The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-10-11
A HIDDEN MINE.

Hpunssrseasers Osce lied the Ore IN NAH
g lag Trade DsiAars.
4 tmqwirer says: The arrest here yesterday
George w. Williams and James He
Clark by United States officers ON the
charge OF dealing in and manufacturing
counterfeit silver dollars which have in
their composition a large percentage at
silver has awakened q discussion as to
whether ar not the 'Swift" dollar, which
passes current i'm this state and Ii made of
pure silver, is not counterfeit. The bogus
money manntaSs"rs.l by Williams aGI
made, and readily passed current. rs tho
percentage of silver in its c~o'nposition
made 10 almost impossible to- detect its
essences by orslina airy test.
As far back as the days OF Daniel Boone
aud Simon kcnton II was known that
somewhere i'm the mountains of Kentucky
there WAS ~ large and rich mine of silver.
The Indians knew of the existence of
this mine and converted the ore into or
into bullets. which were fired with deadly
aim at the hardy pioneers on the dark
settlement of Kcnton's Station. on Lime
stone creek, above Maysville. two
=aaSen; SwiT msms ,ra nad'od ea sSa ran
mote mountain region that acts as II
water shed to the Kentucky, Liciing.. Lit
tic Sandy AMI Big Sandy rivers, and for
several years lived on aTniable terms with
the Indians. who at that time held undis-
puted domain over the forests and noun
tains. Swift was something of a doctor,
and he had a family in old Virginia. Gas
tlenau was also u married man: and his
descendants are to be- found at this day i'm
Kcntucky-men of honor and probity-
one of whom. General John u. Castlcnan
of Louisville, having been adjutant gem
Swift, exercising his powers as "a medi-
cine man to relieve the suffcrings of "a
sick indian chicftan, was rewarded with
the secrcs of the rich silver mInc. and he
and Castlcman carried away from the
place when they returned tn civilization,
on the backs of ponics. They were ON
friendly terms with the Indians, and from
time To time returned for fresh supplies of
silver.
Finally Castleman died and he left as IA
legacy to- his descendants no information
as to- the location of the mine. After his
death Swift made several trips to the rich
sfmpaniei by his eldest son. He was
band of Indians that were ON the war
path. The son knew the secret of the
mime and he visited il. took large
r quantities of the ore, and being AN enter
prising man, melted the metal and cast il
into trade dollars, which, intrinsicaliy,
are worth onc-third more than the dot
lars issued by the g~ovcrnmcnt.
The coins are crutlely made, On the
diverse side is the etiigy of al Indian and
side il the legend Liberty" and the
words estate of kentucky" encircling u
bear There i: no telling how
many of these coins Swift put i'm circula-
ton, but they arc still to bc found among
the nlountaineers. and the "Swift' money
passes current whenever presented.
When Swift died the sccre, of the mine
persisted with him, but among his effects
was found IL rudcly drawn map which,
fixed the location of the precious deposit.
Guided by this map many searches have
been made for the mine, the .'entranse tn
whitch," according to the directions "a
pended to the map, 'sis most carefully and
adroytly concealed from human obst.r-
t~-vayshion." The mine is supposed to d.
located i'm Wolf county, hut it's exact loca-
| ton remains n mystery. unless the clever
counterfciters arrested at this place yes.
terxlay have discovered il.