Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-12-27
|Still Working the ''Buried Treasure II

twork the old doctor of science"
laid down the following rules: The
location of the excavation must be
kept secret; the men must come to
the work alone and must not allow
any outsider to come with them;
there must be no swearing, loud
talking or tobacco chewing while at
work, lest it anger the spirits and
cause them to move the treasure
deeper in the ground.
All of the men were husky to-
bacco chewers and it is tribute to
their hope and Argonaut-spirit that
they were able to refrain from man
ufacturing amber" for several
weeks. A few of them could "cuss"
plenty on sufficient provocation,
too, but during the treasure hunt
they we're as pious as the most ortho-
dox person in the country. Perhaps
they did not take so much stock in
the Spirits" but the old doctor was
Santa Claus and they would respect
his ideas.
When the work began about half
of the men had paid the old man
the amount stipulated. Some OF the
remainder would not have any money
for two weeks and the others who
had not paid, the ones who worked
for the railroad, would not get their
money for nearly four weeks.
The excavators started hole
about twelve feet square. Half OF
the crew worked with pick and
shovel in the excavation while the
others stood on heavy boards laid
across the opening and drew out the
dirt with buckets. 1t was clumsy
method and a slow job. The Old
man remained with the crew prac-
tically all of the time and he fed
them enough theology, philosophy,
wisdom. folklore and spirit-lore to
satisfy them the rest of their lives.
And maybe his advice to have no
truck" with rascals and Swindlers
was worth the fees they were pay
ing him even if there had been no
hope of buried treasure. Turner act
ed, in a manner, as foreman OF the
crew.
Ten days of work produced a hole
ten feet deep and the old doctor
tried out his magic treasurer-finder
again. The treasure would be found,
he announced, at twenty-five feet.
The men worked feverishly for few
days and made progress. The men
who at the beginning had a pay day
two weeks eff received their money
and paid up.
Then when the treasure was still
a few feet away an accident hap
pened. Bill Jordon let fall a bucket
filled with dirt-he was nervous be-
cause he was used to chewing to-
bacco when he worked. 1t hit Tom
Sides on the head. Tom forgot and
swore. 1t was hard job for him
to keep from swearing at the best.
"Now you have done It'll" shouted
the old doctor. "That will make the
spirits move the treasure eight feet
deeper"
He made test with his instru-
menu. 4tS, llc diihOu1iSSej ~ ~
now ten feet down from here"
The men were a little dispirited
by the unfriendly act Of the spirits
and worked rather slowly for few
days. Then the old man ordered a
lay-off for two or three lays. Some
of the men talked of quitting when
away from the job and out OF the
old mans hearing, but they did not,
There was no more swearing and
the work proceeded slowly but sure
ly. 1t was close to dark late one
afternoon when a depth of twenty
nine feet was reached. The old man
announced that the treasure was
only one foot lower. All of the men
had paid the old man by this time.
The old doctor Of science" SEEM
ed not at all excited because of the
alleged closeness of the precious OBJ
iect of their quest. When it became