When an article is entitled "A Genuine Ghost Story," you've got to believe it, right? 

The tiny, but historic town of Pocahontas, Virginia has its roots as a mining community, a fact that seems to lend itself naturally to a strong sense of superstition. Pocahontas ran rampant with ghosts in the early 1900's (see my blog about the Ghost That Caused a Man to Faint), which in some cases, led to a disruption in the mines. 

According to a newspaper article, around 1900, the West Mine in Pocahontas had a section it called 'Bluefield.' This particular section was abandoned due to a water seepage that resulted in a fairly sizeable lake---200 feet in length, apparently. However, by November of 1907, the mine operators wished to cash in on this lucrative coal vein, and re-open Bluefield. To do so, the lake had to be drained. Pipes were laid and pumps were installed, but there was a problem. Workmen kept experiencing "strange and unseemly noises emanating from the lake." These noises consisted mainly of a furious and violent churning of the water. Despite investigation, no satisfactory cause was ever found for the eerie lake noises, and the company couldn't find men willing to stay on the job. The article concludes with the idea that further investigation would be held into the cause of the noises. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any follow-up as to whether or not the mystery of the gurgling ghost of Pocahontas was ever solved. I will, say, though, that I've been to Pocahontas a few times for an investigation of the Pocahontas Fuel Company's office building (blog for that coming soon!) and I don't remember seeing any lake. So, hopefully, they got that all worked out!

Bluefield Evening Leader 05 November 1907