Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-20

to his father and they determined TO pro-
tit by it, They repaired to the nut or the
half-breed a few days afterwards, hopihS
TO induce him to give them the proper on
rections to the mine, but they found the
cabin vacant. He and his wife were pre-
badly q days journey on their way 10 the
western reservation.
The country settled up very rapidly,
and the elder Eve became successiui
PLANTER. The Rome railroad was built
connecting with the Western and Auan-
tic. I'm the fifties, and as it passed through
the Eve property, father and son became
interested in IT, The war came on ana
the old man died, leaving his estate 10
his aon. The latter went 70 the 'front.',
and twas wounded at the first oattle Oh
Mani ssas. Returning, he engaged In the
manufacture OF Mississippi rifles. me
firm Of Dixon, Nelson & Co., manufac-
turers of arms at Huntsville. Ala. was
compelled to move out OH account OF the
Federal successes at Corinth, Miss. Inc
members OF the firm came 10 Rome ana
formed a partnership with Eve, ana they
erected an extensive plant Ihey were
just getting under good headWay, ana
were turning out carriages for the can
non cast by the Noble Brothers OF native
ore. when man from Harper's Ferry.
who had been employed by the firm OF
Dixon. Nelson e. Co., set fire 10 the main
building one day at the noon hour. when
all the guards and watchmen were az
dinner. and the plant was entirely de-
stroyed.
John Eve had been elected captain of
a company OF the Home Guard, but to
keen him at home he was elected d.
rector Of the Rome Railroad Company
and. as his brother had been killed. he
was kept busy winding up the estate and
looking after the interests Of the rail-
road Finally, Rome was captured by
General Sherman. and Eve left the re-
gion. not 10 return TO his home until
about three years after the end OF the
war. Not long after he came back he
met a silver-miner from Nevada. 10
whom he told the story OF the lost silver
mine. and recounted' his experience with
the haIf-breed. The miner became in
herested. and the two decided 10 look
for the mine With a stock OF proYi-
slons. they started to explore the Wild
Pine mountain region, which Is stu
sparsely settled, because OF the rugged
character OF the country They spent a
couple OF weeks searching among the
rags and cliffs and wooded slopes Of
the mountain range. The experienced
eve of the miner detected evidences OF
the presence of silver-bearing ore, but
they did not find the mine.
The country had been newly surveyed
AT the time by a company, at the head oil
which was the late Senator Joseph r..
Brown. one of the principal owners Oh
the Western and Atlantic railroad. THIS
conpanv was engaged I'm mining iron ore.
Judge Eve applied 70 Mr.. Brown, who
was then Governor. for permission 10
| nursue his explorations. on the condition
| az having an interest in whatever dis
| coveries he might make Governor Brown
| answered by warning him that II he as
covered any valuable mineral deposits on
the land under the control OF the COM
na,v and attempted to work them sur
| cautiously. he would be prosecuted for
tresnass He said very plainly that the
comnany did not propose 10 divide profits
| ,gt,b ANYBODY, no matter what the value
! ~ anv discovery might be. Judge Eve
I'D his friend from Nevada went over
the ground. however. again and again. as
nearly as Eve could remember II by such
landmarks as ne had been able 10 observe
during his night ride, but gave II w
finally, unsuccessful.
This is the story of the Lost Siive,
Mine" af Georgia, written out fully fol-
~ first time, although II has been a
,or,c of discussion and speculation IN
| ,his section for many years. Thomas
| Murcheson. an old Scotchman, who lived
near the Eve plantation for many years
and who was here before the Indian.
vent away, as trader among them
always chung to the idea that this min,
was Identical with those on Raccoor
| craek In HARRISON county, which were
d,seovered and worked by the MorayiaF
| colony that settled on Coosa river i'm the
,hirties But those mines were held ir
| reserve by the Federal Government when
| the Cherokee country was coded Il
| Georgia, and there was never much OF q
secret about their location. The York