POT O’ GOLD: Not long ago, we told readers about an Eldred man
who had been the target of a federal investigation in the early
1900s for running a counterfeiting operation.

While legend had it that this man had buried some loot on his
property, it has never been found. Today, a couple more legends
about hidden treasures in this region.

The information comes to us via Don Barry, a reporter and
columnist for The Era around 1952-55 – “when the venerable Joe
Cleary was editor and Bert Freed ran the newsroom.” (His column was
called “The Breakfast Nook.”)

Don tells us he came across the information on the Internet; in
fact, from a website run by the British Broadcasting Co.

The first tale was spawned in the 1890s when a man robbed a bank
in Emporium, making off with $40,000 in cash.

“Apparently, he got lost and wound up in the village of Hazel
Hurst where he collapsed. Not having a good day, our man died of
‘exhaustion’ a short time later, but not before confessing that he
had buried the loot northeast of Kushequa within sight of the
Kinzua railroad bridge. The money has never been recovered.”

We’ve heard of this stash and know some have actually searched
for it.

Readers?

The BBC also has this to say about a tale, “The Lost Cave of
Silver.”

“Somewhere in the Allegheny National Forest to the west of the
town of Tionesta, Pa., is a cave reputed to be full of silver.

“During the late 1700s, a white settler named Hill got lost and
sought shelter in a cave for the night. Inside the cave he saw
veins of silver running everywhere through the walls and ceiling.
In the floor was a great pit filled with pure silver. When he
managed to find his way home, he was unable to find his way back to
the cave.

“Hill’s story was backed up by an early entrepreneur who traded
liquor with the indigenous Indians in exchange for furs and silver.
When he asked them where they got all their silver, legend has it
that they blindfolded him and took him to a cave matching the one
described in Hill’s story.

“Pure silver was found in Indian burial grounds near Irvine,
Warren County, approximately 15 miles upstream from Tionesta.
However, the Cave of Silver has never been found.”