Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-20
SILVER IN MAURY COUNTY.

an Ola Story from an Ola C1tfZon-
Indians and Spaniards fn Ten
nessee.
In the Eastern part of Maury county re-
sides an old man named Tom Park, who is
now seventy years of age. Like many Of
our old citizens, he was raised in North
Carolina. When only ten years of aga he
met very old man who related to him
wonderful story aboat silver mine in this
State. The story goes that over hundred
years from that time, tribe of Indians
wandering through North Carolina kidnap-
ped an intelligent young child and carried
him Oft The parents of the youth made
dilgent search for their missing son, and
the Indian trail was followed till lost in the
unbrcken forests of North Carolina.
After long journey, the savages with
their white captive reached Middle
Tennessee, and camped several days by the
side of beautiful stream. One night the
sky was suddenly overcast with dark clouds
from whose bosom leaped terrific lightning.
During the severe storm, which felled trees
promiscuously, the chief of the tribe and
half dozen men and women were killed
by the branches. This caused d general
confusion, and as the storm ragged with uu-
abated fury until daylight, many Of the H.
dams while seeking shelter from the lurid
flashes and the MAJ winds, wandered far
| from the camp beside the stream. The
young captive had also gone some
| distance in the dark and when
| the morning cameto golden the storm ruins
| OF the wild wood with its bright beam oflieh',
it fell on the apparently feless form of the
| white boy. The Indians, thinking him
dead, and too busy in searching for the
missing members of their tribe, after cut
| ting off lock of hair, passed on to leave
the corpse prey for the wild beasts. By
| u O'Clock the boy recovered, and at first
| the clear bright day was confusing to his
| eyes. He doubtless had been stunned by
| a limb which partially covered his body.
Finding no one near, be wandered two days,
and by an Academia ly circuitous route
came to the place where his captors had been
camping. There were several new made
graves on a messy bank that bordered the
| stream, and as he approached several
wolves were seen cringing near. The boy
lost no time in making for tree which he
climbed, and upon looking down saw
several weapons and lot of jerked beef
the Indians had left. Cautiously he de-
scended and securing a spear, row and
/ dllQ dS lu0dt % iiC OOutu
carry, he travelled several days, lodging
in the cedar trees which grew so thickly
that their branches interlaciDg afforded a
resting place. One morning he was rudely
aroused and found himself in the presence
of eight Spaniards, who treated him kindly
and conveyed him to their camp,
half a mile distant and located on the brow
of a strangely formed cliff, whose juttinS
portions hung high above river. Here the
Spaniards were engaged in digging silver,
which existed in rich deposits. In the side
of the cliff was spring, and at the base an
odd looking rock, which appeared to be the
entrance to cave. The Spaniards carved
diamond figure on the side of the tower
ing bluff, and short distance from the river
] bank grew a bush which they circled with
lead in order to find the plscs in the future.
What other signs the Spanisrds fixed, the
North Carolinian did not learn, for they
were careful to keep him from too init
mate knowledge of the locality,
lest he should make the fact OF
the mine known to his friends,
for they had already consented Tor hi N to
return home. After spending the winter
with the Spaniards he set out for North
Carolina and suffering many hardships
during his lonely journey. Armed with a
gun, and well supplied with ammunition he
had no difficulty in killing wild game on
which to subsist. His adventures were OF
/ the most thrilling character and more than
once was he compelled to shoot an Indian
and then flee for safety among the wild
woods. At last he reached home, only to
find his fathers family had been murdered
and the settlement, where they had lived
was in ruins. Where be went then the OLD
man never told, but repeated the story as
related in substance TO Mr.. Park ovel
sixty gears ago. After finishing the
story the old man vanished
According to the old Ian TIE Inine wal
located four miles above what Is now
known as Fountain creek.
Forty years ago Mr.. Park came to Maury
county, Tenn, and during his long search
for the mine has found all of the signs, a:
indicated by the old man, except the sup
posed cave, which, il it does exist, is nov
filed with rocks and rubbish. 1t is STATED
that Mr., Park, aud DR.. Cochran
who is now living at Culleoka
made several explorations OF the supposed
cavern, reaching it by being lowered
with rope. They found the cavity illeC
as above stated, and were unable to ente
its dark depths. Mr.. Park is still confiden
that he will be able to discover the silvel
ore deposit, and has purchased half inter
est IN the land. beiog unable by reason o
old age and limited means to make tn
proper explorations by digging and blasting
Mr.. Park offers one-half of his land to an,
one that will undertake the measure. So ia
we have not heard of ony one accepting hi
liberal offer.