Civil War Payroll gold may have been found in Elk County PA

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I'm surprised at your statement Samuel! I read the story and it's doesn't mention anyone digging, only has one minor reference to the FBI "Court approved activities" statement and only mentioned gold or treasure as the goal of the Finders Keepers.

There are no pictures of digging, digging equipment, the FBI, gold or anything but two porta potties and a tent a trailer and two unmarked vehicles. I'm puzzled how you got "pictures of the FBI looking for this treasure" when none of that is even mentioned in the article. Was there another article?

I'm really wondering if anyone here has any evidence the FBI was looking for treasure or gold or if anyone has any evidence the FBI did any digging. So far there is nothing but some people assuming the FBI is looking for treasure.

It's looking like Tedyoh is going to be eating crow pie alone. Having been there before I can tell you a big helping of humility will make that dirty bird go down easier. :thumbsup:

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See dirt on exvavator bucket which is holding a rock hammer attachment. FBI forensic team dug for 2 days while FBI police set up a perimeter and condemned the public access to state land and the private land they crossed to access sidehill dig location.

This level of planned response would have been in the planning stages for sometime and required significant levels of authorization. Keep in mind this is the USA not California.
 

Tedyoh: "Gloat?" What's the point in that? I'm not the President. I have no interest in such an activity. I don't have a dog in this hunt.

We are members of TN. That is something I take very seriously. I'm here for fun - to share what little I know, to learn what I don't know, to try to help others when I may. By my accounting I've gotten more than I have given. But rest assured one thing I have absolutely no interest in giving is anyone else a hard time.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo
 

According to the Washington Post, the FBI are involve ....

To have LEO activity at a place, responding to someone's claim of treasure, does not mean: Ergo, a treasure existed. I could single-handedly get a spot to "crawl with LEO's" too, if I made 15 yrs. of stink, rattled enough paperwork appeals processes, called enough media, and got myself kicked off the spot numerous times.

I know some guys in CA that ... uh ... pushed the envelope around some sensitive monuments. Authorities caught wind of it. And guess what ? Warning/scrams were issued, security scrutiny got upped (cameras, etc...) and so forth. I do not see how the presence of FBI, *of necessity* means "treasure".

.... Be careful if you have information on any buried treasures on any government lands....

They did not have "information on buried treasure". They had a ghost-story camp-fire legend.
 

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See dirt on exvavator bucket which is holding a rock hammer attachment. FBI forensic team dug for 2 days while FBI police set up a perimeter and condemned the public access to state land and the private land they crossed to access sidehill dig location.

This level of planned response would have been in the planning stages for sometime and required significant levels of authorization. Keep in mind this is the USA not California.

That area is very rocky. Most things I've detected were no deeper than a few inches. Your not digging a 8 foot hole without heavy equipment. Case in point the rock hammer attachment. Tons of iron stone that play hell with detectors. Or special deep seeking units. Could be why they thought there were iron boxes buried. There is a fellow searching the Superstitions with a magic cane $10000 per unit. Has a 1" head. He claims he found every treasure ever talked about. Nothing recovered. It's all buried under solid rock.
 

.... He claims he found every treasure ever talked about. Nothing recovered. It's all buried under solid rock.

haha, that's funny. And ... of course.... uses the past tense "found". But durned that solid rock that's in the way. :icon_scratch:

If you point out that it would be unfeasible for someone to therefore have buried something that deeply in those prohibitive conditions, you'll bump into the same resistance that occurs with the Oak Island faithful types:

a) cornish miners were digging tunnels that deep in the 1700s. Thus proving it's physically possible with primitive tools.

b) They built the pyramids didn't they ?

c) If you take 10 yrs., with 100 slaves, then ... yes ... it's possible.

Thus most certainly this means the treasure is under solid rock. Eh ?
 

So I'll report from what I hear from the foot soldiers in the area....good or bad....my friend who was at the dig site stopped at the local Bar in Driftwood On his way home, someone there (who's 3rd cousin from his wife's twice removed....blah blah blah) was the guy running the "earth moving machine" on the site claims nothing was found.
 

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That area is very rocky. Most things I've detected were no deeper than a few inches. Your not digging a 8 foot hole without heavy equipment. Case in point the rock hammer attachment. Tons of iron stone that play hell with detectors. Or special deep seeking units. Could be why they thought there were iron boxes buried. There is a fellow searching the Superstitions with a magic cane $10000 per unit. Has a 1" head. He claims he found every treasure ever talked about. Nothing recovered. It's all buried under solid rock.

Good point, you are clearly familiar with the sideslopes above 300'-400' in elevation in this valley. This site is in bed an bank featured ravine that appears to have had water drain and having scoured a room behind and below a large rock boulder. Iron pyrite is common in this area as well and can appear as a shiny yellow mineral consisting of iron disulfide and typically occurring as crystals which would reflect light or gleam, this likely would account for the camera shots done in the drill holes into the rock subgrade that appeared as goldy. This location is likely just a historic shelter for Indians and settling pioneers.

Given FBI response and recent comments of researchers with prior interest in this area, it would reasonably indicate there is other known accounts to substantiate interest in the greater area that there indeed was a civil war gold shipment in the area.
 

haha, that's funny. And ... of course.... uses the past tense "found". But durned that solid rock that's in the way. :icon_scratch:

If you point out that it would be unfeasible for someone to therefore have buried something that deeply in those prohibitive conditions, you'll bump into the same resistance that occurs with the Oak Island faithful types:

a) cornish miners were digging tunnels that deep in the 1700s. Thus proving it's physically possible with primitive tools.

b) They built the pyramids didn't they ?

c) If you take 10 yrs., with 100 slaves, then ... yes ... it's possible.

Thus most certainly this means the treasure is under solid rock. Eh ?

Tom what's tough is digging through that solid rock to dig it back up.
 

.... the guy running the "earth moving machine" on the site claims nothing was found.

To the average reader that would mean: (drum-roll): Nothing was found. Right ? But to the faithful it will mean either: a) Govt. conspiracy hush job b) must be deeper, c) a little more to the right. d) a little more to the left.
 

Good point, you are clearly familiar with the sideslopes above 300'-400' in elevation in this valley. This site is in bed an bank featured ravine that appears to have had water drain and having scoured a room behind and below a large rock boulder. Iron pyrite is common in this area as well and can appear as a shiny yellow mineral consisting of iron disulfide and typically occurring as crystals which would reflect light or gleam, this likely would account for the camera shots done in the drill holes into the rock subgrade that appeared as goldy. This location is likely just a historic shelter for Indians and settling pioneers.

Given FBI response and recent comments of researchers with prior interest in this area, it would reasonably indicate there is other known accounts to substantiate interest in the greater area that there indeed was a civil war gold shipment in the area.

First lesson prospecting. Gold does not shine. Looks like butter. Right Clay. Fact is the 2 bars found were just sticking out of the ground. Guy kicked one with his foot. So I've been told. Things don't sink over time back there. Back in the day I processed crime scenes for the Pgh FBI office. They would borrow me from my dept. I left no stone unturned (ha) iIf they are involved there a reason. I hear there is a reason. Though if you cry wolf don't expect a second response with the same finder.
 

...Given FBI response and recent comments of researchers with prior interest in this area, it would reasonably indicate there is other known accounts to substantiate interest in the greater area that there indeed was a civil war gold shipment in the area.

I disagree. The amount of people who perpetuate a legend, and raise cane to get a circus, and LEO's stepping in to stop the circus, does not equate to : "Indeed a treasure". This does not logically follow.

Look at all the media circus, researchers, prior interest, etc... that exists at other treasure legends (Oak Island, Yamashita, etc...) and ask yourself: Does this prove anything is there ? No. It only proves that people love a good treasure yarn, and will make a big stink about them.
 

Tom what's tough is digging through that solid rock to dig it back up.

I'm sure they'd find a scenario to where it's possible. Some sort of cementing process that re-creates the hardness of natural rock, blah blah blah.

And you know those dry holes that they will finally admit to having dug ? Well it turns out those are nothing more than dummy decoy markers, cleverly set there to dissuade would-be treasure hunters 150 yrs. in the future. To throw them off-track and have them digging in the wrong places. Pretty clever of those guys back then, eh ? Thus dry holes and zero results become ALL THE MORE PROOF of certain treasure. Eh ?
 

.... Fact is the 2 bars found were just sticking out of the ground. Guy kicked one with his foot. So I've been told.....

Yes. So you've "been told". That doesn't make-it-so. These type salacious details (tips of ice-bergs already having been found) are part & parcel to any good treasure legend.

So too did I launch off onto TH'ing adventures in Mexico in the early 1990s. Where ....... just like the gold bars stories...... bits of caches had been found. Thus certainly metal detectors will make child's play of finding the rest. Right ? But lo & behold, when you start to investigate the supposed finds already made, (tips of icebergs) it comes down to "he said she said". Even when we're talking supposed persons who "found" or "saw" the treasure, and try to follow up with them, it turns out they didnt' actually see or find anything. But not to worry: Because they have it on good authority from so & so. And it goes on to permanent regression. Where you eventually realize it's telephone game gone awry :(

Thus I'm not so sure I even buy into this "2 bars found" story. If you have concrete evidence to the contrary, I'm all ears. And "concrete evidence" is not to cite the legend or a book which is nothing more than a compilation of legends.
 

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Yes. So you've "been told". That doesn't make-it-so. These type salacious details (tips of ice-bergs already having been found) are part & parcel to any good treasure legend.

So too did I launch off onto TH'ing adventures in Mexico in the early 1990s. Where ....... just like the gold bars stories...... bits of caches had been found. Thus certainly metal detectors will make child's play of finding the rest. Right ? But lo & behold, when you start to investigate the supposed finds already made, (tips of icebergs) it comes down to "he said she said". Even when we're talking supposed persons who "found" or "saw" the treasure, and try to follow up with them, it turns out they didnt' actually see or find anything. But not to worry: Because they have it on good authority from so & so. And it goes on to permanent regression. Where you eventually realize it's telephone game gone awry :(

Thus I'm not so sure I even buy into this "2 bars found" story. If you have concrete evidence to the contrary, I'm all ears. And "concrete evidence" is not to cite the legend or a book which is nothing more than a compilation of legends.

Tom my informants are dependable. I spent a lot of time on the mountain. Detected every square inch grid searching. I would not waist my time over just a story. Behind some legends you will find some truth that started it all. People have search for years for the Lost Dutchman. No gold in the mountain many said. I did a little research and my second trip in found 6 ounces. Man did that piss off the old Dutch hunters. They were to busy following legends disregarding that little bit of truth. As in this case wrong spot but not far off. As they say gold is where you find it. Now explain the gun parts I found exactly where the story said the skeletons were found and couple hundred yards from the spot the bars were found. Something to that story. But every legend has its bull. Sometimes some fact. I believe the soldiers got into a fight. A few mules ran off. Homemade bag ripped open an 2 bars fell on the ground. If any gold was hidden it would be under on of the thousand ledges. Not buried in solid rock. I hear some of the 2 bars ended up at a jewelry store in St Mary's. A little at a time. In the long run if your going to get involved in a legend look for that little bit of fact. Sometime you will find it. Many times it does not exist. I search a scene just as I would a crime scene. I find something I look closer at the incident. In this case things were found.
 

I should add I searched that area with a Ismael Jones mod 2000 with a 25 inch coil. The unit was jones personal 2000 and the only one like it in the world. Great unit for treasure hunting. I also used a Whites gold unit with a 10 foot extension and a 5" coil for looking under the ledges in the area.
 

Tom my informants are dependable....

Yes. So too were those informants of mine in post #315

... . I spent a lot of time on the mountain.....

Yes, no one spends insufficient amount of time researching. And logically: The more time spent investigating, the more indisputable the story becomes. Right ?

..... Detected every square inch grid searching......

Ok. And the amount of treasures you found detecting "every square inch" equals what ??

.... I would not waist my time over just a story.....

No doubt. Yes. And no one consider their treasure legends to be *just* a story. I get it. They're all iron-clad and bullet proof true.

..... Behind some legends you will find some truth that started it all.....

oh, I'll go further than that: ALL the treasure legends have "truth that started it all". They're ALL based on actual names, dates, and events. But the problem is: If 99% is true (names, dates, and faded newspaper clippings) are true, but 1% (the part about the treasure) is not true, then: It really doesn't do you much good about the 99% that's true. Right ?

.... . Now explain the gun parts I found exactly where the story said the skeletons were found and couple hundred yards from the spot the bars were found.....

couple of observations:

a) curiously, gun parts, yet no treasures found. So ... what are we talking about ?

b) I hunt old west stage stop type spots all the time. And I too find "gun parts". And I've found human bones (skeletons). Ie.: a finger bone with a ring on it. Ok.... where's my gold bars/treasures ? Certainly these 2 factors are indicative of treasure, right ?
 

I should add I searched that area with a Ismael Jones mod 2000 with a 25 inch coil. The unit was jones personal 2000 and the only one like it in the world. Great unit for treasure hunting. I also used a Whites gold unit with a 10 foot extension and a 5" coil for looking under the ledges in the area.

Very commendable. Ok, what did you find ?
 

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