Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-05-17
PRECIOUS METALS,
Said to Have Been Discovered in
the Interior
By an Old California Miner-The New
Eldorado Located Near Spencer
General State News. +.

Roane county, by an old Californian, has
caused quite sn excitement The facts Of
the case, so far as at present known TO the
general public, would lead one to believe
there is something more than talk in il.
Some time ago returned Californian,
named Thomas Williams, became satisfied
that there was gold, and in paying quaint
tee, somewhere in the State. He finally
started out on prospecting. tour, taking
with him only the absolutely necessary sp-
paratus. BE travelled all lover the mountain
GUS part OF the State, and finally, it
is alleged, found the glitteriDg dust in the
hills not far distant from Spencer, the
county seat of Roane county. After wash.
ing out some of the sand in the stream at
the above point, Williams suddenly dissp
peared, telling no one where he was going,
Or whether he had succeeded or failed in
his, at the time, believed wild pursuit.
1t now appears that Williams went to
New York City, where he Shovel speci-
mems of his find and interested a strong
syndicate of capitalists in the enterprise.
Quietly and easily they went through the
country in the neighborhood where Will
Jams was last seen, and bought up and
leased over fifteen thousand acres OF land
all they could get
A day or two since two strangers came
here and purchased complete mining
outfit. These men made number OF in.
quiries about the country and lands in the
neishborbood Of Spencer, and showed a
map, upon which every small stream, the
hills, and, in fact, the entire country there
abouts, were laid out. Upon this map the
point where Williams is alleged to have
found gold ia distinctly marked.
The men said they had just arrived
from California, ha ing been employed
by New York syndicate to examine
the lands purchased by them and to see
if their claim will turn out q
good thing. They say they intend be
ginning at once, at first on a small scale,
aud will do the work OF washing, &C., by
hand until they become satisfied that it
will pay to 60 to work on o large scale,
If they find the prospects such ss they
hope for they will Immediately take en-
gines and machinery into the field and en-.
gage in mining operations largely. They
claim that at any rate silver and lead in
paying quantities can be found, and, in
fact, have already been discovered.
Williams and number of New Workers.
who have gone in partnership with him in
the scheme OF delving and washing gold in
West Virginia mountains are reported en-
route for this place, from whence they will
60 to Roane to see that the mining is prsc-
t;cally and thoroughly done
If these reports are true, few weeks
hence will see the hills and mountains OF
West Virginia overruu With prospectors
and miners, with pick and shovel The
pan, cradle and quartz crusher will take
the place of the oiLdrill and the OK of the
timbermen, and West Virginia will be the
Elddorado of the future
The finding of precious metals in the
hills and mountsine of West Virginia
would be but notification of Indian tradi-
ton and frontier report The native
Aboriglnes are represented by writings and
biographies of old settlers to have ascend
ed the Little Kanawha in their canoes
from long distance Their stay was
often limited 10 four or five weeks, when
they would pass the hlock-houses on their
way home with their canoes loaded with
lead and silver ore. Of course, in tbose
dangerous times the lead was of more i'm
portaRce than any other metal.
Quite number of test holes have been
bored into the earth and great deal of
money spent in looking for this vein Of sill.
yer, and Ia tracing the direct on believed
to have been followed by the Indians when
they went up the river in search of lead,
bu. the trace seemed 10 have been irretriev
ably lost, with but one or two exceptional
instances, one Of which was in the case Of
King, q queer. eccentric old fellow, who in
years gone by often came TO Psrkers'
burg for provisions and uecesssries
of lite. 1t was common re-
port that King always carried a pcCketful
Of slmost absolutely pure silver metal,
which it was believed he got somewhere in
the interior. King at Last disappeared,
whether killed or not no one everknew, but
with his disappearance all trace of the pre-
cious metal Was also lost There are many
people Left 10 this State who we'll remem-
Der King and his eccentric habits and be-
havior, Silver ore King would constantly
have in his possession, but he never by
word or sign intimsted where he discov-
cred it.
The o. 3. r. R. is in danger of damage
from slips At point about one mile
above Sistersville, just at the upper end of
the rock cut, there is big slip forming.
There is crack in the hill near the top
that looks like the result OF an earthquake.
This crevice extends along the steep hill
side about one hundred yards, is about
fifty feet wide, and ia so deep in places
that one cannot see the bottom of it, This
crevice is constantly getting larger, and
large rocks ore rolling from it down the
hillside. It looks as though the entire
hillside, containing millions OF tons Of
earth aud rock, would tumble into the
river
A young man named Lon Thorn, VIII
lives at the mouth OF Big Buffalo, met with
a serious and painful accident while hunt
ing near Shiloh, Monday. He was sitting
down to rest, and had loaded rifle laying |
across his lap. The gun slipped from lis
position and slid to the grouod, when he
grabbed it by the barrel and drew it 20
ward him. In doing so the hammer
caught on the ground, and discharged the
weapon, the contents Of which passed
through the young mans arm, between
the wrist and elbow, making q CHASTITY
wound.
A week ago the REGISTER mentioned an
attempt by some one, then unknown, to as
ssssinste Miss Bartlett, living at Mill
Point, Pocshontss county. two shots being
fred at her as che was reclining on Q
OUNCE, one OF the balls taking effect in
her shoulder. Since that publication her
brother Ledford, Bartlett, has been arrested,
charged with the crime, and lodged in
Jail He has made vicious threats against
his sister since his arrest. The cause Of
his hostility has not yet become known.
One l.. d. Carrico, who moved to Mer.