Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-05-14
A Romance i'm Land.
From the Cincinnati News Journal.

IFrom the Cincinnati News Journal
A curious story has just been brought
out by the trial of case in the White
County, Ga, superior court concerning
what was known as land lot No. 10.
Benjamin Reynolds, over fifty years ago,
was typical young South Carolinian,
who lived in the Abbeville district. He
spent $4,000 of his patrimony in three
years. at last he run to seed, having
only two negroes and $500 left. About
that time the Dahlonega gold fever
broke out. Reynolds and his two slaves
plunged into the Blue Ridge and ram
bled in the neighborhood of White Coun-
ty, until one day, when he got into ra-
vine, he said: ssLet's stop here; one
place is as good as another" The three
men dug hole and struck vein which
Vein." They took out the metal in
considerable quantities. Things went
along very nicely until one day when one
of Reynolds negroes gave him some i'm
pudence. He struck him. The blow
was too severe, and the man turned up
his toes. Reynolds was tried and acquit-
ted. When the panic of 1885 came along
Reynolds counted his gold, which had
been coined at Dahlonega, and his pile
amounted to just $35, 900. A number of
rich men il Abbeville failed, and Rey-
holds took his cash and went down to
the sheriff's sale. He bought seventy
five able-bodied negroes and marched
them on foot into the Nacoochee Valley,
and then commenced work in earnest.
With these men he pressed his business,
forgetting the follies of his youth, be-
coming thoroughly fascinated in his
search for the yellow dust.
In a few years Reynolds had taken
out $500, 900, and after living many years
an honored and respected citizen, with
estate of $250,00O. Along with property
that the old man had owned and worked
was the famous lot No. 10, on which
was much gold. he told his children
never to be miners, but never to sell lot
No. 10, as it was rich, exceedingly rich,
that some day improved machinery for
working gold would be invented, and
then they could put in the lot as stock
in some company, For fifty years the
lot has lain idle. In the division of his
estate lot No. 10 fell to his son, Mr.. Fl.
P. Reynolds, now at Floyd County,
who has owned it since. When the we'll
known Goldsmith tax f-fas of 1875-'76
were issued old No. 10 came in and was
sold. Mr.. Reynolds began proceedings
to recover the property, and Tuesday
last the case went to trial in White SUI
perior court. The mine was not being
worked at the time the sale was made,
and consequently brought only small
amount. It is said that the purchase
money was rendered the parties who
bought it by Reynolds within the time
prescribed by law, but was refused.
Great interest was shown in the case,
not only on account of the amount in
volved, but by reason Of the question of
law to be decided. Wednesday night
the jury returned a verdict setting aside
the tax-sale and restoring the property
to young MIR. Reynolds, who inherited
it from his father. Mr.. FL. P. Reynolds
is a young man, % years of age, with a
snug fortune, and spends most of
his time fishing and hunting. He
owns one of the finest bodies of land in
Floyd County. A company of London,
Chicago and Boston capitalists has been
organized, who will now purchase and
work the mine. The company will be
in active operation in from six to twelve
mOnths