Unsolved Mystery
of the Hoosac Tunnel
It all began here!
On
April 5, 1875, the first freight train, consisting of twenty-two carloads
of grain,
passed through the Hoosac
Tunnel; and only a few months later, in October, a passenger
train was sent on the same line from Boston to Troy
through the Hoosac Tunnel.
Unbeknown to the passengers, in the mail car at the
end of the train was a mysterious
safe. Wrapped in
canvas and padlocked and Guarded by four Pinkerton
Security Guards
carrying rifles and pistols holstered. Sitting in the passenger section
were also four other
undercover security guards carrying loaded hidden pistols.
Just as the train entered the Hoosac Tunnel the train went dark! Not unusual back in 1875! However! Today was different! As the train rumbled on through the tunnel it began to slow! Then came to a dead stop! Total dead silence came over everyone on the train! Seconds seemed like minutes! Then it happened! A massive explosion! Panic set in! The Passengers and Security Guards left the train and headed towards the front of the train and out the tunnel towards the small light opening at the end of the tunnel. Leaving the train totally vulnerable! From the opposite end of the tunnel entered four men (Later to become known as the Hoosac Tunnel Gang) Within minutes the mail train was unhooked and towed back out the opposite end of the train by a team of horses.
Once outside the tunnel the
mail train doors were blown open and the mysterious covered 1000lb safe was
roped and pulled out by the same team of horses and then dragged for over 20 miles to the outskirts of Stamford,
VT. Under the cover of darkness it was buried deep into the field bordering
a babbling brook and surrounded by Spruce Trees and Stone
Walls. These were to become the
designated markers for later returning to uncover what they had just stolen!
Hot on their heals were the Pinkerton’s following the skid marks that ended
at the Brook! Just as they entered the brook they were met by the Hoosac Gang
and cut down in a hail of gunfire! Panicked by what had just happen the Gang
vowed not to return to this site and uncover the safe for at least a year! Over the next year or so the Hoosac Gang member’s
continued to use the Hoosac Tunnel to stop and rob the trains on many occasions
until finally caught and sent to prison where all of them died except one man! Who
escaped! His name was Spotty!
Now an old man Spotty returned 50 years later to the site where his gang had
buried this mysterious unopened safe! Unable to locate the exact markers however
knowing the approximate location he bought the land and then built a small
house right over where the stolen safe should have been buried. Unable to locate
or uncover or open the safe! He died a broken man with only a head stone! Spotty!
You will find this headstone today under the tall spruces un front of a large
boulder. The safe stayed buried for another 35 years until the small house
was torn down and a new house was to be built in 1960. When excavating for
the new house foundation it was discovered! Still unable to move it they dug
around it and uncovered a huge 1000lb Bank Safe. Every effort was made to open
from dynamite to drilling! Finally after days and many drill bits later the
lock was severed and the safe finally opened! Inside! "Private
Reserve"
To this day this huge Mystic Mysterious Safe remains in the ground penetrating up through the floor (The House was expanded into a Vermont Estate and eventually built around the safe) and has now become the corner bar and houses only the finest of the finest as it did 131 years ago! Your "Priviate Reserve" awaits you!
