Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-29
SETS.
sWIFT-s SILVER MINE.
4 Legend OF Dickinson County-Did
Ii Exist.

ID Exist:
DWALE. VA. December 2S.-(Special)-
Twenty-Five Gears ago many people were
talking about "swifts Silver Mine"
which was said 10 be located somewhere
between Clinch river and Cumberland
mountain. Nobody seemed 10 know the
exact date when Swift operated the mine;
but. as not even the Oldest inhabitant
had ever seen him, it must have been
somewhere back In 1900 IL is said the
first settlers saw Swift passing 10 and
from the mine with his companions and
several horses. The man WIN accom-
panied him as a partner, It IS said bore
the name Of Mundy, and that Swift.
whose Christian name seems 10 me to
have been Dean, killed him I'm q dispute
which they had over the division OF some
of their treasures. After that, Swift was
never able 10 find the mine again. He
said that always, when he set his COM
pass. he could see the dead mans hand
spread out over the face Of II, so that
he could not see the needle work, and he
would sit down and cry like a child
Some OF the Oldest men here say that
their fathers saw this mining party, and
that once or twice Swift's wife accom-
panied them. They always came I'm sum-
mer. and would turn their horses to the
range" till they were ready TO return
where. I do not remember: but a faint
recollection serves me that it was 10
North Carolina.
Twenty-odd years ago, when your cor
respondent was a email boy. he remem-
bers hearing people talk Of the mine
and where its probable location was. and
some persons actually hunted for IL.
AN OLD MAP.
There was an old map passed around
then. which was said to have been print
cd from one made by Swift. II was
accompanied by a written description
Of the country and the location of the
mine. The paper bearing this writing
was something resembling the linen paper
Of to-day, and was of a rather blush
tint. 1t had been used so much that il
was torn apart at every fold. and the
SCRAPS had been carefully pasted to-
gether on cloth-a precious document
The writing looked rather odd, but l do
not remember If il was said 20 have been
done by Swift. The map had several
streams and mountains represented on H.
but as there were no names then, IL was
rather difficult 10 locate them. / well
remember that at one point on the map
there was an 'I' In script, made sOme-
what on the style IN which the letter Is
now made, and this, according to the
text. represented the furnace: while ac-
cording TO the same authority, the loca-
ton OF the mine was represented by a
g." The old men had it from
their fathers that Swifts mine was a
reality, and so strong a faith did they
buid upon this statement that they
spent day after day in looking for it,;
but Il was like hunting for the silver
which Is said 10 be buried at the end Of
the rainbow.
sam HE FoTrNp TT
An old man by the name of Cornelius
Baker, who died i'm Cumberland noun
tains some years ago. always said
that he found the mine back in the COS.
lie said he came to place in
the mountains where the water was run
ming in an underground passage. and
being attracted by its ripple. he looked
down through "A hole In the ground, di-
rectly above the water, and not only
saw the water, but the entire bed OF this
subterranean stream was bright, shining
stun. which he pronounced silver. He
said that he examined 1t so closely tina,
he knew he was not mistaken. He then
marked the spot. as he thought sufIi-
cientiy TO identity II: but as the mountain
was then almost an unbroken wild, he
could never find that place again.
The old men. whose implicit faith In
the actual existence OF the silver trea-
sures led them 10 talk about and 10
search for this rainbow phantom" nave
nearly all gone TO join the great ma
jorlty, and now people do not seem 10
have their faith. and one seldom hears
the once magical words, "Swifts Silver
Nine" pronounced, and TO the next gene
ration these words will be a meaningless
combination.