Reading 3982-5

TEXT OF READING 3982-5 M 34

Text

Date: 7/11/1925 Sex: M Age: 34 ReadingID: 11668

This Psychic Reading given by Edgar Cayce at his office, 322 Grafton Avenue, Dayton, Ohio, this 11th day of July, 1925, in accordance with request made by - an involuntary reading, immediately following 4905-33 (oil reading on Bosque County, Tex.)

[Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno.]

Time of Reading 4:00 P. M. Dayton Savings Time. Winslow, Arkansas.

1. EC: Now, we have the propecting location here, as Riley Hurst is seeking for, near Boston Mountain, in the Southeastern portion of Washington County, Arkansas. The location as has been staked out at present is in the area of the treasure, and with spreading out of same a little to the South and East, he should be able to locate same.

2. (Q) How much should he spread out? (A) Two feet.

3. (Q) Anything further regarding this? (A) This information may be useful, unless they spread farther as they work in this.

Reports

Reports & Follow-up

R1. 8/1/25 Riley Hurst’s letter to EC:

Box 1014, Wichita Falls

Dear Mr. Cayce

I have been trying to get a chance to write you ever since I came back. We left there the 15th - sure hated to give it up but we done all we could and I know you did but there was some mistake some how - I carried a compass so we would make now mistakes in the direction. We found the spring and drove first stake that put us on a ridge but the second stake put us on slope of the ravine - it had about 15 yds. slope from top to the bottom of the ravine - the second stake was about 5 yds. from bottom and long dead logs lay about 4 ft to the south of second stake but there was no rocks. We dug the hill side off nearly, and and every place you told us - but could not find the rocks - we then worked like the Indian told dad…look for two surface rocks in V shape. - East of map we did find several and dug in them all but never found anything. Dad thinks that an evil spirit got in to this and misled us all - he was once a Holy Roller and was down on his back for several years, but was cured through the church. He said when he asked the Lord to cure him - he said he would at 11 o’clock the next day but at 11 that night an evil spirit told him he would cure him then but he told him to go away he said they always rebuked all evil spirits where they were asking for help and he thinks that might be our mistake. He said he knew you could locate it if you could get connected right and I told him I knew you had [unraveled?] things more difficult than this. We want to go back up there in 3 or 4 months - if you are still with us we want you to take a reading on this and see if we can find this mistake and tell us what we must do and how we can find it and if the triangle rocks are above the top of the ground; any, and how large are they. We are just as much interested now as we were before we left - I can’t hardly give up any thing long as I think there is a chance to win.

R2. 8/5/25 EC’s letter to Hurst:

Mr. Riley Hurst, Box 1014 Wichita Falls, Texas

Dear Riley:-

I hope you will pardon me for not replying to yours any sooner, but I was really disappointed in our endeavors on that work. I can’t just figure out what could have been the cause of the trouble with this and, as I suggested in my letter and wire, though of course you being on the ground knew better about the circumstances than I could from here, I thought it would have been well for us to have tried to check up on same while you were on the ground. Then we would have been better able to have seen wherein the failures were. I feel quite sure there must be some treasure there and I do not see why we cannot locate it. So, whenever you are ready, we will undertake to see what we can get, see if we can find out what the trouble is. I’m sorry you are beginning to feel like that you’re having to wait too long for developments to come in such a way that life would be more worth while for you, but I am sure that you must realize that whatever is worth while we must be able to pay the price for same, for there is little, if anything, that comes of itself, save through some trial and some self-sacrifice on our part. [Re personal life, girl he loved married someone else, etc.]

Let me hear from you whenever you have the opportunity.

How are the developments in the oil situations in that part of the country? Is there much new prospecting going on in other parts of Texas? How are you situated now?

With kindest personal regards from all,

Sincerely, Edgar Cayce EC:GD

R3. 9/20/25 Riley Hurst’s letter to EC:

Dear Mr. Cayce,

I would have written sooner but I kept waiting for something to happen. Everything is just the same at San Saba [See [5628] series]. I thought I would get off to Haskell Co at once to see about that mine prospect but don’t guess I will

• the fellow that is in with me is in Missouri and am waiting for him to come back. I have no acreage here - everything is so high all of Archie county is either proven dry or good but there is some drilling going on. Whatever became of the people that was to drill Rockey [See [5628] series]. I guess it is awful hard to get any and interested there any more - Dad and I have just been talking about Ark. We want you to meet us there next summer and bring same and to take the readings - we will pay your expenses if you can come. That stuff is sure there - I wish you could see the sights or map they left on the rock - it is interesting but no one can make any sense out of it.

Don’t know much news so will close. Answer soon.

Your friend, Riley Hurst

R4. 9/30/25 EC’s letter to Hurst:

35th Street, Virginia Beach, Va.

Mr. Riley Hurst, Box 1014, Wichita Falls, Texas

Dear Riley:-

Glad to have yours of the 20th. As you will see from the above, I have moved the base of operations from Dayton, Ohio, to Virginia Beach, Va. We’re just about as far East as it will be possible for us to get, as we’re not more than a couple of stones throw from the Ocean. This is a small place, about three thousand people, but we’re only eighteen miles from Norfolk, Va., a city of about a hundred and sixty thousand people. I believe we will be very well located for the commercialism and I’m in hopes that in the next year or so that we can begin the foundation of our Institute and Hospital that has been my dream for so long. I certainly hope that everything goes well with you and that you drill in a good well. Our people who were going to drill [See [4905] series and 5628-1] in Rocky are still working on their well in Texas but had very bad luck about a month ago. The thing caught afire from the gas and burned up. They’ve just gotten the rig rebuilt and started in cleaning out the hole. I am of the opinion that now in a very short while they will be able to bring in a good well. Then it will be only a short while before we’d be able to work on the other.

Yes, I am in hopes that we will yet be able to make the location for that treasure in Arkansas. I’ll be very glad to do whatever that I can, and I know that if we were on the ground that we would have no trouble in making the location in just a little while. Surely in a couple of days anyway, or a great deal less time. Well, let me hear from you every chance you have. You know I’m always glad to hear. With kindest personal regards,

Sincerely, Edgar Cayce EC:GD

R5. 2/19/26 EC’s letter to Hurst:

Dear Riley:-

I was certainly glad to have yours of the 11th, and to know that conditions are in such a way that you can see that what I have told you is coming to pass, and I want to re-state, just as I have said before, the thing for you to do is to live and keep yourself in that position wherein you will be ready to meet the issue as it arises, for this is right, and it is the thing for you to do. Yes, the man that went to see Grandma Moore, and who has a lease I believe on the Rocky, is the man that I have been trying to get to take hold of the proposition for a little more than two years. I said I would get one. I give thanks to my Maker, for at least that much being assured. This man is a practical man himself, runs several strings of tools. I don’t know just how many he has drilled, but he has worked in Oklahoma, Kansas, and has just finished two or three wells in Texas. He is to be going by the first of August. I just wish you could be on the job, for I feel sure he’s going to get a well, and I certainly hope and trust and pray that Grandma Moore will live to see the day that the oil is on top of the ground there! I KNOW that you are satisfied yourself that it’s there, for I know you know, within yourself, a great deal better than anybody can ever tell you, for you know a great deal about the formations in that territory than any other one man living! You could be a lot of help to this man. I don’t know whether you want to tackle the job or not, but you can let me know about this and I’ll see what Willmott has to say.

I certainly want to thank you for the letter that you sent me. It’s sure good to hear from those people down there again, and I hope that I may have the opportunity to one day go back to that part of the country, and meet many of the people that I met there, and many of them that I think a great deal of, though I’m thinking a great many of them have misunderstood me.

Let me hear from you whenever you have the opportunity. I hope things are going well with you, and that the changes in ownership of the wells haven’t made any difference with your status with the people, unless to help it. With kindest personal regards,

Sincerely, Edgar Cayce EC:GD

R6. 9/16/26 EC’s letter to Hurst:

Mr. Riley Hurst Cross Cut, Texas

Dear Riley:-

I was very glad to have yours of the 26th, and should have written you sooner, I’m sure, but I’ve been kind of “under the weather” and haven’t been able to attend things like I would like. I’m in hopes though that I can get back into harness now and that things will go along alright.

Well, I’m glad to know that you have at least made a start for yourself, though you may feel like that everything has been against you, and you are almost down to the “bow-wows” again with a great big debt hanging over you, you realize, I’m sure, that it’s through trials and hardships that a man shows his real worth - for the fellow that will hollow “hands up” and then just GIVE UP, and not put up any sort of fight, doesn’t mean very much, should he ever attain to anything

• and this I think has been given you very explicitly, more than once, and under more than one circumstance; yet the same lessons and the same laws apply in one condition as they do in another, for the same lesson that says, “You have been faithful over a few things,” says “I’ll make you lord over many,” and the man that isn’t worthy of a trust of five cents, wouldn’t know what to do with a trust of five million. Again I am sure you have often found that the hardest trials, and the darkest hours, are just before success, and you have seen many a man crumble, give away, under the stress, when had he but pushed on but a few days, success would have crowned his efforts. I know this applies in my case, and I’m sure it applies in yours. I would like mighty well to be of help if I could. I don’t know just what I could do, or what suggestion I could offer. Possibly the Life Reading for you might be the very thing. I think you have one of the little pamphlets. I’d be glad to get this for you, though it would be several weeks before I could get to it. It should be, as others have proven for other people, worth a great deal to you through the rest of your life. It’s necessary that we have the full name given at birth, the place of birth, and the day, the month and the year. If you will give us this, we will make the appointment, and see if we can tell you what’s in store for you.

Yes, I often wonder if they realize in San Saba how I have really labored to try and get a test there. [[3777] and [5628] series] I certainly hope that this is carried out, for I certainly believe that they will get production.

I’m going to write to Mother Moore to-day. I believe, if you will only learn to “labor and to wait” all those other conditions will work out to the best for yourself and all concerned.

Let me hear from you more often, if you have the opportunity. You know I am always glad to help whenever possible.

With kindest personal regards,

Sincerely, Edgar Cayce [EC:GD]

R7. 11/23/26 EC’s letter to Riley Hurst:

Mr. Riley Hurst, Paint Rock, Texas

Dear Riley:-

I was glad to have yours of the 15th. Sorry that you are still having such trying times, but I genuinely believe that you will be able to eventually work these out, and I am very much in hopes much sooner than you anticipate at the present time. If I remember correctly, a reading gave that the way to straighten a hole was to fasten a link of casing above the string of tools. Of course we can see how that this would work if it can be done, and I don’t see any reason why a collar couldn’t be fixed so that this could be worked alright. I think it would be worth trying anyway.

I have had the saddest experience of my life, Riley, since I last wrote you. My mother, you know, hasn’t been very well for two or three years. About the 15th to 20th of October I was called to her bedside. She passed away on the 26th. While we know we can’t keep our mothers with us, we are never prepared for such partings. I know that she lived the Christ like life, and I know that she has gone to rest - but I find it hard indeed to reconcile myself to these conditions, and to take up regular routine life. Time and hard work I suppose are the only things that will make us see these things in their right light.

I am in hopes that they are coming along nicely with the well in San Saba [See 5628-2]. I’m glad Grandma Moore is pleased, and I certainly hope and pray she will live to see the day that there will be an oil well in Rocky Pasture. I haven’t heard from her as yet, and will ask that you kindly remember me to them when you write them or see them. I don’t know but what you didn’t do the correct thing in not trying to force an opportunity to talk to Lucile, for by the time you can get straightened up, and as I told you more than a year ago, if you will only keep yourself in the right track, and do the right thing at all times, you will find that all these things will adjust themselves to a much more satisfactory condition than you would ever be able to do by trying to force an issue.

Being away and delayed so long in my work, naturally the requests have piled up, and it will be some little time before I will have the opportunity to get to the reading you request [Life Reading], but you keep in touch with me, and I’ll get this for you just as soon as I have an opportunity

• and I’m just hoping it will be as worth while to you as so many others have.

Hoping that you’ll let me hear from you more often, and with kindest personal regards, I am

Sincerely, Edgar Cayce EC:GD

R8. 12/22/26 EC’s letter to Riley Hurst:

Dear Riley:-

I was very glad to have yours of the 15th, and I realize that you are kept very busy, especially when you are running tower yourself, and I expect with such jobs as you say you have it is mighty hard to get a man to look after it like you would do yourself. This I understand is just about what has caused some troubles and delay in Rocky - having to depend on someone else and they simply jimmied things up. But I am glad that you have gotten your hole straight and that you have a good prospect for a well. I’m sure that you’ll make it, and I am in hopes that everything comes around in the right sort of a way for you. Be sure, Riley, you apply what you gain in the proper way, and more good will come to you for your efforts.

We will try to get the Life Reading as soon as it is possible, and I certainly hope that it works out as well for you as it has in the lives of so many others.

By the way, our friend Dave Kahn spent a couple of days with me about two weeks ago. Dave is doing fine now - is sales manager for one of the largest furniture concerns in the country - says he will soon be where he will be on his feet, and recoup the losses that he sustained monkeying with the oil business. I believe Dave is fixing to get married. It is some girl in Oklahoma, I believe. Dave lives in New York now.

No, we haven’t had so awfully much cold weather. It is about the same climate here I think as they have in San Saba, though of course we have a great deal more wet wind, and the fog mashes us down almost at times - so much water all around us.

We are still keeping very busy - many, many weeks ahead with our appointments, though we are not over-run with financial contributions toward the work. About the same old story, and many do in about the same old way - though there are a great many that continue to let us hear from them, that we have done work for. To illustrate same: The appointment this afternoon is for a gentleman [550] for whom we gave a reading in Houston, Texas, sixteen years ago. He is now living in Florida, and has been very well up until recently.

I am certainly sorry to know that Grandma Moore’s health is so bad. I certainly do hope and trust that she lives to see oil flowing in Rocky Pasture. I believe she will - for the operations there will go on until they do get a producing well. They have already had some showings, I believe, haven’t they? What did Charlie Moore have to say about the well? [[5628] series]

Our little boy has been in bad shape for the last six weeks

• got badly burned - his nightclothes caught on fire. He is on the improve, but will not be able to get about for the holidays. This has made it hard on him as well as the rest of the household.

Let me hear whenever you have the opportunity

R9. 4/29/27 Riley Hurst’s letter to EC:

Grosvenor, Texas

I know you are wondering what happened to me. I came here from Paint Rock in January and took some contracts to drill in the dry field for the SinClaire oil has gone down so that they are not doing any work now - so I have my tools staked. I had to sell the rig at Paint Rock to get out of debt there and if work don’t pick up I may have to sell this one to pay it out. Am on several deals to drill some wild cats but don’t know yet what they will amount to. I have been thinking I would like to go back to Ark., this summer and try to find that [cache?] if it is there and I believe the reason we did not find it before is that we did not understand it just right or did not get the readings right over the wire.

[…] is here with me now (Jim’s boy) he said they had a good showing of oil in Rocky Pasture and they thought they were going to get it this time. I sure hope they do and […] has another baby boy about a month old and they are living at … I think she had better stay where she is now, don’t you? But the way […] talks I am afraid she will not. I have not been to San Saba since I have been here because I have been afraid I would meet her and she might ask me questions I would not have to answer. Don’t know much news - so will close. Answer soon.

Your friend, Riley

R10. 5/5/27 EC’s letter to Hurst:

Mr. Riley Hurst Grosvenor, Texas

Dear Riley:-

I was glad indeed to have yours of the 29th. Rather funny - I had just given your name to someone for them to write you concerning using information that might be given in drilling for oil. Possibly you will hear from them - some people in Florida. I don’t know which ones will write you, but as I told them, I’d rather them to have the information as you would furnish it, without my saying anything, than my telling them what you had said concerning same. So if you hear, you can use your own discretion.

Well, I had been in hopes that you were going to make a strike there at Brownwood. I’m in hopes, though, that things will turn around now so that you will have plenty of work on hand and you will be able to come out on the right side of everything. You know I’m always glad to keep in touch with all my friends. I want to be of help if I can. I certainly don’t want to be a hindrance in any way.

I’m certainly glad to know that they have good prospects in San Saba. I don’t know of anything in the world that would give me any more satisfaction than for them to bring in a good big well in Rocky. I’m hoping and praying and trusting they will. [5628-4]

You didn’t say what Charlie had to say about Grandma Moore. How is she getting along now? She was in very poor health the last time I heard, and although I have written a time or two I haven’t heard from any of them lately.

Well, Riley, I don’t know what to say about Lucile. Possibly you have begun to change your mind to some extent, yet I am sure deep down in your heart she will always occupy a position as no one else ever could or can, and you must not judge too quickly, nor be too harsh in your judgement, for time along will work out those things, and we can see now - possibly - why it wasn’t best to be other than it has been to the present time, and the time that is before us depends upon what we do with it. Don’t be afraid, however.

Now, respecting the treasure - I don’t know what to say Riley. I’d be very glad to try to be of help if it is at all possible. I have had some experience in the last few months with such a proposition - something I know several of us have worked on real hard - in fact I gave two or three weeks of my own time to it, and while the information seemed direct enough, still we have never been able to make a location that proved the theory we were working on. [See Florida Readings.] Hugh Lynn has been talking about coming out there and helping you with it, if you decided to go back there this summer. We will possibly be away from here the better part of next month, and (going to Kentucky) if you decide to go over there he may come on from Kentucky to meet you. We’ll talk it over when he gets home from school, and in the meantime you let us know what you decide about it, and we’ll see what can be done.

Let me hear from you whenever you have the opportunity. I’m glad to say we are all real well, keeping mighty busy, and it looks very much like I will have the institution by the middle of the summer anyway.

With kindest personal regards and best wishes.

Sincerely, Edgar Cayce EC:GD

R11. 5/27/27 EC’s letter to Hurst:

Mr. Riley Hurst, Grosvenor, Texas

Dear Riley:-

Certainly very glad to have yours of the 18th, and to know that you had spent a very pleasant few days in San Saba. Certainly glad to know that everything looks pretty good there - crops in pretty good fix, and that my friend Willmott is getting along alright with the well in Rocky. Certainly glad to know that Grandma Moore is getting along nicely. I had a mighty nice letter from her a few days ago, and will write to her the first chance I have. Certainly sorry though to hear of Mr. Autrey’s death. Hope though that Fay and Mrs. Autry are getting along alright. Yes, Mr. McConnell had a pretty tough time of it. I am in hopes though that things will come around alright.

Glad to know that Sanders is getting along alright. I certainly am in hopes that he has changed somewhat in regards to his attitude towards some conditions.

Who did Kate Fagg marry? I hadn’t heard that she had married? I certainly would like to see all of those people again.

Did I tell you about seeing Butler [Alfred D.] when I was in Florida? He has married, you know - married a girl from Birmingham, and I think is going back there to live. He has been in West Palm Beach for about two years.

I am hoping to get my Association in shape in the next two weeks or such matter. I don’t know just how soon we will get the institute started, but I think before the first of July, if everything goes alright.

Let me hear from you every chance you have. With kindest personal regards from all, I am

Sincerely, Edgar Cayce EC:GD

R12. 6/7/31 See Source File Key # 3982-5 for New York Times article “Arkansas Takes To The Trails in Search of Buried Treasure.” (Fayette, Arkansas) See also Source File Key # 3982-1 for 1863 map from Battlefield Atlas of the Civil War.

R13. 1942 GD’s note: Form letter to Mr. Riley Hurst, Wichita Falls, Texas, was returned marked UNKNOWN.

Background

Background

B1. See 3982-1 through 3982-4.

Mentioned Entities

Texas, Florida, Dayton Ohio, Well Shaft (Pyramid), Book of Job, Demons, Kentucky, New York City, Ohio, Virginia Beach, Alabama, David Kahn, Dreams, Gertrude Cayce, Gladys Davis, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Jesus Christ, Prayer, Trial of Jesus

Source: The Complete Edgar Cayce Readings, A.R.E. CD-ROM (2006). Reading 3982-5, ReadingID 11668.