Arizona Star's: Tombstone

From Tucson to Tombstone

Tucson and Tombstone's Early Years...1877 -1881

A collection of historical documentation from the Arizona Star Newspaper and McLelland Collection

New (10/16/07) The bill for the repairing and keeping in repair the San Xavier church which we learn has passed speaks well for the legislature. San Xavier is one of Arizona's relics which ought to be preserved and although bills have been introduced several times into legislatures of the past, they have for some unknown cause been defeated or smoothered in the committee. This relief for the benefit of this old structure will be a score for those who supported the bill.

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The Old Pueblo (Tucson) held fewer than 6,000 souls and statehood was still 35 years down the road when Louis C. Hughes and Charles H. Tully published Tucson's first Daily Bulletin on March 1, 1877. It lasted 28 days. The fledgling newspaper soon was revived as the Arizona Tri-Weekly Star, closely followed by a new name: the Weekly Star. On Jan. 12, 1879, the newspaper finally settled on a name that would last awhile: The Arizona Daily Star. Stagecoach arrivals and details on the latest gunfight filled its pages. Editor Hughes even kept a Colt .45 nearby as a way to dissuade disgruntled readers. Nearly to 200 newspapers would come and go during Arizona's rough and raw territorial days. Among the survivors: the Arizona Daily Star - today, Southern Arizona's largest news-gathering operation.

June 24, 1877 ...."Mexicans or Americans".... E. N. Fish received news yesterday that his heard of mares were stolen from Whipple's Ranch, 9 miles north of Tucson. Mr. Samuel Hughes sent some men in pursuit of the thieves although it is not known as yet where they might have gone to nor whether they be Mexicans or Americans.

July 4, 1878 ...."Tucson Dogs"....Probably there is no town on the American Continent "blessed" with the number of canine species as Tucson, and probably there is not a people, who so greatly ignore the dog ordinance. The nuisance has become so great that it is dangerous to pass along the streets after dark, and frequently we hear of attacks being made on persons by vicious dogs, little children too are in great danger. The nights are made hideous by barking dogs and sleep is often, almost impossible. The City Marshal has a duty to perform and the Mayor of the city should see that the law is enforced. The people ask it, demand it...Do your duty.

September 12, 1878 ...."Tucson's New Telegraph Line".... (partial) We are happy to note that a project to establish a telegraph line from Tucson to Arivaca and from there to Sonora line, is to be perfected in a few days. Col. Witherill is the moving spirit in the enterprise and informs us that the line can be erected and fully equipped for the sum of $5,000. he visited the office of the telegraph supply company in San Francisco and there made his estimate and arranged for the purchase at good figures.

September 12, 1878 ...."Tombstone, The Greatest Known Developments on the Coast"....(partial) The news from the Tombstone district is attracting the attention of the people of Tucson at present, and they have every reason to feel elated over the developments that have recently come to light. Gird & Co. who bonded their mines to San Francisco parties for $90,000, are now jubilant over the fact that the said parties failed to count on time. They have every reason to feel jubilant, and we rejoice that the wealth to be derived from the group of mines included in the bond is to be realized by our own people. The result of examination by the most correct and experienced mining men in the country who have taken the pains to make careful estimates for their own use is astonishing, but we give it, after being fully convinced that the statements are correct from those who have no interest whatever in the mines of the district.

October 24, 1878 ...."The New Mining District, Tombstone"....(partial) The sound of the hammer and drill are heard on all sides. The quick, sharp report of mining blasts at various distances tells you where the prospector is at work. Stray over the hills and ravines and every now and then you will pass some shaft or hole where men are busily at work. Look closely into these men's faces and you will observe a very pleasant expression. Small rolling hills between the Huachuca and Dragoon mountains, with the San Pedro river as their western base constitute the Tombstone Mining District. What is this yellow, chalky brown colored earth they pile up so carefully? It looks less valuable then the porphyry and limestone rock surrounding it. Take a small piece of it to an assayer and he will tell you it contains gold and silver, sometimes running up into many thousands of dollars per ton. A wonderful mining region and how strangly named! Can it be possible that the party or parties who formed and named it were grave men?

New November 7, 1878 ...."Gird & Schieffelin"....(partial) Good news of rich mines and finds still continue to come in. Several owners of mines and prospectors have been in town the past week having tests made of ores and all agree that this is the richest district ever known. Messrs Gird and Schieffelin still continue work on the "Tuff" Nut with the same remarkable results. Work on the Contention has been suspended pending some new arrangements being made.

December 12, 1878 ...."Ike Clanton's Tombstone Restaurant".... 10/15/07 - Tombstone Mill Site is now the scene of activity . Houses, shanties and ?????? are going up rapidly, and several families are now on the ground. A restaurant has been opened by Mr. Ike Clanton. The foundation of the mill site is being blasted and leveled off to receive the structure that is now being rapidly shaped up at the timber and saw mill camp in the Huachuca mountains. A splendid road is being graded from the mill up to the mines. The Mormans are progressing finely with the ditch and dam. Everything connected with this enterprise shows that Corbin & C. mean business, and how long we may expect to see a genuine silver brick.

December 12, 1878 ...."Tucson's Home Sweet Home"....Prof. Dick Brown's vocal and instrumental concert in which he will be assisted by several Tucson amateurs, will take place at the courthouse on Tuesday evening next. We have before us numerous press comments from different papers published in the states which comment highly upon his musical skill. His character songs, with banjo accompaniment introducing "Home, Sweet Home," the Perl waltzes etc., with variations, is said to be the finest in America. He will be assisted by Prof. Medina, Bernardo Rodriguez, guitarist, Messers J.P. Clum, Jacobs Goldtree, Rice, and others. The house will undoubtedly be crowded.

New January 9, 1879 ...."Tucson/Arizona's First Candy Shop"....(partial 10/15/07)A new enterprise. We stepped into Mr. Chas. Schulz candy manufacturing yesterday and were agreeably surprised to find they were turning out all kinds of confectionaries of the very best quality, for the sum of fifty cents per pound. They will be prepared next week to fill any and all orders in the line of candies, cakes and other things found in confectionary establishments. "We find" as the jury say that no adulterated candies will be made from the fact that the cost of adulterating stock will cost as much as the prepared sugar, which they bring from St. Louis, adulterating material must be brought from Nova Scotia.

New January 23, 1879 ....No Liquor In Tombstone.... (partial 10/15/07) Tombstone is looking better and brighter everyday, and every time I go round the district I see fresh tents in every nook and corner. The upper town is growing daily and is now a town of some importance. There are three restaurants now so that one stands a chance of getting a square meal. Mr. Coleman has just arrived here and opened a first class restaurant and as he in an intelligent and clever man. I have no doubt he will make it all right. There was a report the other day that Gird & Company had prohibited the sale of liquors on their mining claims: if this is the case, the upper town will not grow so fast.

February 6, 1879 ...."Our Letter From Tombstone", Jan. 25th, 1879....Things are looking lively here during the last week. We are to have two more mills, one to be a steam mill and when one visits the various ore dumps it can be seen that there will be plenty of work for these mills and they cannot start working too quickly. Mr. Corbin paid us a visit together with Gov. Safford. Mr. Corbin is here to arrange for the erection of the steam mill and has selected a mill site adjoining Gird's site on the river San Pedro. All are pleased to see our Eastern friends have so much confidence in our mines. I think they will not regret the steps they are taking.

Richard Gird was appointed postmaster for Tombstone and he takes hold as if he understood the ropes. There is to be a first-class restaurant at Waterville in a few days. Mr. Davis, and his good lady having come here for that purpose. There is also a place at the upper town where you can get a good square meal now. Kept by Messrs Coleman and Brown and the boys say it is as good as they could wish for. Brown is an old hand and knows how to manage a business.

The mining news during last week is not very exciting, with the exception of the discovery on the Wedge claim, which has been opened up and shows a splendid vein five feet wide of first-class ore. It makes Walker smile when he looks at it and has seemingly come to light to keep the Sunset company, as it is the adjoining claim. The Contention, or Western company, is working away with splendid results, and all our visitors want to know why the Grand Central is idle. I cannot answer the question. There is no doubt about it being a very valuable property and could be worked to great advantage, as there is no scarcity of ore, and good ore at that. Dr. Gardner is having considerable work done on his south extension of the Grand Central. I have not had time to visit that claim this week, but will report next time. I think there is little doubt that the rich lode lately discovered on the Grand Dipper extends north into Dr. Gardner's claim.

There are a great many wells being sunk near the upper town, but as the warm weather approaches the water gradually sinks and the lower town, or Watervale, is the only place where a permanent supply can be obtained. The mail arrived as usual at the unearthly hour of one o'clock this morning when everybody is of course fast asleep. I should think with any sort of horses, say, with three changes, it could be made in daylight instead of coming at snail's pace and keeping passengers seventeen hours on the journey.

February 13, 1879...."Tombstone".... (partial) Our news from the Tombstone district is of the most flattering kind. In all of the mines in which work is being done good ore is coming out and some of these mines begin to show bodies of mineral wealth. The Merrimac mine has a shaft now down seventy-five feet on an angle of about forty-six degrees, vein pitching west very rapidly. The body of ore shows eight feet to twelve feet width of a high grade. The Princess mine, on which some little prospecting has been done, shows an immense body of high grade chlorides. The width of the vein cannot tell yet ???? the shaft and crops on either side eight to sixteen feet. The A??aranth, which joins the Princess is a fair counterpart, and same class of chlorides has been exposed. The vein is considered one of the best. In the Contention they are drifting on the 113 foot level and marvelous are the ?????? of large and rich ore. The Gird, Safford and Corbin properties are being exploited in all directions with as I understand perfect satisfaction to all, while their ten stamp mill on the San Pedro is nearing completion.

Ruins of the old Abobe Brick Kilns in Tucson. A 1937 John P. O'Neill photograph. Image courtesy Library of Congress

New February 20, 1879...."All capitalists and mining sharps"....(partial 10/16/07) Tombstone, Feb 15 - After the last three months excitement there is now a lull in camp. All the capitalists and mining sharps have gone back to tell their friends what we have and to arrange for machinery and working capital to develop our mines. I think there have been very few here inspecting our mines without making some purchases. to be continued.....

New "Our Indians"....Numerous complaints are heard that the San Carlos Indians are somewhat restive. Whether it is the fault of the Government, the agent, or contractors we are unable to say, but is a matter of the greatest moment to our people that this grievance be speedily removed. We cannot be too careful in the control and management of our Indians. They are now at peace with all our people on reservations, many engaged in industries and progressing, in a degree, to a state of civilization. But this state of things cannot long exist if the Indian is forced to live on half rations. The Government either ought to see that they are well fed, or not feed them at all--either support them entire, if such is the contract, or turn them out to grass with a military force sufficient to make them respect life and laws of property--subject them to the laws and penalties as other persons. But to half feed them in a pen is nothing more nor less than educating in them the wolfish spirit. A hungry stomach is often the cause of law breaking among the most civilized. Can we expect more of the savage?

The present policy of controlling the Indian is producing somewhat satisfactory results, but how long it will continue is as uncertain as the weather. The true and ultimate policy of the Government ought to be the removal of all the tribes into the Indian or some other territory set aside for them. This is the only policy since the establishment of our government which has produced good results. in the meantime let the red man be placed under military arm of the government.

New March 6, 1879...."Politician John H. Behan & Son" ....(10/16/07) Hon. John Behan, member of the last legislature, accompanied S. W. Carpenter, recorder of Pima County, arrived here (Tucson) from Prescott on Monday morning last. They report a pleasant trip, and that the people of the northern portion of the territory are turning their attention this way.

New Master Albert Behan....(10/16/07) son of Hon. John H. Behan, accompanies his father to Tucson. Albert was a page in the last territorial Council. A bright active boy, he is suffering slightly from deafness, and will be sent to San Francisco in a few weeks for treatment.

New "Tombstone's Grantville"....(10/16/07) Grantville is the name of a town site just laid out and surveyed in Tombstone district. It adjoins the Gordon and Three Brothers mines. Excellent water has been found at sixteen feet, and already quite a settlement has been started, and in a few days permanent buildings will be in course of erection. The exceeding richness of the Gordon and Three Brothers warrants us in saying that Grantville will be one of the large mining camps in Tombstone. The Gordon is down fifty feet and the Three Brothers is being rapidly developed.

New March 20, 1879...."Tucson Stage to Tombstone"....(partial 10/15/07) The Tombstone stage leaves Tucson every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, immediately after the arrival of the eastern and western mails. Time seventeen hours. This line is equipped with fine coaches stock. (Tucson to Tombstone: $10.00)

Home To be continued as time permits....Articles/writings will be inserted chronologically upon recovery from files. 10/13/07 E-mail

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