The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-08
A HIDDEN TREASURE.
Digging for One in the Streets of
Kansas City, Mo.
Rro,a tha Pep,,tJfn


KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Sept. Five Kan
sas City (Kas) men think they are going
to dig up a fortune in the south part of this
city. Three years ago in doing some street
work for the city on Twenty-third street.
about where Walnut would be if extended
David 5. Weir, one of the men, noticed
that some bricks were unearthed. He
thought nothing of it at the time, but since
then has heard some stories OF buried
treasure that have set him
to thinking. One is that forty
years ago a rich Spaniard was trav-
cling through the country with an i'm
mense treasure Of gold and silver with
MIN. Being afraid of Indians he buried his
treasure on the lonely bank Of the little
branch that runs of in a southerly
direction from the intersection of Twenty
third strest and Walnut street extended.
Another version of the tale says that three
rich Englishmen were travelling through
this part of the country during the civil
war. They camped one night on the bank
of the little stream, and, being afraid that
one or the other OF the opposing forces and
marauding bands would get their wealth,
they buried it. OGe Of them was soon after
ward killed, another has since died and the
third came back not many years since to
look for the gold but could not locate the
spot where it was buried.
Hearing these stories and knowing OF the
uuearthing OF bricks near the spot. i've men, ,
of whom Mr.. Weir is one. associated them
selves together to search for the fabulous
wealth 80 long in its tomb.
There is a little instrument for finding
hidden treasure. which works on the plan of
| the forked stick which water witches have
long successfully used. But this instrument
does not grow. 1t is made by man and the
material used is steel. 1t is about four inches
| long and has twelve eyes o. each side which
can look down, down, down through auy
kind of stubborn strata and discover earth's
hidden secrets. The manipulators OF the in
strument put it on a stick free TO turn, and,
whenever it comes over a spot where there is
silver or gold, the theory is it will dive like
& duck. This instrument was tried on the
bank of the stream mentioned and 1t pointed
straight to where the bricks were found.
This is Immediately under the sidewalk on
the south side of Twenty-third street, a
little west of continuous line from Walnut.
1t is on the edge of bluff overlooking the
Belt Line, and the hills and gullies around
give the place wild, weird appearance.
A few scraggy trees grow IN the vicinity,
and about five feet east of the spot where
the treasure is supposed to be buried an elm
tree casts its shadow. A little farther than
that to the west there is another elm, and
about ten feet south an oak spreads It's
branches 1t is good spot for hiding away
O fortune, and the men a. work think IL is
the place where the treasure is buried.
A hole has bsen dug sideways under the
sidewalk and one man with a pick and
shovel loads bucket. which another man
pulls ND with a rope. There are six or
sc ven feet Of embankmert made in grading
the street. Soon after getting down through
this to the natural formation several bucket
loads of brick were found. Then the hole
was dug down to depth of about ten feet,
when the pick struck stone-not natural
strata. but dressed stone, evidently laid by
the hand Of man. Up TO this evening the
work was still progressing in this stone, and
the men feel confident Of finding iron be-
low this covering and then silver and gold.