Tombstone, Arizona’s Riches
By James Harvey McClintock in 1913.
The story of Tombstone, Arizona’s riches is one steeped in the lore of the Old West, a tale not of simple economics, but of audacious dreams, unforgiving landscapes, and the ever-present specter of fortune and failure. Unlike the calculated ventures of modern mining, the genesis of Tombstone’s wealth was interwoven with the very fabric of frontier life – romance and excitement. The allure of quick riches drew men from far and wide, transforming a desolate corner of the Arizona Territory into a bustling boomtown, a testament to the seductive power of silver.
The narrative begins in the winter of 1877-78. Ed Schieffelin, a man driven by an insatiable hunger for discovery, found himself employed in assessment work at the Brunckow Mine, situated about a mile north of what would become Charleston. The Brunckow, discovered in 1858 by a Polish scientist who lent it his name, had proven to be a disappointment, a cruel mirage in the desert of opportunity. However, while others toiled, Schieffelin’s gaze was drawn to the surrounding hills, an area shunned by most due to its forbidding terrain and the lurking threat of Apache warriors. Undeterred, he ventured into the unknown, driven by an unwavering belief in the possibility of striking it rich.
As he prepared for one of his prospecting expeditions, a companion, perhaps half-jokingly, questioned his destination. "Where are you going, Ed?" he asked. Schieffelin’s reply was simple: "Just out in the hills to look for stones." The companion’s parting words, however, carried a weight of grim humor: "The stone you will find will be your tombstone." Little did either man know how prophetic those words would become, albeit in a way neither could have foreseen.
Legend has it that on that very day, a short distance below the future site of the town, Schieffelin stumbled upon some rich silver "float" – loose pieces of ore that had broken off from a larger vein. He followed the trail of silver, tracing it to a ledge upon which he placed his foot, exclaiming, "At last, I have found my Tombstone, Arizona’s riches!" He officially recorded his claim, christened "Tombstone," in Tucson on September 3, 1877. This initial discovery was located several miles from the burgeoning camp of Tombstone and approximately four miles from the San Pedro River.
Upon completing his work at the Brunckow Mine, Schieffelin journeyed to Silver King, seeking out his brother, Al, who had relocated to Signal in Mohave County. He presented his sample of silver "float" to Dick Gird, the assayer at the Signal Mill. Gird, immediately recognizing the potential, was captivated. Together with Al Schieffelin, he accompanied Ed back to Southern Arizona. Soon after, letters arrived in Signal, carrying the electrifying news of their discovery, triggering an exodus of eager prospectors towards the promise of Tombstone, Arizona’s riches. The original "Tombstone" claim, ironically, did not yield the fortunes initially hoped for. However, the development of several claims staked out on the very site of the town soon after its establishment proved far more lucrative. These included the Tough Nut, Goodenough, Lucky Cuss, East Side, and West Side mines, names that echoed the grit and determination of those who sought their fortunes beneath the unforgiving Arizona sun.
The influx of prospectors and miners rapidly transformed the landscape. A tent city sprung up, quickly evolving into a rough-and-tumble town characterized by saloons, gambling halls, and a constant influx of hopefuls seeking their slice of the Tombstone, Arizona’s riches pie. The discovery of silver spurred a period of rapid growth and development, establishing Tombstone as a major mining center in the Southwest.
Not long after the arrival of the Schieffelin party, another significant discovery occurred. Ed Williams and Jack Friday, while camped in the area, awoke to find their mules had wandered off in search of water. The animals had followed an Indian trail, dragging a chain attached to one of them. In the morning, the men tracked the mules, following the telltale marks of the chain. Williams noticed a bright gleam of metal where the iron had scraped against the earth. It was here that they stumbled upon the Contention Lode, arguably the richest location ever discovered in the district.
The mules, unknowingly responsible for this momentous discovery, were eventually found in the Schieffelin camp. The new mine was aptly named "Contention" due to the dispute that immediately erupted over its ownership. Schieffelin, understandably, was less than pleased that a stranger had discovered a valuable mineral deposit so close to his own claim. The quarrel was eventually resolved through a division of the ground. The Schieffelin interests took the lower end, retaining the name "Contention," while Williams and his partner claimed the other portion, naming it the "Grand Central." Gus Barren, a skilled miner and a friend of Schieffelin, was summoned from Mexico to oversee the development of these newly established mines.
The Contention Mine was soon purchased by J.H. White and S. Denson, representing W.D. Dean of San Francisco, for $10,000. At the time, this was considered an exorbitant sum by the sellers, who could not foresee the immense wealth that lay hidden beneath the surface. The mine would soon prove to be a source of immense riches, generating millions of dollars in silver.
The principal mining companies that thrived during Tombstone’s heyday included the Contention Consolidated, Grand Central, Tombstone Milling and Mining Company, Vizina, Empire, and Stonewall. Water became a major obstacle as the mines delved deeper into the earth. The Sulphuret shaft struck water at a depth of 500 feet, creating a significant challenge for the mining operations. The Grand Central and Contention companies installed pumps to manage the influx of water, but their efforts inadvertently drained the entire district. The other companies, unwilling to share the cost of pumping, refused to contribute to the expense.
The Grand Central, with its surface works located higher than any other in the district, continued pumping operations until May 1886, when a devastating fire destroyed the surface works. The Grand Central pump, modeled after those used in the Virginia City mines, was a marvel of engineering, costing an estimated $300,000. It was a Cornish-type pump, featuring an immense wooden pump rod operated by a massive walking beam that towered thirty feet above its foundation. Today, the beam and the enormous flywheel remain on the hillside, silent monuments to a bygone era of mining grandeur.
About a year after the fire at the Grand Central, the Contention hoist and pumping works also succumbed to flames, effectively bringing the entire district to a standstill. The fires signaled the beginning of the end for Tombstone’s mining boom.
In the spring of 1880, the Tombstone, Arizona’s riches District encompassed four distinct towns. Tombstone itself, with a population of approximately 1,000, was centered around the Tough Nut group of mines. Richmond, a smaller settlement, was located a mile and a quarter to the southeast. Charleston, situated on the San Pedro River, was home to the Corbin and Tombstone Mills. The Contention Mill was located in Contention City, also on the San Pedro River. The area was also home to the "Old Bronco Mine," a site with a dark and violent history linked to the murders of sixteen men. Dick Gird claimed that the old Brunckow house had served as the headquarters for a band of smugglers who used mining as a cover for their illicit activities.
Early in 1880, Gird served as superintendent of the Tombstone Gold and Silver Milling and Mining Company, with ex-Governor Safford as president. The company owned the Tough Nut and five other claims. On March 13, 1879, the Corbin brothers, along with Hamilton Distin of Philadelphia and Simmons Squire of Boston, purchased the Schieffelin brothers’ interest in the Tough Nut group for a staggering $1,000,000. Gird later received the same sum for his one-third share. The Corbin Company, representing similar interests, acquired the remaining original mining claims located by the Schieffelins and Gird, including the Lucky Cuss. During this period, the Grand Central was still considered a prospect, developed to a depth of 280 feet.
Ed Schieffelin, the man who initiated the Tombstone, Arizona’s riches, story, was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1848. As a young boy, he moved with his parents to Oregon. Disliking his father’s farming life, he left home to prospect for minerals in Southern Oregon. From that point forward, he dedicated his life to prospecting in Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, and New Mexico. He only took other jobs to finance his next expedition into the mountains. His life was constantly threatened by various Native American tribes.
A description of him from around 1876 paints a vivid picture: "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." He briefly served as a scout with the army but returned to prospecting in the hills of Southern Arizona in 1877.
It is likely that riches brought little lasting pleasure to Schieffelin. His brother died while still holding his share of the mine’s profits, leaving his fortune to relatives. Ed gave away large sums to old friends and family and lost much more in unsuccessful business ventures. Disenchanted with civilization, he left his home in New Jersey and his wife in California, returning to prospecting on a grand scale. He purchased a small stern-wheel steamer and spent a summer prospecting the bars of the Yukon River in Alaska.
In May 1897, his body was found in a cabin near Canonville, Oregon, having died suddenly of heart disease. His will revealed his enduring connection to Arizona, stipulating that he be buried in his prospector’s garb, along with his pick and canteen, near the mines he had discovered. His wish was honored, and he was buried on a lonely granite point several miles west of Tombstone, near his original camp.
His monument, constructed of cemented rock, stands sixteen feet high on a foundation twenty feet square. Despite being located off the beaten path, it is visible from the car windows of the Fairbank-Tombstone train. A simple inscription reads: "Ed Schieffelin; died May 12, 1897, aged 49 years eight months; a dutiful son; a faithful husband; a kind brother; a true friend."
In the early days of Tombstone, A.L. Grow, who had arrived from Signal, played a key role. By 1891, he was a local agent for several companies, and in 1894, he expanded his oversight to include the Grand Central property. He conceived the idea of consolidating all the district’s mines into a single corporation to manage the water issue and unlock the flooded lower workings. Grow secured bonds on all the properties but failed to secure funding in New York and London, despite coming close to success.
In 1901, E.B. Gage took over the bonds. Gage had extensive knowledge of the property, having served as superintendent and later president of the Grand Central Company. The new controlling corporation, the Tombstone Consolidated Mines Company, was a subsidiary of the Development Company of America, organized primarily by Frank M. Murphy of Prescott, who controlled stock in mining companies at Imperial, Congress, Poland, and other Arizona locations.
Near the old Contention workings, the Boom shaft was sunk to a depth of 1,080 feet, with the aim of tapping the ledge at depth. Silver ore was discovered, and there was optimism about finding a large copper deposit further down. Other shafts were cleared and equipped, and an expensive 40-stamp mill was constructed. However, as the mines deepened, the water problem intensified. A dozen large boilers were required to power pumps that raised 8,000,000 gallons of water daily, with fuel costs alone reaching $700 per day. The company incurred debts exceeding $5,000,000, with limited returns from the extracted ores, as the main workings never reached the anticipated high-grade ore. Disaster struck in June 1909 when water entered the fuel pipes under the boilers, extinguishing the fires. The water quickly flooded the shaft, disabling the pumps. New pumps were lowered, but it took 15 months to drain the pumping station at the 1,000-foot level. The expense proved unsustainable, and on January 19, 1911, the fires were extinguished, and the water was allowed to rise unchecked. On August 10, 1911, the company declared bankruptcy. On June 23, 1914, the Phelps-Dodge Company purchased the entire property of the Tombstone Consolidated Mines Company for $500,000 at the receiver’s sale.
Phelps-Dodge, learning from its predecessor’s experience, chose not to attempt draining the area but instead embarked on an exploration of the ground, a process that could take years before pumping operations resume. During the bankruptcy period, Mr. Grow served as the trustee, managing to generate $46,000 through a leasing system with minimal investment. The Phelps-Dodge Company now controls approximately 150 claims in the district.
In the aftermath of Tombstone’s failure, the Development Company of America filed a $15,000,000 lawsuit against the Southern Pacific Railroad of Kentucky on June 4, 1914. The complaint, based on the testimony of Frank M. Murphy, referenced the Southern Pacific’s role in thwarting Murphy and the Santa Fe’s efforts to enter the transportation market in Southern Arizona.
The case involved an agreement where the Southern Pacific was to acquire 51% of the Development Company’s stock for $3,500,000, gaining control of the Tombstone, Imperial, Congress, and Poland mining companies, as well as a railroad out of Red Rock and a concession to build a railroad into Mexico. The Development Company alleged that the Southern Pacific, through its president R.S. Lovett, promised to loan the company $500,000 in July 1910, but failed to keep the agreement. As a result, the Development Company was forced to borrow under unfavorable terms, eventually losing the hypothecated stock and forcing the mines to close due to a lack of funds.
The Commonwealth Mine, discovered in 1894, led to the establishment of the camp of Pearce. Two years later, the property was sold for $275,000, despite the deepest shaft being only fifty feet deep. A 200-ton mill was built at the mine but was destroyed by fire in June 1900. It was replaced by an eighty-stamp mill, which operated until December 1904, when the mines were shut down. The ores were believed to be leaner than initially thought, although the stated cause for the closure was a cave-in. The mine reportedly produced approximately $4,000,000, mainly in gold, over four years. The owners were from Pennsylvania, including Senator Boise Penrose. In the following year, Swatling & Smith, former heads of the mining and reduction departments, paid the owners $200,000 on lease percentages and were believed to have earned at least as much more for themselves. In 1909, Swatling & Smith, having purchased the property, added to its equipment, only to have the mill destroyed by fire again. The mine is credited with producing at least $10,000,000 in gold. The property is still in operation.
Written by James Harvey McClintock in 1913, compiled and edited by Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated January 2024.
Notes and Author: This article is primarily a tale told by James Harvey McClintock between the years 1913 and 1916 when he published a three-volume history of Arizona called Arizona: The Youngest State. However, the article that appears here is far from verbatim. While the story remains essentially the same as originally published, heavy editing has occurred for spelling and grammar corrections, revisions for the modern reader, and updates to this historical tale. McClintock began his career working at the Salt River Herald (later known as the Arizona Republic). He later earned a teaching certificate, served as Theodore Roosevelt’s right-hand man in the Rough Riders, and became an Arizona State Representative. He died in California on May 10, 1934, at the age of 70.
Also See:
Arizona – The Grand Canyon State
Arizona Lost Mines
Gold Mining in America
Mining on the American Frontier