The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-04-10
WEALTHY PIKE COUNTY.

Icorre.renaenl Ysw AIhay I.edger !


The fact that parties have been j. this
part of the county for several weeks TAX
ing coal and mineral leases upon large
bodies Of land. and that some land has
been sold at figures far above iis aprar-
lent value. has had the effect Of giving
color 10 some Of the wonderful stories in
circnation.
Ii seems that the silver and lead Terri
tory lies Immediately south of the Air
Line r r.. between Winsiow and Vel
pin. IN the paioka valley, and exfend-
.nufh disganre ~ about seven miles.
comprising an area ~ nearly forty square
miles Tie oldest settlers remember dis
iincily 0f Ire Indian legends handed
down from the earliest settlement Of the
county III regard 70 phenomenal deposits
~ prerion- metals that existed in the
above named territory.
A nan hy the name Of Miller. living IN
kenfurky near The Ohio river. when
" hat is now known as Southern Indiana
was an npbfokpn Wilderness, through
which the red man roamed M will. cross
ed The Chic in his fraii canoe upon q
hunting expedition. While uron this
side. and before he could return. he was
surprised aud captured hy the Iudians,
" no took him 10 What is now Nihcennes.
where they held him IN captivity for
many months. Upon one occasion they
srf ont npon trip with Miller taward
Kentucky. but when near The Patoks
river The, blindfoldoi him. aud crossing
tie river led him 10 v hat appeavcd 10 be
a shaft ar hole IN the ground NJ the base
OF hill into which they lowered him.
and removing the handage from his eyes
he found he was in mine of some kind
thar had been " orkci, IN rude manner.
under The hill for some distance. There
they compelled him 10 work for two days
in mining what they termed silver ore.
and when they had obtained sufficient
quanliiv they again ''hoodw linked him
and. i0kinv him In rircuitous route. re-
croSsed the pafoka river and when miles
awav removed Tie "hoodwink" and con
durfed him 10 camp. Some months af-
rerward Miller made bis escape from the
Indians and returned To Kentucky, where
lie remained until after the settlement Of
indiana. when he returned TO this county.
settling upon The paioka hills near where
he believed 10 hr the place that hc work
cd W lie Indian silver mine. Miller ac-
Qulltu tOU~tfttiHUit iNth ubN rlftftt tiit'
greater part Of his time IN irving 70 To-
cate the place, but was unable 70 do 30.
Before his death he told his sons to keep
that land and always be on the lookout.
for he believed They would eventually
discover the hidden Wine. They have
carried ont his instructions 90 lhc letter,
and his posieritv slili own the land upon
which he settled. but have so FAR. we be-
|lievc. been unsuccessful in locating the
silver.
Al various times since the settlement
|of this county. struggling Indians have
been seen In this vicinity. seemingly,
searching for som,thing This within
itself was enough 70 arouse The curiosity
of the people. and frequent search was
made. but without resulting III ANYTHING
of Importance. IN the summer OF 1892 a
baud Of Indians from the west spent
several days IN this vicinity prospecting
in the hills, aud when about 10 leave they
informed some parties that they were
searching for az abandoned silver mine.
ana that there was tradition IN their
tribe that one existed here, but the "lnnd
marks" were gone and they were unable