The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-10-08
HE LEAD MINES OF 10.
TRADITIONS CONCERNING THEM M
Pennsylvania

A Blacksmith Of Former Days who Ran
into Bullets Ore Supplied By Indians.
Pointers That Do Not Develop RED
Mems Pipes and Weapons.
Where. II anywhere, are the lead
mines Of northwestern Pennsylvania In
connection with attempts TO answer this
question the writer hereof, in boyhood,
harvested many stone bruises by day
and treasure dreams by night, together
with numerous traditions OF the days Of
practically unbroken forests. bears
grease and primevai economy.
This section, comprising parts Of
northern Venango and southern Craw-
ford counties. Is about forty miles south
Of Cory, sixteen miles north Of OIL City,
ten miles west of Titusyille and eight
cen miles east 81 MeadyilIe. There Il no
doubt In the minds of plenty of entirely
rational people that sosewhere within.
or contiguonsIy without. TIM region 81
country which these towns bound, there
Il locality where ain exceptionally good
quality Of lead ore may be obtained, or,
at least, the locality where ore Of such
quality was obtained formerly by the
Indians, both for their own use and to
sell or trade 10 the white settlers. As
the source Of this supply was carefully
kept secret by the fundamentally Of
Chief Cornplanter'st ribe--and has never
been discovered, 1t is regarded as rea-
sonable to infer that 1t may yet be a
source Of profit as to believe that 1t was
exhausted.
PIONEERS EXPERIENCE.
At what Is now Bradleytown, vii
lage three miles southwest Of here, on
one Of the branches Of Sugar Creek, a
pioneer named Jacob Jennings lived 100
years ago and had near his pioneer
house small blacksmith shop From
Mrs. Samuel Matson, Of Chapmanyille,
and John Jennings, Of Sunville, some
interesting "reminiscences were obtained
as related by their father, who was a
son Of Jacob Jennings The latter, at
his blacksmith shop, frequently smelted
and run into bullets rich lead ore sup
piled by the Indians. They made peri
odical trips to this place for that pur-
pose. Coming up from the Allegheny
river they made it a point to reach his
home in the evening, there being usually
several in the party. They would be
allowed to stay and would sleep around
the freplaces in the house and shop. At
daybreak they would strike northward
up the creek and would return a few
hours later with stock of the lead
product to be melted. No amount Of
persuasion, Of barter or Of purchase
price would cause them to disclose the
whereabouts Of the lead deposits.
Fifty years ago, according to men,
Der Of the family, Mrs Robert Gillespie
and daughter, then little girl, were
lost in the woods, and during their wan
behring's found along a ravine an out
cropping Of lead-filled rock, piece Of
which they took with them. After find
ing their way ome.they were unable to
find their way back with older members
Of the family to the point where they
had found the lead. Various and CON
tinuous searches have been made since
along the ravines in that section, one
enthusiast devoting a considerable por-
ton Of year to the search; but aside
from fragment weighing about four
pounds, and found in field in Randolph
township, Crawford county, where it
bad apparently been dropped, no lead
ore has been discovered.
MATERIAL. FOR epROSPFCTORS