Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-10-03
PLANTED COAL and
MADE A FORTUNE
EARLY Day Nsbr..k. swindls Which
Cost confding Capitalists
a Half Million.
TALE OF TERRITORIAL TIMES
Two Adventures Sailed Con- z1,no Near
Desoto. Deceived Exports, and Sold
Stock Like Hot CaSes-story
Of the '5os.
TALE OF TERRITORIAL TIMES

Omaha World Herald: The search for
coal in Nebraska has been one of the
fatuous pursuits which has beguiled
more than one ardent believer In the
marvellous resources of the state. Many
times in the short lifetime of this pros
has been thrown into q fever Of excite
ment by the announcement that coal in
paying quantities has been discovered.
These reports have almost invariably
come from the eastern part of the state,
among the hills which hem in the broad
valleys OF the Missouri and Platte, but
In no instance has calm and unpreju-
diced Investigation revealed coal in suf-
ficient quantities to warrant mining 1t
for commercial purposes.
1t may surprise great many people
In this state to learn that Nebraska en-
joyed considerable boom in eastern
financial markets as q coal state as
long ago as 1855. Yet such is the case,
as is attested by a clergyman who
rode the circuit" In eastern Nebraska
at that early day and was familiar
with the entire occurrence.
If John Reeves had timed his arrival
the zenith of his career In this en-
lightened decade he would have been
ranked as q leader among financial
giants. AS his Immediate ancestors
We're thoughtlesS enough, however, to
begin his mundane existence at a time
when budding genius was not appre
ciated he was doomed to be ranked as
swindler and confidence man.
Born in eastern New York. Reeves
n a Snirit of cnac,Ilotipn op,l
desire to get rich quick" He chafed
under the restraint Of the staid bust
ness methods in vogue In his native
city and longed for an opening which
would give him the coveted opportunity
to show his mettle. This opening he
thought he saw when excitement was
rife over the settling of the prairie
states west of the Missouri. EARLY In
1855. when about So years of age he
started for the west, thoroughly i'm
bued with the idea that his resourceful
mental powers would force an opening
If the slightest clew presented itself
Two Congcninl Spirits Meet.
He reached the little town of Kane
Vile, now known as Council Bluffs,
without incident, so far as was known
to the clergyman from whom this tale
was obtained. At Kaneville Reeves fell
In with a familiar spirit in the person
of William Anderson, a native of Penn
sylNania, who had likewise sought the
unknown west as an Eldorado where
q fortune might be found without
working for 1t.
The old adage, Birds of a feather
flock by themselves" was we'll illustrat-
ed In these two. Their casual meeting
quickly resulted IN a firm friendship
and they decided to form i, coalition
for offense and defense. Together they
crossed the Missouri and began a tour
of inspection of the promised land
stretching toward the setting sun. The
idea of settling upon the fertile land
was dismissed with little ceremony as
being entirely too slow a method to
suit the vaulting ambition of these two
knights of fortune. They soon reached
the conclusion that there was little
or no opportunity above the ground fol
the display of their ingenuity and ii
was decided to search beneath the sur
face for evidence of hidden riches. Fol
months they rode up and down the
river, the weary search extending ovei
many miles of territory, but without q
promise of fruitful results.
Anderson was a native of the soft
coal region of Pennsylvania and was
thoroughly imbued with the idea that
the rough country lying along the Mis-
souri, north of what is now Omaha
must contain HluueH VEINS Oh pliieF
diamonds.
This country is very much IKE west
ern Pennsylvania" he said hundreds
of times to his companion, "and there
must be coal under 1T. If we only haG
the machinery to sink Shaft know
we would strike 1T rich"
Ism coal ever louild near OF AT eh'
surface! queiled reeves one DAY.
Yes, sometimes, rephea ms Trend
nave seen IL stlcKlhg OUT OF lhe
GROUND the same as limestone or othel
rock is sometlmes uncovered by th'
| Washing away OF the sou earth.
Reeves Finds Coal Mine.
| What Reeves knew about coal ant
coal mining would not have made I;
| very large book, but 1T did not take
| long for his fertile brain to envolve {
| scheme which made his companion!
| eyes fairly stick out.
We'll make coal mine right owe.
| there on the side of that HILL" said he
They We're camping at the time on tn
level land adjoining the river near tn
high bluffs in the vicinity of what wa
afterwards the little town of DE Soto
and the hill toward which he pointe,
was one of the highest along the river
1t still stands as a commanding emin
| ence, visible for miles UP or down TIN
| river and in plain sight from the car
of the Omaha road.
| 1t did not take long to arrange the de
tails Of the plan outlined by Reeves AN,
| the two worthless set out early the mex
morning to carry their plot into eff
| feet. Proceeding by the nearest rout
to Kaneyille they invested i'm n freight
| ing wagon and a team. The WACO,
| was loaded with lump coal. especia
care being taken to get lumps. wa
| this and Sllpplies sufficient I'm laot fo