Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-27
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875.
INSTALLMENT XVII.
LOOKING Out For Gold.

Looking Out For Gold.
The charter granted by Charles the
Second to the proprietors Of Carolina
required one fourth of all the gold and
silver which might, at any time be
found in the territory, to be given to
the king, "his heirs and successors"
At an early period in the history OF
the state-long before the granting OF
the charter-some attempts had been
made to discover gold and silver
mines. On the Savannah some dig
ging had been done; but little II any
of these precious metals had been dis
covered. After the settlement OF the
state there was manifested some In
terest In the mineral resources OF the
country, but the various troubles
through which the people had to pass,
and the many difficulties by which
they were surrounded, prevented them
from devoting much attention to the
subject. The people were generally so
engaged that they had no time to
make any extended research, yet the
opinion prevailed that in some places
in the territory there was gold. The
Spaniards in their march through a
corner of the state in 1888, reported
that they saw gold, and 1t Is thought
that, Notwithstanding the hurried char
acter of their march, they actually dug
for gold. 1t is probable they found
little, II any gold or silver In South
Carolina. They may have been more
successful in Georgia, and the terrific
ry west of the Savannah river.
Prospecting on the Quiet.
During the administration Of Joseph
Blake, an effort was made, rather In
clandestine or secret way, to search
for mines Of the precious metals. Ed
ward Loughton and David Maybans,
carpenters, who came into the colony
about 1882 went over to England some
time during the time that Joseph
Blake was governor, and made an I'M
preston on the minds Of their rela-
tions by name Of Green and Cutler.
All the information Loughton and
Maybank seem to have possessed res
pecting tn eexistence Of gold or silver
mines in Carolina, they obtained from
the Indian traders. Cutler and his
wife came to Charles Town In jan
uary, 1898. They brought with them
a stock of goods, and Mrs. Cutler OPEN
ed a milliner's shop In the town. In
this gold hunting enterprise, the Earl
of Bridgewater, the Earl Of Pembroke,
Edward Randolph and the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, and many other in
dividuals Of position in the English
government, became intensely inter-
ested. A correspondence was begun
between Randolph, who was In
Charles Town at the time, and the
Earl of Bridgewater. James Moore,
who was afterward governor, took an
active part in this enterprise. The
facts in the case are few and Of little
Importance but the circumstances
connected with the undertaking are
very significant.
The King Was Interested.
Edward Randolph had been sent out
early in the administration Of Joseph
Blake, by the English Board Of Trade,
for the purpose of supervising the
commerce of the English colonies In
North America and the West Indies.
He administered the oath Of Office to
Joseph Blake, and remained for sew
eral years In South Carolina. He
seems to have been especially anxious
to promote the interest Of the king.
The correspondence between him and
the Earl Of Bridgewater, and also his
conference with Cutler, were kept
profound secret, so far as the lords
proprietors of the province were con-
cerned. So soon as James Moore heard
of the plans for searching for gold, ne
wrote to Thomas Cutler. In this trans
action, Moore as will be clearly seen In
the sequel, betrayed the trust that was
reposed in him by the proprietors, and
showed that he was capable Of double
dealing. He was secretary Of the pro-
vince and deputy of Sir John Colleton.
Yet he hesitated not to join heartily In
a conference, the avowed object OF
which, was to put the mineral re-
sources of the territory whatever they
might be, under the control of the
king. We have little doubt but the
real object of the whole combination
was to cheat and swindle both king
and proprietors, out of any gold and
silver that might be discovered in the
province. Clearly, 1t was the purpose
of Green, Cutler, Moore, and in one
word, of all the company to make the
King of England pay all the expenses
the company might be at in searching
for gold. The king seems to have gone
into the enterprise with considerable
zeal. He advanced to some Of the par
" two thousand dollars and promised
'ano, her thousand. The facts which
gave rise to the enterprise were OBJ
tanned by Loughton and MayoanK
from Richard Tranter. James Moore
also furnished some facts, but not OF
much Importance. The gold region
was according to current reports,
about one hundred and seventy miles
distant from Charles Town in the re-
gions of the Appalachian mountains
Moore in his letter to Cutler, says that
in the year 1891, he made a journey to
these mountains, and whilst on the
journey. he found gold ore at seven
different places. These specimens he
numbered and sent to England to be
tested. Two of the specimens proved
to be very rich. one Indifferent and the
other four Of no value.
Moore informed Cutler that he could,
with the aid Of the journal which he
,,,biIo an tho inttrnaU rafarrad TO.