"The article refers to Carter City, not Chester City as misprinted.

It is impossible to know how much of the story is true. However, some of it is factual and who knows,
maybe all of it. Cass Smith was the first settler in that area now known as Carter City.
(Smith Creek still bears his name.) John Ratcliff was a prominent early landowner in Carter city.
"Sprinkle silver coins" are said to exist.

Forty years ago when it was still legal with permission to enter the caves and armed with my White Metal detector
I searched around some. I didn't find much, a nail or two and a penny I had probably lost thirty years earlier.
However, I did find some large chunks of metal ash that did not belong.

Interestingly, according to Geoge Wollford's book John Ratcliff spent his final years searching for
Swift's silver mine. Who knows, Swift's silver and Sprinkle's silver might have been the same. ."
Glen Haney