The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-12-31


rus. are full of gold, and number Of
mines are now being worked. Before and
up to the beginning of the war In 1861.
gold mining was one OF the chief Indus
| tries of this section of the country. There
were n number of companies capitalized
| and developed by men residing In the
northern states. In almost every In
stance these companies sent down men
to take charge of the working of these
mines who were experienced gold miners.
| There is not so much being done IN gold
mining as there was in 1861, although
the earth is Just as full of gold. but
because the ore is so situated that as
| yet there has been no profitable way
devised OF getting II into saleable dust
at much less than tho intrinsic value
of the gold. The owners of these lands
have been hoping that Mr. Edison or
some other wizard would invent some
process whereby the counties mentioned
would be speedily developed into Call
forria or Australia. If this is ever done
there is enough gold in these counties to
supply the civilized world.
Near the town of Troy. the county seat
Of Montgomery county, Is situated what
is known as the "Tebe Sanders" gold
mine. When the war broke out In lSol
this mine was being developed by
northern company, and General Thomas
! r. Eckert, now the president or the
| Western Union Telegraph Company, was
superintendent and manager of the min
ing operations. The writer was I'm New
York city few weeks ago, and while
there ascertained the following incidents
concerning General Eclsert while in this
state before and at the time the war
broke out;
The most picturesque character Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company IS
that of General Thomas T Eckert, the
president thereof. He is now eighty-three
years old and is as hale and hearty as
he was twenty years ago. He Is at his
desk every day. and by his polite, cheer
ful. polished manners charms all who
come In contact with him on business
or otherwise lie IS simply one OF ma
lures noblemen.
In working this mine General Eckert
had quite a number of hands under him.
and he was so kind and fair TO them
in his dealings with them that they
all had the greatest regard for him.
Mr. Eckert, as he was then known, in
troduced considerable machinery into the
mine. and when the war brought his OPP
erations to n close he was making
large dividend for his company.
Being from the north and therefore a
4
fever got abroad In the land every yam
lxee", so called because of his former
residence I'm some northern state, was
suspected Of treason to the coufederacy
II re did not declare himself "A seCes-
sionist and n war man, and did not
wear a secession coCkade. Superintend-
ent Eckert had not had anything to do
with the war fever. He had not ma'
himself obnoxious 10 either side. lie
was simply attending to his mining op-
er1tions
II appears that Mr. Eckert was at this
time we'll known to the gentleman who
was president Of the Louisville and Nash
Vile Railroad Company, which was
greatly I'm need OF man 20 take charge
OF the large force then employed by this
company. The president. remembering
Mr.. Eckert, wrote him letter saying
that If Eckert would accept the presi-
dent would put him I'm command of his
forces. This letter fen into the hands
OF the confederate authorities. and they
construed Il 10 mean that Eckcrt was
TO have command of an army TO operate
AGAINST the c0nfederaCy, whereas the
general meaning was simply 70 have gen
eral charge Of the railroad company
and all Of it's employees. This was con-
sidcred as treason, to he IN secret corre-
suondcnce with the public enemy. Hear
ins, of this correspondence and before
any official action was taken by the con
fcderate authorities. four men came to
the mine one day. all armed with rllleS'
and intimatcd to Eckert that II was
Time f3r. him to leave the state In orde:
to impress the idea Of leaving. they
suggested to Eckcrt that If he would
Dut M a target they would show him
their skill as marksmen. The target was
mt nm At a distance of one hundred
wards. which was the usual distance for
tn. rifles which the ordinary hunter used
in Nortb Carolina and the four men fired
several times. showing that they We're
cxpcrienced marksmcn, although they
did not hit the bulfs-eye. During TINS
proceeding Eczort had kept perfectly cool
and collected and had not indicated that
he was afraid of any harm being doIs
him. After the four had shot all that
thav desired. Iccllert remarked that he
had inst received now gun which he had
rot fred. and If his friends had no OBJ
lection he would try it al the target
Eckert had never fired a gun up TO this
moment, and ne knew that he was TAX
ing n great risk in joining I'm the trial
Of skill. hut he DID not intend to be run
away before he got ready TO leave If he
could avoid it. There was no objection
on the part of his friends, 50 Eckert got
his gun. WllItn wis tht-ttlS itN 'tite4
showed that ii had never been fred. and
was a different pattern from anything
Of the kind that his confederate friends
had ever seen. Very carelcssly ECkert
raised his gun TO his shoulder and fired
instantly. and placed the bail IN the cen
ter Of the bulIs-eye. There was aston
ishYnent and vibrations" at this
Mr. FCkert then suggested that the tar
get be moved to distance Of two hun
dred Yards. and he would see what his
gun would do at that distance. The
target was moved and Eckert got one
of his friends to lie down not far FROM
the target so as 10 point out whore the
bullet went. These arrangements were
made and Eckert fred again as before.
and again put the bullet in the hull's-cyc.
and the bail. after passing through the
target. changed its course ana sped by
the man who had laid down near the
target In such close proximity to his
head that he was badly scared Great
was the establishment of the four con-
federates They held a hurried consul
tation. and bade Eckert good day and
left He heard no more Of these men,
hut in 2 few days he was arrested by
the confederate military authorities and
charged with treason to the confederacy
because he was in traitorous correspond
cree with the public enemy and was
furnishing them with plans and infOrma-
ton to be used i'm the invasion of the
state. A drumhead courtmartial was or
c2niZcd and Eckcrt was tried and found
guilty and was sentenced 10 be hanged
on the 10th day of June, 1861. He was
confined in Jail In this town. Things had