The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1872-04-11
Home Correspondence
Highland County Coal Region

Highland County Coal Region.
ED. NEws:-In a certain town.
ship Of Highland County, Ohio,
there Is hill. On top of the hill
there is a house, small, one-story
brick building, with a big brick
chimney at one end, and a small
brick chimney at the other. 1t
LOOKS ike q school house, but it
isn't. 1t looks some like a church,
but 1t Isn't exactly that. 1t is
meeting house, and twice week it
is used as place of worship by the
society that assemble there.
AT the close of one of these seasons
of worship recently, after the dox-
oiogy had been sung, and the bene-
dietion pronounced, and the people
were preparing to di5perse, one of
the elders announced that he had
something to lay before the meeting.
The meeting relapsed into solemn
silence, waiting with anxious ex-
pectation. The speaker proceeded
to break the silence, by explaining
that John Smith was desirous Of
prospecting, in the hill, on which
the meeting house stood, for coal.
He (Smith) had concluded from j
geological examination of tho hill
that that article could be found
abundantly beneath it, and he was
willing to dig in the hill, provided
that he should have half the profits
aecruing from whatever he might
discover. The announcement was
received with looks and exclama-
tions OF wonder and surprise, some
doubling some believing, and all evil
IDENTIFY anxious that the experiment
should be made. One brother said
to "let him dig" Another soIemnIy
declared that that was his sentiment,
and Notwithstanding the fact that
one brother, smarter than the rest,
declared that the hill wasn't high
enough, by several hundred feet, to
contain coal mine, still it was found
that the mind of the meeting was to
''let him dig" At the same time
nearly all were non-comittal, rs 10
the success of the enterprise, being
perhaps as anxious to laugh at the
folly of the undertaking if it failed,
as to enjoy the fruits of the success,
if it succeeded.
1 have now written as much con-
corning the progress of this enter.
prise as ! dare, but will write again
as soon as anything of Importance
turns up, or is turned up in this
hill. 1 have purposely refrained
from giving the exact locality of
this prospective Coal mine, AZ it
would not be fair for people from all
parts of the country to come out
here, with shoveIs and pick axes,
and take away from Mr.. Smith all
the honor of the discovery. And
even after he has discovered the
coal, we don't want anybody to
come sneaking round to steal it
The importance of the discovery
of Coal mine in Highland County
can hardly be over-estimated. This
hill is plenty large enough to con-
tain two hundred millions of bush>
els of coal, but not wishing to be
thought extravagant, l will put my
estimate at one hundred millions of
bushels. Counting this at ten cents
a bushel will make ten million dol
lars, which will greatly increase the
material wealth of the county. in
huenced by these considerations, /
say ''let him dig" If he don't find
coal he'll be sure to find something
any how; gold or silver, or pewter,
or something. He will find some
thing, if it is nothing more than a
hole!
In conclusion, 1 would advise the
merchants of Hillsboro and neigh
boring villages not to overstock
themselves with mining utensils, at
least until further progress is report
ed. Probably two or three hundred
dozen spades and pick-axes, and as
many kegs of blasting powder,
would be as much as any firm need
to order at present.
Anxiously awaiting further de-
velOpements, l remain very re-
spectfully yours,
THEOPHILUs Won PUFF.