Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-03-28
miscellaneous Artielr5.
From the Greenbrier (va.) Era.
MYSTERIOUS DISCOVERY.
Cov1NGroN, Va. Feb. 9, SO.

lot of hands were laboring on the Gen.
trail railroad, in this county on Mr.. Ca
dy's section, they cut into a large open
ing, and they continued the cutting OIL
excavation, until the hole grew to be
about 10 - feet deep, and six feet wide
and not very rugged. The cut is about
800 feet from the river, (Jackson's.) On
the following Sunday, some of the hand:
penetrated into the hole, they say, about
400 feet and that its course was direct
towards the river, and that they could
hear very distinctly the roaring of the
water in the river. This being the case,
some of the hands, with few neighbors,
determined to explore little farther.
They went in about two o'clock in the
morning, seven in number, and when
they had progressed as far as they tho't
the middle of the river, a stream of wa
ter, about the size of a mans arm, was
pouring from the roof of the cave, in a
bowl or pool, and not perceptibly esca-
| ping anywhere; but, of course it passed
off through some sink hole, and entered
into the river at some point below. They
went around the pool and continued, as
they Judged, in a direct course, until the
track commenced ascending, and a little
winding in its course. They came into
large opening or room, with the ap-
pearance Of being perfectly round, and
as large as the largest sized house. They
found some difficulty in getting out of this
place, as the ground assembled very rap
idly. Immediately out of this place they
came on a perfectly level table, or floor.
about fifty feet square, and about ten feet
high. Here they sat down to rest them
selves upon a stone, and while lounging
about in this room, they discovered
man, and on close examination it was
found to be a dead man. He had by his
side full huntsman's equipments. He
was found in the position of man sleep
ing, and what is remarkable, he had not
decomposed, but seemed to have cone
through a process Of drying, and when
touched would crumble to pieces like dry
dirt. One of the party took hold of one
foot, and almost as quick as thought it
left the leg. They did not disturb the
corpse any further, and proceeded on
their journey. In a few minutes thev
discovered daylight, which was found to
proceed from a hole or cave on the north
side Of the river, which had never been
penetrated by any person to our knowl-
edge. They came out and crossed the
river on the bridge.
On the following day, ten or twelve of
the neighbors entered the cave through
the same opening that the former party
had come out, and proceeded directly to
the dead man, and upon close examina-
ton they found a pocket-book containing
papers, but no money. Among the pa-
pers are seven bonds, SOME for large
one for $1,000, dated in the
year 1923; some others are dated 1926;
all of which were given or signed by old
settlers in this and Bath county; and if
the circumstances under which the bonds |
have been kept from the light. will bar
the limitation law, (as Ihave no doubt it
Will some Of our very worthy men will
be placed in rather embarrassing circum-
stances, as they will be held responsible
for the bonds to the full extent of the
inherited by them as heirs of
the signers of the bonds.
The bonds are all made payable to
John a. Cross, who lived on and owned
what was called the old Hansbarger Sur
vey' IN the lower end of this county,
Some Of our people seem to have some
idea of the man, and think, that # was
thought, at the time, that he was drowned |
but as all is rumor, and every person
with notion of his own, and As the casa
has had but short consideration. I will
write you again, when the case and the
shall have assumed some
shape as l have no doubt they will.
G. o. II.