The earliest surviving run of newspapers from Barry County begins in the 1890s, but earlier Barry County items survive in other newspapers.   Here are a few miscellaneous stories of Barry County, transcribed as originally printed.  Highlights include:

• 1869:  How to shoot your mule.
• 1870:  Politics and a drunken card game at Cassville.
• 1875:  The Waldensians arrive from South America.
• 1876:  An 8-year-old's walk across Barry County.
• 1878:  Buried Civil War treasure.
• 1881:  The Missouri Land Company of Scotland.
• 1910:  That cannon in Flat Creek.

16 April 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield A new paper called the Cassville Banner, has just been started at Cassville, Barry county.  It is radical in politics, and the first number, which is before us, indicates that it will do good service.  Messrs. Stewart & Vance are the publishers. 16 April 1868, Fountain & Journal, Mt. Vernon Barry County Banner is the name of a new Radical paper, just started at Cassville, Missouri.  Edited by A. J. Stewart, and its business management is by J. A. Vance.  We hope to see the A. J. Steward, so manage the "domestic concerns of the (radical) family of Barry," that its financial matters will continually increase, so that together with J. A., you can add-Vance the general interest of the Office, and the citizens of Barry County.

14 May 1868, Fountain & Journal, Mt. Vernon CASSVILLE (From the Banner.) Among other sensible things which these honorable gentlemen did at the last session of the [county] court, they changed the name of 'Keetsville' to 'Washburn.'

18 June 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield The Cassville Banner says they have no Drug store, no Boot and Shoe shop, no Stove and Tin store, no Furniture store, and no Meat market in that town.  They need them all very much, and we advise any one wanting a location for business in any of the avocations named, to make a prosperous tour to Cassville.

15 July 1869, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield Not many days ago, Mat. Harbert, who is Postmaster at Hazel Barrens, and a hired man discovered a large black bear in Mat.'s wheat field.  They soon raised a sufficient force of men and dogs and succeeded in slaying bruin out right.  Every morning since, Mat. has been in the habit of going out to the wheat field to look for another bear.  Last Monday morning he went as usual and seeing something he hastened home and told his wife and children to get up in the loft quick for there was another bear in the field, and a grizzly at that.  He then returned and shot the monster, when on venturing up close, he discovered he had shot his jack.  - Cassville Banner. NOTE Hazel Barrens was 18 miles southeast of Cassville on the line between Section 7 & 8, Township 21 North, Range 25 West.  This is just north of present day Golden.  See Moser's Directory of Towns, Villages and Hamlets Past and Present of Missouri.

10 November 1870, Fountain & Journal, Mt. Vernon Accidentally Shot A young man named Henson, a resident of this county, was accidently shot and killed, a few days since.  He had just loaded his wagon with apples to ship to Texas, got in the wagon and started, and had proceeded but a few yards when the lines became entangled with the gearing, he stepped out upon the wagon tongue and proceeded to unloosen the lines.  In moving about his revolver fell from a belt striking against the whiffle trees, causing its discharge.  The ball took effect in his body causing instant death. -- BARRY co. BANNER.

10 November 1870, NeoshoTimes LETTER FROM CORSICANA. Corsicana, Mo., Nov. 1st, 1870 The Editor of the Neosho Times. Dear Sir:  On Saturday night, 29th ult., quite a sensation occurred in the usually quiet town of Cassville, in this county, which very strikingly illustrates the profligacy and utter dereliction of the representatives of the Radical party in this county.  The circumstances, as near as we can glean from what we ourselves saw, and what we could hear from others, after divesting them of all sophistry, are as follows:  About dark, on Saturday evening, a Cassville gent of ebon hue, called at Capt. Ray's hotel for a deck of cards.  A short time afterward this same fellow, with two others of the same exterior, were seen to enter 'Squire Boon's office.  (Present Radical candidate for Representative in this county.)  About 10 o'clock at night, the sharp crack of a pistol, and simultaneous extinguishment of a light, was heard and seen in the office of the aforesaid aspirant for legislative honors.  Some men in the street, hearing the report of the weapon, instantly repaired to the apartment.  Upon opening the door a dark object issued from the room, and fled with the utmost precipitation.  All within was, still as death, and dark as Egypt.  The intruders immediately struck a light, and what was their surprise to find Boon and two negroes, the only occupants of the room, in a state of complete ebriety.  The intruders immediately demanded of the negroes, and the venerable old 'Squire, the meaning of the shooting, &c.  All the intelligence they could effect from these three handsome characters, was that they, with another negro, who had just made a hasty exit, had been engaged in some nameless business; when the latter, who was handling a pistol, without any provocation or saying a word, shot at Boon, who was seated at the table, the ball taking effect in the candle-stick close to Boon's head, thereby extinguishing the light.  (If this be so, the worthy 'Squire's head must have been lying about the middle of the table, for both negroes averred that the candle-stick was near the opposite side of the table from where Boon sat.)  The alarm was raised; the Sheriff was called; weapons were brandished; the most threatening and acrimonious invectives were poured upon the perpetrator of the intended homicide; and for a time all was wild confusion.  In a short time the Sheriff with a posse comitatus made their appearance and went into the office, to gather what information they could.  After listening for some half hour to the incoherent and discrepant replies of Boon and his two associates, the Sheriff and his posse, as well as all sober men present, came to the conclusion that the discharge of the weapon was an accident; that all parties were drunk, and probably playing cards; that the pistol was perhaps part of the stake; that the absent negro was wantonly handling it, when it discharged; and in fact that the whole thing was not worth noticing.  When Boon was asked his opinion, he commenced raising himself into a sitting posture.  After some ten or fifteen minutes, occupied in raising his head and vivifying the lingual muscles, in order to rouse them from their obstinate quiescence, he succeeded, through dint of tremendous exertion, and some [?] manner of contortions of his extremely handsome features, in delivering himself of the following very intelligible speech:  "I-I-I'll be d----d if I d-don't know wh-wh-ats the matter.  J-oh-n Ray's tried to have me 'sassanted!"  With this he brought his fist down upon the table with a vigorous thump.  He then gradually settled his head between his knees, and was soon enjoying that enviable tranquillity and repose that results from long and continued draughts at the enchanting bowl. NOTE Three staples of politics after the Civil War were "the bloody shirt," racism and charges of drunkenness.  Republicans ("Radicals") waived the bloody shirt, accusing the Democrats of harboring traitors from the Civil War.  Democrats made overtly racist appeals, charging the Republicans with favoring the social equality of Blacks.  Both sides said the other's candidate was a drunk. The letter and cartoon above appeared side-by-side in the Neosho Times, which was one of the area's few successful Democratic papers and particularly racist in outlook.  Immediately above the cartoon were the results from the 1870 elections in Newton County, in which the Democrats won a few county wide races for the first time since the war.  Below the cartoon was bold text making fun of the Republican candidates who lost (using puns based on their names, so hardly intelligible now).  How mean were politics then?  Well, all the above was printed after the election. The charge of drunkenness here was somewhat ironic.  During the Civil War, A. M. Sevier, the editor of the Neosho Times, served as a lieutenant and assistant quartermaster of the 8th Missouri Cavalry (Union).  On February 6, 1865, Captain Frederick Lewis of the 11th Missouri Cavalry (Union) wrote a letter to the commanding general at Little Rock in which he said, "I have personally witnessed said Lieut. [Sevier] being quite drunk and incapable of performing his duties four times in a period of as many weeks. . . ."  Captain Lewis recommended that Lt. Sevier be dismissed from the army.  Whether any action was taken in response to the letter or whether Sevier continued to drink after the war is unknown to me.  Source: Compiled Service Record of A. M. Sevier, National Archives.

2 February 1871, Neosho Times DIED -- On the 14th of January, 1871, from an overdose of that nauseating humbug known as Radicalism, the Cassville Banner.  While it existed, it bore its afflictions with commendable fortitude.  From the ashes of the Banner will rise the True Democrat, which we wish a long and prosperous career.

4 January 1873, Fountain & Journal, Mt. Vernon In September last, a man with his rifles, two boys, two dogs, and a small wagon, passed through this place on his way to the swamps of White River, in North Eastern Arkansas, on a trapping expedition.  Yesterday he returned with 100 mink skins, 550 coon skins, and three deer skins, the whole valued at $650, which is pretty good for ninety day's work.  At one time he was 35 miles from any house. -- [Cassville Democrat.

4 January 1873, Fountain & Journal, Mt. Vernon The citizens of Cassville want an academy, they also want the Gulf R. R. to pass through there.  We wonder if they will not next ask for the capitol at Washington to be moved there.  -- [Lawrence County Democrat. The above is spiteful and illiberal to say the least of it.  And if we could not conduct a paper on a broader spirit of liberality than that, why we would certainly quit.  -- [Cassville Democrat.

13 May 1873, Neosho Times The Cassville Democrat of the 8th instant contains the ... following: We learn that it is actually the case that there are several families starving down on White and Roaring rivers.  All of the citizens that have anything to divide have been doing so, and yet they have not half enough to do any good.  One child has already died of starvation.  We should think that in a civilied country like this, something might be furnished to these poor starving people.  We heard a gentlemen say, who lived down in that part of the county, that if all the wheat and corn was divided that is in that part of the county, it would not last ten days.  There will be several deaths yet if there is not immediate relief. * * * * * It is but fair to say that the item in regard to death by starvation on Roaring river is contradicted in the Cassville paper by a citizen living near the river.  [Apparently this is an editorial note added by the Neosho paper.]

23 August 1873, Lawrence County Journal, Mt. Vernon During the fore part of the week parties were in town from Barry county to put our Prosecuting Attorney on the track of a Texas cattle drover who had been herding Indian stock near Peirce City, and lately drove them over into Lawrence.  A very large number of cattle had died from Spanish cattle fever in the neighborhood where they were herded in Barry, and the people had become indignant, and determined to compel the enforcement of the law upon the intruder to its fullest extent.

28 May 1874, Carthage Banner Two Barry county men have captured a rattlesnake six feet seven inches in length, having 27 rattles.  As whiskey is a reputed cure for snake bite, and can only be had in Cassville for medical purposes, the proprietors of his snakeship propose to stand him for fifteen cents the single bite -- whiskey thrown in.

10 June 1875, Carthage Banner On last Wednesday evening as Miss Vera Cox, who resides four miles east of Cassville, was riding out hunting for cows, when she was chased by six Panthers, three of them being full grown, the others being kittens, one of them sprang at her horse frightening him terribly.  Four years ago Wilson Hunkel saw a panther near the same neighborhood.  Some of our citizens went out yesterday to hunt the panthers but we have not yet learned with what success. -- [Cassville] Democrat. 22 July 1875, Carthage Banner On last Tuesday Messrs. Fortenberry, C. A. Lea and Wm. Noel organized a hunt for the panthers that have been killing some stock in their settlement and otherwise disturbing the peace of the neighborhood.  We have not learned with what success they have met, but hope they will bring in at least half a dozen scalps of these troublesome denizens of the forest.  These are the first panthers that have been in the neighborhood for twenty years, and our citizens were quite incredulous upon the subject, until they commenced their depredations upon the stock but their doubts are now at rest.  Alpheus Talburt who has had much experience as hunter and is familiar with their habits and characteristics of the wild beasts of the western wilde, examined the tracks of these animals carefully and says they are panthers beyond a doubt, a description of one of these animals as seen by a lady last week also points to the same conclusion. -- Cassville Democrat.

5 August 1875, Neosho Times The Peirce City Record says: -- Mr. Purdy, Land agent of the A. & P. company, is at present in communication and making negotiation with a committee of eight Italians, who represent forty families who are seeking a location in this section of country.  These people are Protestants, of the Christian sect of Waldenses, and are good, industrious looking people, all having money.  Their interpreter, Rev. Mr. Solomon, reports the present families to be from South America, where they settled some years ago, but owing to the very disturbed state of the country and the frequent revolutions there, they all desire to leave that country and settle in a more settled and stable government.  The present party want seven or eight thousand acres of land in a body, for the present forty families they represent.  They also report that when they settle the rest of the colony from South America will also come to them as fast as they can dispose of their property.  Also that they are looking for a location for fifty or sixty families at present in Illinois, who desire to move West.  Mr. Purdy is taking great pains to locate these parties and suit them in lands.  If they should decide to come among us, our people will welcome them and do all they can to make their new home feel pleasant.

4 May 1876, Neosho Times Beware of Him The imposter who under pretense of being a sick and destitute mason imposed on the charitable masonic fraternity of Joplin, made his appearance in the same villanous role in Barry county last week.  The Cassville Democrat reports the scamp's attempted fraud as follows: At the Henderson school house last Sunday they were organizing a Sunday school when a lot of frightened little boys came running into the house with the news that there was a dead man out on the road; when the whole school immediately adjourned to that point and found a man apparently dead lying on the ground, with blood oozing out of his mouth and nostrils.  After considerable exertion on the part of the crowd he was revived, and when able to sit up he inquired if there were any masons about, as he was a mason and wanted assistance.  Asa Carlin happened to be present with a paper that had a description of an imposter who could have fits at will, and it was soon seen that the description suited this fellow in a dinctum.  They therefore took it out and read it to him; but he denied the soft impeachment and claimed to be sick in earnest.  They then told him that if he were really sick he should be helped, and they went back to the school house, promising to be back soon; but they had not got out of sight before he jumped up and ran so fleetly that he could not be overtaken.  He is evidently an imposter and should be handed around.  He is a short, thick, heavy set man, with black hair parted in the middle, with marks of wounds over one eye, on the hand and through each side, eyes blue.

7 September 1876, Neosho Times Infantile Energy Pierce City Record The following remarkable case of infantile energy, perseverance and endurance is one that we have never heard equaled:  Mr. J. B. Tabers, whom our citizens will remember as being a resident of this place for sometime and who moved to Cross Hollows, Arkansas, 54 miles south of here, last spring, has a little boy named Carl, not quite nine years old, small for his age; will hardly weigh 25 pounds.  One day, while at home, Carl left the yard bars down and a yearling colt got out and strayed off.  It could not be found for some time, so last Monday Mr. Tabers told Carl to go and hunt the colt and not to come home till he found it, if he had to go to Peirce City after it.  Carl started out determined to obey orders.  After hunting around home awhile he concluded the colt had gone back to Peirce City, so he struck out for this place.  He was barefoot, dressed in light linen pants, and calico infant waist.  After traveling the first day, he says he slept that night in a cane brake, without a bite to eat.  When asked if he was not afraid at night and did he not cry, he said he was not much afraid, but cried some and thought he ought to be at home.  The next day he struck out, and had got within a short distance of Peirce, when Buck Northcutt, who was coming home, saw and knowing him took him in his hack and brought him to town.  In this trip he had traveled over a rough, stony road 54 miles barefoot, without anything to eat for over 40 hours.  The next morning after breakfast, he started out, when Parson Northcutt asked him where he was going?  He answered:  "He had started to hunt that colt and was going to get it."  The Parson told him he should not walk, but told him to take one of his horses and ride it and if he did not find the colt to come back and stay all night with him again.  Carl started out and finding the colt, south of town, returned the horse and on Wednesday morning was ready to start home on foot and report, but Mr. Northcutt would not let him, but prevailed on him to wait till a wagon passed that way, and in the meantime he would write his father he was here.  Carl said if the colt could carry him he would ride it home.  If Carl lives to be a man, we expect to seem him sign after his name Commodore, or General Commanding.

18 January 1877, Neosho Times ...[F]rom the Peirce City Record of the 13th inst.: Last saturday Messrs. Lehnhard and Pratt shipped to New York Twenty-five Thousand Pounds of Game.  Just think of it, 25,000 pounds of rich, rare and jucy wild game.  In the lot was about 5,000 rabbits, and the rest quail and prairie chicken.  This was the last shipment of the week, our merchants having shipped every day during the week by express.  The total shipments during the week, not including rabbits, would reach over one hundred thousand pounds.

8 March 1877, Neosho Times The Cassville Democrat of last week says:  Last Saturday night there was a ledgermain sort at a show up at Washburn; when the principal showman offered to let any one shoot at him with a rifle, and he would catch the bullet with a stick.  Sheriff Hopkins took his gun and blazed away at him, but Mr. Showman did not catch the ball on a stick, but did catch it on the side of his head; which bled quite freely.  And the said showman does not want to be shot at any more; and we dare say Sheriff Hopkins does not want to do any more such shooting for the whole of it was superlatively foolish. NOTE According to Goodspeed's 1888 History of Barry County (reprint), pages 73-74, ex-sheriff Hopkins was shot to death in Long's saloon at Washburn in February, 1882.  His killer, Napoleon Rowley, was acquitted.  A newspaper account of the murder is here.

3 May 1877, Fountain & Journal, Mt. Vernon We glean the following from the Cassville Democrat:  On last Monday morning, James Banks, of Shell Knob, in this county, captured six young wolves; they were about a week old, and he thinks he will be able to catch the two old ones.  The den was in a cave extending about ten feet under a shelving rock.  Mr. Banks, while hunting the wolves, struck a bear trail, and expects in a few days to have some cubs to keep company with the pups.

21 September 1877, Fountain and Journal, Mt. Vernon, Missouri The Valley Press, formerly published at Corsicana, Barry Co., Mo., by W. I. I. Morrow, has recently been sold to the Valley Press publishing company, who have moved it to Cassville and placed it under the management of Sam W. Simpson, an energetic young man whom we wish great success in his new avocation.  As of old we welcome the Valley Press to our trade as an exchange.

14 March 1878, Peirce City Empire A justice court in Barry county, Missouri, took a fellow's wooden leg to secure his appearance for trial.  That sort of leg-bail stumps the scamp instead of the sheriff. -- Bentonville Advance.

2 May 1878, Neosho Times One day last week, some boys, who were working for Mr. Timothy Trulove, who lives near Washburn, were plowing in the field, had the good luck to unearth about $80 in gold and silver, which Mr. Trulove had buried there, about the beginning of the late unpleasantness.  Mr. Trulove rewarded the young gents who found the money, with half the money which no doubt was very acceptable. -- Cassville Democrat

23 May 1878, Neosho Times Matt Frost was down here last week in attendance on Probate Court and says that in the year 1862 he caught a terrapin and cut the initials of his name on its shell.  A few days ago, within a few hundred yards of the same place, he caught the same terrapin again, as was plainly evident from those very initials which had been cut there 16 years before.  Matt, after duly inspecting his terrapin, turned it loose again, to enjoy another tramp for years to come; and if it should live another decade and six years, we hope that Matt will live to find it again, when both with be alike venerable and celebrated. -- Cassville Democrat

26 June 1879, Peirce City Weekly Empire Barry county rents a part of her court house yard for a croquet ground, according to the Democrat.

2 February 1881, Peirce City Weekly Empire Land for Lairds. ------- [Chicago Times.] A very heavy transaction in Missouri lands has recently been concluded between a Scottish land company, on the one hand, and the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad, on the other, whereby the former acquires title to more than 141,000 acres in Missouri.  The negotiations were conducted by Messrs. Sidway, Bogue & co., of this city, whose standing in this community is a guaranty of the substantial character of the deal.  Mr. Sidway returned from Scotland last week, whither he had gone to perfect the details of the transfer.  To a reporter for the Times he stated, on yesterday, that the transaction referred to was a purchase by the Missouri Land company, of Edinburgh, Scotland, from the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad company, of about 142,000 acres of farming land in Barry, one of the southwestern counties of Missouri. "It is high undulating land, part prairie and part timber," said Mr. Sidway, "and is in many respects similar to the blue-grass regions of Kentucky, although more level, and was selected by Mr. Wm. Goodlet, a well-known Forfarshire farmer -- and myself chiefly on account of the climate and its adaptability for stock raising. "The English and Scotch agriculturalists have been doing badly for several years, and many of them are preparing to come to America, while others who will not come themselves are buying land for sons and other members of their families.  Indeed, this company had its inception in that way, and many of its shareholders will undoubtedly become purchasers of land. "The company is more in the nature of a syndicate than of a speculative land company, and it is the intention of the directors to sell the land off promptly and be able to close the company affairs within two or three years.  A good many shares are taken on this side, but a large majority are secured in Scotland.  The sale must necessarily be highly advantageous to the interests of the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad, and to all that portion of the state, as much of the land will very soon be occupied by a desirable class of farmers, such as had not been coming to this country in great numbers, who will be followed by others of a similar class.  In fact, it would be difficult to overrate the probable advantages to that portion of the state which will be derived from so many representative Scotchmen becoming identified with it. "I think the preference for land companies which appears to exist in Great Britain grows largely out of the fact that there are a great many persons desiring to purchase land for future occupancy who can not conveniently come over at present to select it, but are willing to invest upon the judgement of others in whose integrity and ability they have confidence through personal knowledge.  And I suppose it is a convenient way of aggregating capital for buying at the lowest prices.  Certainly a great many persons will come here through becoming interested in a company that would otherwise never would without such assistance. "I judge from what I saw and heard, and from the great desire for information regarding the United States, that there will be an unusual influx of persons of means during 1881, and especially among the farming classes, and others who desire to engage in cattle-growing on the plains, many of the latter being young men from the cities."

14 July 1881, Neosho Miner and Mechanic The Seven Star Springs Beacon says that about three miles from that place are three large drill holes where it is presumed the Spaniards mined for precious metals. NOTE Seven Star Springs was located in Section 10-T22N-R29W, in the southwest part of Barry County near the McDonald County line (west and north of Washburn, west and south of Exeter).  Mineral springs were a great health fad of the late 19th century, brought to prominence in southwest Missouri by the founding of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in the late 1870s.  Seven Star Springs was platted in March, 1881, and a petition to incorporate it was presented to the county court in December, 1881.  About the same time, Mineral Springs, St. Jacob's Springs and Excelsior Springs were all founded in Barry County.  None of these towns survive.  See Moser's Directory of Towns, Villages and Hamlets Past and Present of Missouri.

8 September 1881, Peirce City Weekly Empire Barry County Silver Mining Co. Some parties prospecting for mineral over near Mineral Springs claim to have struck a fine prospect for silver, having already a number of specimens richly mingled with silver.  A company has been organized here to develop the prospect.  At a meeting of the company a few days ago the following officers were elected:  C. W. Chamberlin, President; ?. J. Lawrence Secretary; S. H. Livingston, Treasurer; J. B. Misner, Mining Engineer; Wm. Misner, Asst. Mining Engineer.  The company are sanguine of striking paying mineral, and we hope that their highest hopes may be more than realized.  The prospects for good mineral here are certainly as good as in many localities where rich mineral has been found.  Even if they should fail to find silver in paying quantities we believe if they persevere they will strike lead or jack.  There is no question as to its being here.  -- Exeter Republican 20 October 1881, Peirce City Weekly Empire Latest advices from the shaft of the Barry County Silver Mining Company are to the effect that the work is rapidly being pushed forward.  The main shaft is down 25 feet and from that depth has been drifted about the same distance through silver ashes and tallow clay.  Mineral has already been found which contains silver, and bids fair to become a paying lead.  They have already more prospects in view, and we doubt not that Barry county will become one of he richest mining districts extant, Colorado excepted. -- Exeter Republican.

25 January 1883, Carthage Banner A circular has been issued by the Frisco company to the general passenger and ticket agents of all the division of the Frisco road, announcing that the Eureka Springs Railway company will on February 1st, 1883, complete and open for business a line between Seligman, Mo., and Eureka Springs, Ark., nineteen miles.  The fare between Seligman and Eureka Springs will be $1.75 single trip and $3.50 round trip.

6 December 1884, Neosho Miner and Mechanic The Cassville Fruit and Evaporating Company shipped 10,000 lbs. of dried apples to St. Louis last week.

17 January 1885, Neosho Miner and Mechanic Gone West to Grow up Etc. The Barry County Beacon, which first piped at Seven Star Springs in Barry County about three years ago, passed through a feverish fitful existence until the novelty of the seven little stone cups cut by the old Indian had worn off, and the fifty or a hundred deluded families who had sought to get a corner on good pure cold spring water, found the supply greater than the demand.  Mr. Benham took the Beacon into politics and abandoned hydropathy.  It was moved to Exeter and spent a six months pilgrimage there, and afterwards to Purdy, where it has subsisted for about a year.  Mr. Benham sold out a half interest in the paper and skipped over into Kansas, and grappled on to the Columbus Times which he has held a good square temperance and Greenback organ.  The Beacon has fed on husks the past year, but last week Mr. Benham slid down to Purdy, bought out the other half of the paper and it will this week be shipped to Protection, Kansas, where Elbridge G. Phelps will sling it forth as a rattling county organ in Camanche county.  Success to Mr. Phelps and the old Beacon.

6 June 1885, Peirce City Empire What is known as the Ash Cave, just this side of Talbert's mill, is being cleaned out, the ashes being from one to ten feet deep.  There seems to have been work done here, but for what purpose, or for [whom?], is a matter of conjecture, although we learn that the present workmen, in some way or from some person, got possession of information which is to the effect that it is an old Spanish working.  Next week we hope to be prepared to give a full description of their discoveries. -- Cassville Republican.

12 April 1888, Peirce City Empire STONE'S PRAIRIE'S HIDDEN FORTUNES. ED. EMPIRE: -- Quite an exciting episode has occurred amongst us this week which promises to get some of our best citizens in an awkward predicament, and is as follows:  W. F. Herrall, as surveyor, and W. M. Carlin, Charley Carlin, Jas. Means and Mr. Hale were surveying some land in the north part of the Prairie, and in running a certain line to a corner, ran into a field belonging to Mr. Grieshat, an Italian.  The field notes called for a witness tree, a hickory one, 200 links of a certain bearing.  There was no tree, and they used a pick to see if they could find the stump or roots.  The owner discovered them, and he rushed to them and inquired of them their intentions.  They told him they wre surveying land.  This did not seem to satisfy him, and he ordered them off of his premises.  When they were gone he got pick and shovel and repaired to the place and went to digging in dead earnest for a buried treasure.  He worked it by day and slept by it at night, lest some thief should come and steal the coveted treasure.  He so continued until Thursday night when a shower of rain drove him to seek shelter in his house for the night.  Some mischievous boys of the neighborhood found how the old man was running things.  They, with malice aforethought, repaired to the shaft, dug a hole in one side, smashed an earthenware jar to many pieces, and scattered a few pennies around.  Mr. Grieshat set his boy at daybreak to see if theives had intruded upon his sacred rights of property.  The boy reported that they had; that the jar was broken and that there were pennies scattered around.  Mr. Grieshat lost no time in getting there, only to find the boy's words too true.  His wrath and indignation knew no bounds.  But not to be beaten by such wiley thieves, Mr. Grieshat went to Peirce City on Friday to see if any of the above individuals had made heavy deposits of rusty money in the banks of the city.  Not making any discoveries in that line, on Saturday he went to Cassville to investigate there, and to take out a warrant for the arrest of such parties.  His chief indignation is against W. F. Herrall, as he is the guilty rascal who carried the divining rods. We await further developments with great anxiety. JACOB.

5 February 1910, Monett Times That Cannon in Flat Creek Just before R. P. Kerr and family moved from Mississippi County, Ark., to near this city, an old Confederate soldier, said to one of Mr. Kerr's sons, that there was a cannon thrown into Flat Creek 3 or 4 miles down the creek from Cassville and that he was present when it was rolled in.  The hole in the creek, where the cannon was rolled in, is known as the "blue hole," and has always been very deep, and is just above the last crossing of Flat Creek, going to the Talbert Mill from Cassville. -- Cassville Democrat. 22 December 1910, Lawrence Chieftan, Mt. Vernon Searching for that Cannon E. F. Heisler, editor of the Kansas City, Kan., Sun, came in last week and organized a crew of men and commenced working in the "Blue Hole," in Flat Creek, out on the Springfield road 3 1/2 miles, to locate and secure the cannon dumped into that deep hole of water, by General Sterling Price's army of confederates while on a retreat south, during the Civil War.  Last spring he was here and made a search for this cannon.  He has had prepared a coffer dam ready to put down, to assist in recovering the cannon.  He left Saturday, and will probably go to Jefferson City, to ascertain if he can use dynamite in this hole, to blow the accumulation of logs out of the way.  He may have to make excavations, as forty-six or seven years of continued washes, has probably covered the cannon with mud and gravel. Cassville Democrat. 22 December 1910, Cassville Republican E. F. Heisler came in again Sunday morning to continue his work to secure the much talked of cannon in the "Blue Hole" in Flat Creek, three and one-half miles below Cassville.  Mr. Heisler got permission to use dynamite in the creek for the purpose of blowing out logs which appear to have collected about and over where he believes the cannon is located.  The gun which he seeks to obtain as a civil war relic was thrown into a deep hole in Flat Creek by General Price's army while on retreat south during the civil war.  There has been much talk by old settlers about the cannon but it has not been definitely located.  For sometime Mr. Heisler has been trying to get the relic and believes he will succeed. Deputy Game Warden Ben Dillard of Aurora was here Monday. He accompanied E. F. Heisler to the "Blue Hole" on Flat Creek where dynamite was used in trying to get the canon supposed to be in the creek. 30 December 1910, Aurora Advertiser Trying to Recover A Confederate Cannon Cassville, Mo. Dec. 24. -- E. F. Heisler of Kansas City, Kan., came in this week to resume his search for the cannon in the "blue hole" three and one-half miles out on the Springfield road.  He could not remove the logs with block and tackle and secured the consent of State Game Warden Tolerton, so far as he could extend clemency of law, to allow him to use dynamite, in order to remove the logs.  Deputy Game Warden Ben Dillard of Aurora was here and kept an eye on the job to see that no unusual amount of fish was slaughtered.  This deep hole of water was bombarded with rocks and chunks, driving nearly all the fish away from the works.  The first shot killed four hog suckers.  John Ivy used the dynamite. The cannon was dumped in the river by General Sterling Price during the civil war.  Price was retreating from Missouri, followed by a federal army. ------ From Springfield Leader Men who fought in the battle of the Big Blue in 1864 have found a cannon captured from Col. G. W. Veal of Topeka near Cassville, Mo., after a search of 46 years.  The cannon is to be raised from the bottom of a mud hole into which it was thrown and placed in the rooms of the Kansas State Historical society until a monument is erected to the memory of the Kansas pioneers. About a year ago E. F. Heisler, secretary of the Kansas Soldiers' Memorial association, learned that a cannon had been thrown into the "blue hole" in Flat creek, four miles north of Cassville in Barry county.  An attempt was made to raise the cannon with dynamite.  That attempt failed.  The water will be pumped from the mud hole and a derrick will be used to raise the cannon. Judge Logan of Aurora who was in charge of one of General Sterling Price's batteries told Mr. Heisler that he remembered the day the cannon was captured.  He said he was one of the men who threw it into the mud hole.  He said the captors of the cannon were closely pursued and that one wheel of the carriage was broken by striking a stone.  Rather than see the cannon fall into the hands of its owners those who had captured it threw it into the hole.  Later a wagon load of lead was thrown into the same hole. Mr. Heisler will invite Gov. Hadley and Gov. Stubbs to deliver addresses at a joint reunion over the recovery. ------ Judge Logan went to Cassville last week to assist in recovering the cannon. 5 January 1911, Lawrence County Record Civil War Cannon Found Exeter, Mo., December 28. A much sought after old cannon, captured from Kansas troops by Gen. Sterling Price's men in 1864, was found to-day in a deep hole in Flat Creek, near here.  A party headed by E. F. Heisler, secretary of the Kansas Soldiers' Memorial Association, found the gun.  It will be placed in the rooms of the Kansas State Historical Society at Topeka. The cannon was part of the equipment of a force of Kansans under Col. G. W. Veal of Topeka on a march from Springfield, Mo., to Fort Smith, Ark.  Attacked by Gen. Price's command and driven back toward Springfield, the Kansas forces lost the gun, but rallying pursued Price's men so closely that they, rather than risk losing the artillery, threw it down a deep hole, where it has remained forty-six years.

8 December 1910, Cassville Republican Gold Discovered in Barry County. Four miles west of Washburn one fourth mile southeast the Big Springs on Greasy Creek on the land of P. A Sultz.  We can sight you.  At the office of the REPUBLICAN at Cassville, Mo., can be seen a diagram of a deposit of gold bearing ore, showing an extensive deposit, showing a large pocket and different leads from the main body.  The entrance to this deposit had been made through a cavity or opening through the earth which had been crossed by a volcanic eruption and after the discovery had been made, probably by the Spanish or the Indians, the cavity and entrance had been filled up level with the surface.  There was left at the entrance a large, flat, smooth stone with this same diagram of the pocket and the different leads of ore carved nicely on the stone.  Also, a diagram and discription of a shaft and tunnel can be shown at the REPUBLICAN office, which has lately been made showing a part of the east edge and a part of the north edge of the gold bearing ledge which is 4 feet thick between the cap rocks and the lead rock and the out-cropping of the ledge is unearthed and shown in the tunnel a distance of 45 feet and assays all along on the edge of the out-croppings of the ledge which has been made by expert assaayers and chemists at Denver, Colo., and at Washington, D. C. shows the ore to be very rich for out-croppings.  We have another shaft sunk within 8 feet of the main body of the ore deposit where the bed of ore is thicker and no doubt will run much higher in the per centage of gold, being a number of feet back on the deposit from the out-croppings.  Assayers sample ore, the shaft and tunnel and the diagram that is carved on the stone and the out cropping ledge of gold bearing ore in tunnel will be carefully shown up for inspection, and free samples to any and all parties who may become interested, who mean business, no time to fool with mere curiosity seekers.  We can and will sight you.  Deposits of gold bearing ledge and samples and assays shaft, tunnel and diagram of deposit on stone, if you are interested.  Titles are good.  We are under some financial embarassment owing to expenses and the amount of money that we have paid out in the past 5 years in prospecting and development work without any success until now.  If you will help use we can and will help you.  First come is first served.  We want some help financially to enable us to go farther before we advertise this for sale and place it on the market.  Let us co-operate.  It is the only sensible plan.  We prefer to do business with men in Barry county or adjoining counties in Missouri any parties wishing to come and inspect the mines and made investigations will be meet at Washburn if they will give me three days notice.  Otherwise parties can get off the train at Washburn and travel one miles west to Greasy creek then down Greasy creek to the Big Springs to where I live and I will take pleasure in sighting them, as it is Missouri's style. Respectfully E. M. Rich r. f. d. 1 box 96 Seligman, Mo. ED. -- The parties now associated with Mr. Rich are Scott Carr, an experienced miner, P. A. Sultz, owner of the land, and J. H. Baggly.  For five years some of these men have been plodding away and are now quite certain they have something to pay them for all their toil and expense.  What they need is some financial assistance to develop it.

22 December 1910, Cassville Republican The latest industry to be reported as planned for Barry county is a skunk farm.  Plans are being made to establish a skunk farm near Madry, so the report goes.  Barry county is good for most everything else, we suppose it also well adopted to the raising of skunks.

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