia and Simmons Squire of Boston had purchased the interest of the Schieffelin brothers in the Tough Nut group for $1,000,000. Gird later received the same sum for his third.

The Corbin Company, comprising about the same interests, purchased the others of the original mining claims located by the Schieffelins and Gird, including the Lucky Cuss. The Grand Central, in the same period, was mentioned only as a prospect that had been developed to a depth of 280 feet.

Fortunes of Ed Schieffelin

Ed Schieffelin was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1848, and when only a lad was taken by his parents to Oregon. Disliking his father's occupation of farming, he ran away from home to prospect for mineral in Southern Oregon. Thereafter he knew no life save that of the prospector, in Nevada, Idaho, Colorado and New Mexico. He worked at anything else only in order to secure funds for another trip to the mountains. Almost continually his life was in danger from Indians of various sorts.

A description of him, written about 1876, tells that he was "about the queerest specimen of human flesh ever seen, about 6 feet 2 inches in height, with black curly hair that hung several inches below his shoulders. His long, untrimmed beard was a mass of unkempt knots and mats. His clothing was worn out and covered with patches of deerskins, corduroy and flannel and his old slouch hat, too, was so pieced with rabbit skin that very little of the original felt remained. Although only 27 years of age, he looked at least forty." It was about that time that Schieffelin had temporary service with the army as a scout, but in 1877 he was again punching a burro in the hills of Southern Arizona.

Ed Schieffelin discovered the first mine in the

Tombstone area.

It is probable that riches brought little pleasure to Schieffelin and that never again was he as happy as in his Arizona days. His brother died while still in possession of his share of the return from the mines and left his money to relatives.

Ed gave away large sums to old friends and to his family connections and lost much in speculations that proved him a very bad business man indeed. Dissatisfied with civilization, he moved from the home he had established in New Jersey, left his wife in California and again started out as a prospector, though on a rather elaborate scale. He bought a small stern wheel steamer and for a summer prospected the bars of the Yukon River in Alaska.

In May, 1897, his body was found in a cabin near Canonville, Oregon, death having come suddenly of heart disease. When his will was opened it was found that his thoughts had ever lingered with Arizona, for there was a direction that he was to be buried in the garb of a prospector together with his old pick and canteen, near the mines he had discovered. The wish was carried out and burial was on a lonely granite point, several miles west of Tombstone, where he had made his camp at the time of his discovery.

The monument, of cemented rock, is sixteen feet high and rests upon a foundation twenty feet square and, though out of the path of travel, can be seen from the car windows of the Fairbank-Tombstone train. Upon it is a simple inscription: "Ed Schieffelin; died May 12, 1897, aged 49 years 8 months; a dutiful son; a faithful husband; a kind brother; a true friend.”

Continued Next Page

<< Previous 1 2 3 Next >>

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Civil War & Military Photographs - From our personal Photo Print Shop, you can now order prints that provide dramatic glimpses into the Civil War and other military expeditions and battles that occurred during the days of the Old West . From battlegrounds, to generals, Indian Campaigns,the cavalry, and everything in between, you'll find it here and check back often as this varied collection grows daily.