The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-29
"BLACK HAND"
A Romantic spot in Ohio which is
Rich in Legends.

From the Ohio State Journal
AS the average tourist, travelling east
ward from Newark, o.. dashes through
rocky cut near the eastern limits Oh LICK
ing county. he likely does not realize that
this SPOT was once one OF the most pic
turesaue. romantic and historic localities
In Ohio Sueh a traveller should read the
history and legends of BLACK HAND -
history that reads like dream OF Aladdlh'
legend that finds its beginning in the DIM
nrimeval days when an immense lahe
filled the entire Licking valley ana poured
its surplus water over an immense ile VI "a
sandstone dam four miles across Durlns
the ages which rolled away, the waters Dy
erosion cut through the Devoman grit
leaving two parallel walls which rise about
af4v feet When civilization reached what
is now Ohio, it found sWirling noou IN
this rock bound ravine. The faces OF the
cliffs were crowned with rare nora oedu-
tiful laurel gave its fragrance 10 tne
zephyr and its delicate tints 10 the Lanu-
scape. Pine trees grew from cIesic -, AZ
the cliffs. or found lodgment on the top.
This Is the beautiful spot that atterWard
came 10 be called Black Hand In the
early part of this century the promoters
and surveyors of the Ohio canal took ad-
vantage of the rock-walled channel to form
a storage dam for that early clVlilzer'
About midway down the canyon sharp
headland protruded into the river. Here
the first surveyors found cut In the race
Of the rock gigantic human hand. Inc
carvings had been filed with black pug
ment, which still remains mute bloii"-
ment of the forgotten race 10 WhoIh tue
carver belonged. Though nature had rais-
ed stone for him, he carved not a line
~ an Who he was or why he carved.
Accounts of the size of the black hand
AFTER ola men say their parents saw II
and that II was eight feet from the up ol
che thumb to the tip of the little nnger.
Others say It was larger and some not
so large. -.
I'm the wav of the canal builder, and in 1898
they drilled into the face of the cliff and
blasted away the historic relic. Not con-
tent with that they cut 1t INTO pAocks,
ruthIessly chiseling away the carvings anu
tracery. and with the blocks built a sus-
taining wan. over which tow horses might
walk while drawing wealth into the west
ern world. The black hand on the rock
/ face lived only in the memory OF It's oe-
when the Central Ohio Railroad Com
many in the early fifties desired 20 pierce
the garden spot of Ohio they TOOK adVah-
tage of the grades estaohsned oy n s,lsn
from GAINESVILLE and followed the Licking
liver when Black Hand was reached the
builders encountered a headland on the
opposite side of the river corresponding 10
Black Hand rock, and cut sheer through
H. SO to-day the eastbound tourist sees
little of Black Hand. He rushes along pc
tween the high sandstone walls, mile a
| minute dashes past the beautiful lIttle
| whitewashe village and little reahzes
what romance and history Is associated
with this married spot of former pictur-
| esqueness. ,.,,4,,
MANY legends finger about the locaity'
| An Indian sat at the door of a settler
| cabin and told this story: MANY years
| AGO the red men in the eastern part OF
| the state were at war with those IN tne
middle and northwestern part. Chiet
among the former were the Mlngoes' anu
among the latter the Wyandottes' In one
| If me stealthy and bloodthirsty incurslons
into the Mingo hunting grounds young
| chief of great promise was captured ana
carried back by the Wyandottes: lns'eaa
81 killing the young Mingo chiettain, as
was The usual custom, he was made a sert
and compelled to earn the good esteem
and fellowship of his caplors' rate worse
than death to the young Indian.
saThe woes of his captivity however,
were Iiehtened by the kindly attention OF
a Young Wyandotte maiden. me daugh-
| fer OF the chief OF the tribe into whicn
| the Mingo had been adopted. tiehulne
| affection knows no condition, or us rlses
ABOVE an GtNlluAhhShN-
In love with the unfortunate young chief
and though watched by y crafty tribes
men. they made their affection known TO
each other and decided TO fly to the Min
go country. A..
"Ono night they made their escape. Al
daylight they were missed and we're pur-
sued by posse of Wyandottes. The girl
had left behind a tribesman lover who
burning with the passion OF disappointed
lover and aching for vengeance Travelled
faster than the couple and overlook them
/ al Black Hand rock.
They heard the pursuers behind them
| knowing that worse than death awaited
them II captured. With the stoicism OF
the savage, they walked 10 the edge OF
Inc precipice and surveyed the food. Fold
/ ing the Idol OF his heart In his arms, he
sprang into the boiling waters. The pur-
| euers were close enough 20 see the last
| chapter OF the drama"
The narrator says the disappointed pur-
Fucrs marked the spot as the Caucasian
/ found g.
The other lcgond-and one worthy Of
perpetuiiy--is born Of tho gcology aud
| country aud the trade conditions Of tho
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