Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-08-27
WHERE SPOOES DANCE.
UNTRAMMELED BY ENVIRONMENTS OF FLESH,
THE SPIRITS
Roam at Will Through the Old Mill at Valley Fur
nace-Some Further Details Of the Remarkable
Manifestations Recorded in the Register Of
Friday-A History Of the Mill
ssseta, TELEGRAM to the sunday R.0tms-.


PEmIPPI, BARBoUK COUNTY, w. VA,
August 26.-Since my telegram OF last
Thursday was sent, l have been able TO
CLEAN from people hereabouts the fol-
lowing further details OF the superna-
tural manifestations seen about the
haunted mill"
About forty years ago one Patton II.
Gross built what is commonly known as
a "grist mill" on Brushy Fork Of Sugar
Creek, in this county, The mill is run
by water power, an overshot wheel be-
ing used. Mr.. Gross subscribed large
amount to the building of road
through a section OF country near his
mill. As the road was not completed ac-
cording to contract, refused 10 pay the
amount of money he had subscribed.
Fearing suit would be brought TO recov-
er the amount, Gross decided the mill
property TO his daughter, Mrs. Alex.
Henderson, and ia short time he died
very suddenly Of heart failure. His
son, John Gross, paid the Indebtedness
of mis- father and brought suit for the
sale of the mill, setting up the conten-
ton that the mill had been fraud
ulentlJ transferred. Young Gross
lost the suit and the mill
has frequently changed hands
since that time. 1t is now owned by
Newman Bros, formerly merchants at
little town near Philippi.
Owing to the long protracted drought
the Brushy Fork has been almost dry,
with scarcely enough water TO even run
an overshot mill wheel. Still, after the
water gates had been closed the mill
would often run without any
visible power, uaud seemingly run
faster than when the water
was used to run the mill. At times the
immense wheel ceased to revolve, and
remaining motionIess for few minutes
will again start without heing set in mo-
tion by any one. Large tmbers in the
mill, and which were left there to make
needed repairs, have been seen to stand
upright and al times would move about.
Large stones have been found in the
mill floor, and have been heard
as they fell heavily on the floor
and through the roof, but
no visible marks were left where they
penetrated the roof.
Frank Mcdaniel had run the mill
some time before the Newmans got pos
session, and he did not believe the re-
ports in circulation about the many
mysterious happenings, and proceeded
to make an investigation. He filed
the hopper with grain and started down
into the basement. The toll box fol-
lowed him. He took the box and placed
il In a barrel near the hopper and again
started down the stairway. The toll
box followed him a second time.
Gross was viollnist and before his
death gave to McDaniels his violin. Nc
Daniels says he distinctly heard the
same violin as it played one OF Gross
favorites.
Many hundred people have already
visited the mill and all are wonder
struck and not one can solve the mys-
terles of the old mill.
A man dressed in white was seen near
the hopper by the miller one night, but
the miller was prevented from going
back to look for the mysterious person
by some other men with him Ia the
mill.
The people in the lower end OF the
county commonly known as "Guineas"
are excited and say that the world will
come TO an end soon.