Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-07-13
An Old Indian Storehouse.

A few days since j. w. Wedger, E. A.
Strong and ]. W. Shove were visiting
Sleeper's Gorge, near Lamensville, this
county. This gorge is one of the widest
places in the state. In exploring rocks
and ravines Strong fell from ledge of
rocks several feet to pile of driftwood
on the edge of Otego Creek. He was
not hurt, but in order to extricate him
from his position his companions were
forced to climb down the rocks and re-
move a quantity of the debris. In doing
this they discovered an opening in the
rocks large enough topermit the passage
of a mans body. The three visitors
crept through the opening and found
themselves in narrow passage which
was dripping with water. A few feet
from its mouth, however, it became dry
and dusty The men followed it for
twenty feet, and it having gradually
widened they thought it deserved
thorough examination, and they re-
turned to the village for lights, ropes, a
ladder, etc. Each with a lantern re-en-
tered the cavern. The tunnel-like pas
sage led them for fifty feet into the ledge,
when they found themselves in an apart
ment about thirty feet square and with a
ceiling nine or ten feet high. The walls
were of flint and sharp and ragged. A
strong current of cold air prevailed, al
anywhere to the cave other than the en-
trance. A dry, fine dust lay on the
floor to the depth of several inches.
There was no dampness in the cavern.
In one corner of the cave what seemed
to be mound of dust about two feet
high was revealed by the lights. An ex.
animation was made of this and, several
inches of dust being removed, heap of
what was at first thought to be stones
was discovered. These proved to be
Jumps of pure solid lead. A number of
curious copper implements were found
in various parts of the cavern, and near
the pile of lead human skeleton, with
the large bones and skull well preserved,
was buried beneath thick layer of dust.
These relics were removed from the
cave, and the lead weighed in the aggre.
gate more than a ton. The discovery was
followed by great excitement, and hun.
drcds are iiocking daily to the gorge to
see the curiosity.
There has been legend in that part
OF lhe ouSquenhnnh fhlleyt from INC
days of the first settlers, that the Indians
had a secret lead mine somewhere in the
locality, where they obtained material
for the bullets and specimens from
which they frequently sold in the settle
ments. The mineral discovered in the
cave is free from foreign substances,
but there is no indication anywhere
about the neighborhood of the existence
of mine from which it might have been
taken. The theory is advanced that this
cave was known to the Indians, and
they brought lead from the lake country
for use along the Susquehanna, and
stored it in the cave. The skeleton is
doubtless that of an Indian. No sus
picion of the existence of this cave was
ever had in the community, nor is il
mentioned in any of the numerous tradi
tions and family legends of that region
which is peculiarly rich in lore of thai
kind. The copper implements would
seem to denote that representatives of q
race older than the Indians have visited
this cavern COoperstOaOn (N ~ Dis
| patch.