Does anyone remember this story ?

[Tom_in_CA]

I remember reading this years ago, but ..... don't know of a link , or where I read it. The gist of it went like this:

There was some dude who bought either some sort of strange detector ( maybe it was an LRL ? I forget). After reading the instructions, he took it out in his yard to try it out. It gave an indication signal right in his yard ! So he began digging. The hole got bigger and bigger. But every time he'd turn the device back on to try again, he would keep indicating inside the hole. As if deeper. So he kept digging DEEPER. Convinced the device was telling him something was buried there.

I think a few days went by, and the depth of the hole was now over his head ! It got to where he couldn't continue with manual methods, so he brought in some heavy equipment, if I recall. At this point, neighbors began to gawk. And the city public works utility people were called. He was in some sort of violation of not getting permits . Like this now constituted construction, or under-mining the street or sidewalk, or ... whatever.

Whenever anyone, his wife, etc... would ask him "Gee, why are you digging this giant crater in your yard ?" He would not be dissuaded. Fully convinced he was on to something big! The machine would beep or point or whatever each time he turned it on. Thus: Might be a treasure ??

Eventually, the curious on-lookers, neighbors, city officials, etc... convinced him that ...... no ...... there was nothing there. And with tears in his eyes, he filled in this giant crater. Worried that a treasure might have been "just out of his grasp".

I think we can all see, that: This guy was mistaken. Perhaps he was using the detector wrong (steel toed boots? etc...) . Or an LRL that simply tilts where you tilt it ? In ANY case, that is an example of where .... yes ...... people can be UTTERLY convinced of a treasure. Even going to great lengths, expenses, ignoring clues they *might* be wrong, or that there *might* be another explanation. When truth be told: There was, most likely, a more plausible explanation.

Anyone remember that story ? Got a link ?

 

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[Darke]

This one? How Deep Is Gold's Lure? 60 Feet, Until City Steps In - latimes

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Darke: That's it ! Beautiful. I had some details wrong, but that's basically it. Hired workers . (I thought it was "hired heavy equipment").

Ok, let's take a vote: How many think there was gold "a little deeper" in his yard ?

 

[Darke]

When I read the first couple of lines of your post i thought it was just the plot to Oak Island lol. There's been some crazier ones including one that ended in the guy being buried alive in the past few years. Guy just dug a 25 foot hole in his house last month.

Of course there was gold deeper. It's always just out of reach. Especially if it's gets viewers lol.

 

[Honest Samuel]

More great comments from my good friend.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

When I read the first couple of lines of your post i thought it was just the plot to Oak Island lol. ....

Uuhhh, Uhhh, Uuhhh : And the moral of that story would be ...... ??

 

[Darke]

If at first you don't succeed it's because you didn't dig deep enough. I'd be hauling treasure out all the time if I didn't keep hitting that pesky aquifer.

 

[ARC]

Hmmm... I think that guy bought the old property with the well...

The one they filled with dirt and metal dust from the steel mill floor.

:P

Bah... my vote is........... JUST out of reach... 2 more feet is all it takes... everytime.

(yes, I am joking)

 

[1320]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the city dug it up after they shut him down. I can’t view the link, was there a follow up to the story?

 

[Darke]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the city dug it up after they shut him down. I can’t view the link, was there a follow up to the story?

No follow up. It just ended with the city ordering him to hire an engineer to fill the pit in.

Edit - there was a follow up. http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jun/28/local/me-rbriefs28.1 He did fill in the hole.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Edit - there was a follow up.....

Great follow-up link too Darke. Sheesk, 60 ft. deep ! Thanx.

Ok folks, there was a case where the old addage of "Where there's smoke, there's fire", does not apply. ( Unless, of course, you think as 1320 jokes: That the city came behind his back and got a treasure. Or, unless you think it's 62 ft. deep, etc....)

 

[Tiredman]

I thought it was a pun aimed at Dents Run in the first few lines.

 

[A2coins]

I remember reading this years ago, but ..... don't know of a link , or where I read it. The gist of it went like this:

There was some dude who bought either some sort of strange detector ( maybe it was an LRL ? I forget). After reading the instructions, he took it out in his yard to try it out. It gave an indication signal right in his yard ! So he began digging. The hole got bigger and bigger. But every time he'd turn the device back on to try again, he would keep indicating inside the hole. As if deeper. So he kept digging DEEPER. Convinced the device was telling him something was buried there.

I think a few days went by, and the depth of the hole was now over his head ! It got to where he couldn't continue with manual methods, so he brought in some heavy equipment, if I recall. At this point, neighbors began to gawk. And the city public works utility people were called. He was in some sort of violation of not getting permits . Like this now constituted construction, or under-mining the street or sidewalk, or ... whatever.

Whenever anyone, his wife, etc... would ask him "Gee, why are you digging this giant crater in your yard ?" He would not be dissuaded. Fully convinced he was on to something big! The machine would beep or point or whatever each time he turned it on. Thus: Might be a treasure ??

Eventually, the curious on-lookers, neighbors, city officials, etc... convinced him that ...... no ...... there was nothing there. And with tears in his eyes, he filled in this giant crater. Worried that a treasure might have been "just out of his grasp".

I think we can all see, that: This guy was mistaken. Perhaps he was using the detector wrong (steel toed boots? etc...) . Or an LRL that simply tilts where you tilt it ? In ANY case, that is an example of where .... yes ...... people can be UTTERLY convinced of a treasure. Even going to great lengths, expenses, ignoring clues they *might* be wrong, or that there *might* be another explanation. When truth be told: There was, most likely, a more plausible explanation.

Anyone remember that story ? Got a link ?

Then after all that digging he realized there was a piece of metal stuck in his coil cover lol. I do get the point your making though. Ill go detecting snd alot of the funis whats in the next target is very exciting and if you dont have that this hobby would not be as fun. Reality tells ya its most likely junk or a pop top or bling but the more you imagine a great find the better it is.

 

[boogeyman]

Darke: That's it ! Beautiful. I had some details wrong, but that's basically it. Hired workers . (I thought it was "hired heavy equipment").

Ok, let's take a vote: How many think there was gold "a little deeper" in his yard ?

There was! it was in the toes of his steel toed work boots! Oh ye of little faith......... Remember spitting coffee over that story.

 

[etex]

Uuhhh, Uhhh, Uuhhh : And the moral of that story would be ...... ??

The moral is don’t be a Quitter[emoji383]

 

[ARC]

This story is Oak Island with no "legend".

SO... in essence ...

Minus the Oak... and the Island.

:P

 

[3cylbill]

wasn't that ...YOU tom and now we know WHY you just hate ..LRL ....

 

[Worm-Slicer]

If I were him, I would have buried a real treasure in the hole then on my deathbed give a vague map and say I was the only one surviving that knows about it and you have to find the hidden turtle to solve it.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

The moral is don’t be a Quitter[emoji383]

Sure. For example: What if Edison had "been a quitter ?" Then we'd have never have had the light-bulb. What if Mel Fisher had been a "quitter" just because he didn't find the Atocha on the first year ? Then we'd have never have had the great history and museum and story of his.

The examples go on and on: DON'T QUIT. Thus: It should equally have applied in this guy's case, right ?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

And actually, as the guy began to get flack from the city for supposed code violations (ie.: told to stop), he *SHOULD* have recognized that, for exactly what it was: ALL THE MORE PROOF of treasure.

Because, ... certainly .... that would be because they must *know* of the treasure. Eh ? So they are trying shut him down, so-as-to keep it hidden, get it for themselves, etc....

And In the intervening nights, before being forced to fill it in, I wonder if there was any suspicious activity . People seen there during the night ? If he could substantiate that too, then he'd have even more pieces of the puzzle to confirm treasure.