The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-11
LOADS OF GOLD.
Bars of Precious Metals.
Stacks of Gems.
Hidden Treasure in the Silawaugunk
Mountains for Which Natives
Ever Search.


years legend prevalent in POr, Hickson and
In the country round about IL that somewhere
Ill the Shawangunk Mountains IN thai vicinity
there is cave or mine containing deposits OF
wealt b in gold and silver coin ana jewels; and
In spite OF the long, tedious and Improbable
searches that have from time TO time been
made for the treasure trove, and the very ap
parent impOssiblIity OF the story having any
basis of truth. there are still people living who
have such great faith in the existence OF the
cave and such implicit confidence In Its
eventual discovery that II they had any money,
or could raise any money. they would be Will
ing o invest every dollar in searching for this
cache of fabulous wealth.
That They have no money is because all they
ever had has been used in fdiotlc efforts 10 To-
cate this legendary cave, and even now they
spend much of their time delying among The
rocks in the hope of at last coming upon The
entrance to this hidden stOrehOuse and rolling
in wealth and luxury ali the rest OF their DAYS.
| The legend. according 10 the Chicago Times, Is
| so shadOwy and ridiculous that 1t does not
even seem possible that The most credulous ana
| shallow minded would ever for a moment have
accepted il seriously. but some OF the leading
men of that region have III years past spent
| largely OF their means in seeking for the treas
ure lie tgend is based on.
! Only few years ago a company was formed
with a capt. i of S25. 900, the purpose of which
was TO engage IN exhaustive and systematic
| effoits TO locate the hiding place OF the mystic
| ri0uS wealth. The men who were in crested IN
| The scheme were from Orange County, N. Y,
| and PaSSalc County, n. j. They never carried
on heir work. however.
The only exhaustive work done was by the
| treasurer OF thr company. lie did IL on the
company's treasury, ~ which there was Sl2-
| 500 when he began. When his work was done
| the treasury was exhausted and he had gone
! somewhere. The company turned Its attention
away from hunting for the lest cave and went
| 10 hunting for The lost treasurer.
But his hiding place proved 10 be as hard 10
| ind as The hiding place OF the legendary treas
ure has ever been and ii Is sill unknown.
he nf I ia Nnin nd isN yala 10
! in effect, that years ago, nobody knows how
| many, an old Spaniard or an lndan-the legend
DO SUIT commit Itself as to which he was
| lived somewhere in the Shawanguuk Noun
! tains. but whether II was near Port Ben, Port
/ Hickson or Port Even, the legend leaves in
equal uncertainty. This person went by the
| name of Ninetynine. Why Ninety-nine the
misty record does not pause TO say. But of This
| thing the legend Is positive: Ninety nine WIS
| Oyerpdrtial 10 whisky, and IL was his fayorite
! pastime when lie was drunk 10 scatter gold
| pieces about the settlements. TO pnll a handful
| of diamonds from one pocket and string of
pearls from another, and from ether parts of
his opuls Mt person clusters OF rubies and gilt
tering lots of other precious stones, and parade
about among the DucA settlers an animate
| and inebriate G0cOnda.
No one could ever find where Ninety.nine
| lived. He rever permitted any one 10 accom-
pany him from the settlements except once,
| and that was a short time before he disap-
/ peared forever from thos- merry scenes.
One Benny Depew OF MamakatIng was
favorite of Ninety-nine. Benny was somewhat
! /
| kle aud loved well his bowl, his pipe and his
/ dog SO when The man of mystery came down
| from his home among the Shawangunk rocks,
| alw vs. with abundant wealth he and Benny haI
| great times. On one of these occasions Ninety
/ nine must have taken on jag OF peculiar
| Kind, for he unloosened his tongue TO Benny
| aud said such things about the cave where he
! lived and the contents OF II that Benny almost
| became sober. SO startling were they.
| Moreover, Ninety-nlne told Benny That next
day he would give him sight of the wonders
| he had described. Next day, though having
become SOBER Ninety-nine tried 10 beg OIL OF
his promise 10 Benny, but Benny wouldn't
! to the cave OF fabulous riches forthwith.
| Aud so they started OF into the mountains to-
gether.
! returned Then every one said they would
never see him again, for OF course NiDety-nIne
had killed him. But toward night on the third
day Benny came dragging himself into the VIII
| lage, foOtsore and ravel-staiged.
The village gathered 10 hear his tale.
He said that Ninety-n nine had conducted him
into the very heart OF the Shawangunks. AT
the end of the first day they came to tile shore
OF large lake. where they slept. The next
! day they lraveled up deep ravlne until noon
| Then NInety-nine old Benny he would have TO
submit TO bllndfoldng and Brnny submitted
| They trav led on ana when after an hours
| rough and devious march the bandage was re-
moved from BenDy's eyes he stood IN the
middle Of cave. 1t was some time before his
eyes could bear the sight, so dazzling was
! everything around him. When at last They had
! become accustomed 10 the surroundings thew
| saw such things that Benny could neither move
| nor speak. The walls of the cave were lighted
! by mauv candles. Rich carpets covered The
! floor. NOluptuOus pictures and statuary hung
| on the walls and file brilliantly lighted inches
| One piece of statuary Benny said he only bad
| the connjenance 10 simply glance al just once.
Heaped IN elltteriug confusion on the floor
| were bars OF gold and silver ana dOneS OF coin.
| From ev ry side respondent jewels glared at
! him with myriad eyes of fire, while Ninety-nine
! thrust his hand into a cask and. taking IL out
| aud holding it above the cask, released what
| he held within Ii. A stream of flaming dia-
| m0nds fell back INTO the casK.
These were some OF the things that Benny
| said he gaZed upon in Ninety nire's cave until
| he was we'll nigh craZed But the greedy Gus
/ tOdiau OF all that fabulous wealth permitted
| him to feast his eyes Dut short time. Then he
! bndfOlded Benny again and led him away.
When The bandage was again removed from
| his eyes Benny was Standing on the top OF one
! OF the highest peaks OF The Shawanpunk, over
| looking the MamakatIng Valley. Ninety-nine
was gone. And be never was seen again.
From the description that Benny gave of the
| surroundings where lie stood on tile peak the
! people concluded that lie had BEEN left by
| Ninety nine back OF Port Hlckson That Is the
story which has led three generations Of credr-
lous folk TO spend their money and their tiae
| in attempts to bDd the cave where Benny D.
| pew says he saw Ninety.nine's treasure. And
| they haven't given up THE search yet.