Startling mineral discovery in Western Virginia--the truth of tradition.
A correspondent of the
Pittsburg Commercial gives an account of a discovery of a wonderful lead mine in Monongahela county,
West Virginia.
He says:
‘
"But the most astonishing of all recent discoveries was that made last week of perhaps the richest lead mine in the world.
The specimens are all of extreme richness, and some weigh considerably over a pound.
With no other tools than a pocket-knife and a stick, they dug out such quantities of the ore that they could not carry it away.
One lump, apparently nearly pure, and giving the appearance of having been subjected to smelting heat, from the description, weighed twenty pounds or upwards.
"With an ordinary mattock, they assert, they could in a few minutes load a cart with the chunks or boulders cropping out for acres and acres.
One of the parties will have specimens with him that will fully confirm all that I have stated above.
It is the intention of these enterprising gentlemen to make immediate arrangements for properly developing these immense resources, which will be of incalculable advantage to the section of country in which they are found, (which, for prudential reasons, is not more particularly referred to.)
"It is singular that the immense mineral treasures of this region, far surpassing the wildest dreams of hidden and fabulous treasures of the dreamy, imaginative Orientalist, should be directly under the noses of the inhabitants, and remain undiscovered or unnoticed until this time."
’
[In 1859 or '60, we were on
Dunkard creek and throughout the neighborhood.
We stayed one night at the house of "
Squire"
S. A. Hibbs, who lives some few miles from the creek.
Mr. Hibbs told us that the old inhabitants had handed down a tradition that, in that neighborhood, there was a lead mine, from which the Indians, during the border wars, had always been able to supply themselves plentifully with that useful article.
He added, that the mine had been searched for again and again by many people who had faith in the truth of the tradition, but almost always without success.
One famous hunter,
Mr. Hibbs thought, had found the spot, and availed himself of its treasures; but he had "died and made no sign. " We shall not soon forget the serious, almost solemn tone in which our informant spoke of the matter.--Dispatch.]
