sutphin
Gold Member
- Oct 2, 2013
- 8,344
- 4,466
- Detector(s) used
- WHITES 5900, MXT 300, MXT PRO, MXT ALL PRO/ 8X6 SEF COIL
- Primary Interest:
- Relic Hunting
]DISAPPEARED RELIC CART from the Loudoun Branch and Manassas Gap Railroad. Back in 1981 I had a long wish to find a relic that my father had talked about and how someday he wished he could recover it. Well I was 10 back in 1968 when my father passed and my brothers always talked about it and where it was located. Years went by and one day my brother said lets go fishing to a good spot take the boat and some friends and enjoy the day. Off for a day of fun hit the creek and hot damn hot summer time late august water low and no fish biting .We made our way upstream and all the sudden I saw something half on half off the bank that didn't fit in. Where we put the boat in my fathers friend owned the property and this relic had been here over a 100 years, what I was looking at was a steel wheel exposed out of the bank and water I knew then we had found it. Upon further inspection and all of us out of the boat we were able to check this relic out that happened to be an abandoned mining cart after research from 1853- 1857 that the railroad line went bankrupt and the soldiers had torn up the rails during the war for they where still in place after the rail line went out years before and this being so heavy ditched it and this was a story we were told later true. My father as a boy would dive off it when water was normal depth and later on got the dreams of recovering it. I need to cut the story but in the end we hauled this cart home only having it a year later disappear. I had tried to put this in its proper place for show and history but no one was interested so it stayed with the family.Found In 1981 disappeared in 1982. I went through a process to preserve it for being out of the water wouldn't take many years to dissolve away. Somewhere during that year my brother who become a alcoholic from many years drinking passed and the secret went with him to the grave. So someplace in the area of Clarke county va this relic hopefully is and not in a scrap yard long gone. I have searched and given up only to look again with no results. Place of residence the Sheandoah Retreat and all I remember when I asked my brother if it was in the shed he would say yes only to find out it was gone. You know there is no real value unless it was sold for scrap for the solid wheels and axels weighed at least I was told 375 ibs. per set.The real value is sentimental and some background history and that's all nothing else. I hope before I pass away that this will be in the family again or will one of sons have to fill my wish. Please anybody with any info , I will pay a reward to get it back.This cart that is missing was from the Loudoun branch and manassas gap railroad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Donald Sutphin
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