The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-24
r,o,r.s ON Los, steamship.

A R0TTLE CONTRASTING NEWS of ip1 "~
cry { F BOSTON FOUND ON FLORIDA BEACH,
Asa curious relic of the steamship CITY OF
Roston. which sailed from this port on jan
,,,r, D.. 1870. and which has not been den-
n;teIy heard from since, the paper iound IN
q bottle ON the east coast OF Florida, copy
of which is given below, will be OF interest.
The civ of Boston was one OF the hDeSt OF
tbe Inman steamers, and when she salted
npon her fateful voyage from TINS maroon 10
the winter OF 1870, she contained sixty-tour
cabin Messengers, many OF whom were resi-
dents of t his city. IT.,
sne nas commanded by Captain j. J. Hal
GROW and her cargo was valuable one. Her
failure to arrive at Liverpool at the stated
time caused little comment. as there was
much stormy weather at sea during that sea.
son But as weeks passed and there were
VET no tidings of her, the suspense ana eX.
citemeut became intense, and months had
sone hy, when all hope OF her safety was
aIondoned. Some time after, bottle con-
flaming statements concerning the long mis-
sing steamship was found at sea, but II was
believed to be hoax. The paper given be-
low. whether it be genuine in itself or not,
was undoubtedly found as stated; and it
NAV possibly throw some light upon the tate
of the lost City of Boston. ;,
The son Of s. NJ. Parsons, of No. 67iWall
street, residing at Miami, Dade county, Fla,
on the eastern coast, about one hundred ana
fftv miles this side Of Key West, writes to
his father under date OF July s, that beach.
comber, man who follows the beach Tor q
living, George Davis by name, found q
bottle in one Of his walks on the Deacn,
about eighteen miles from Miami. near New
river, and gave it TO him 10 do with 1t as he
Thought best In this bottle was paper
plainly bearing the marks of time, and
written upon it In ink were these words:
Steamship City of Boston.-To all whom
this message may come: That !, the under
signed, passenger on this ship, write the
following statement: On Sunday night
heavy storm arose; 1880, increasing; l:20,
all hopes lost; 2 O'Clock, going do;
aJouN CAswELL, London, England
The name OF John Caswell does not APP
pear on the printed list OF passengers IN the
office of the lnmau line, but this is not look
ed upon rs drawback to ITS authenticity. AT
the same time that Davis, the beach'searcher,
found the bottle board was found short
distance away with some penciling on it that
was rather indistinct, and 1t was with
difficulty read. On it was made out, how.
ever, these words; I'VE have now taken
TO the boats as our last resort"
There was something else which was illegi-
BILE. There was also date on the board,
and the figures appeared to be 1872 or 1874,
which could not be determined. A month
was named, apparently, but it could not be
deciphered, the action of the water and wea.
Their almost obliteratipg everything. The
board was beaded "City Of Boston,"
The manner in which the paper above is
constructed would seem TO indicate that the
writer intended 10 make a detailed state
ment, but was interrupted by the expected
sinking of the steamer, and bad only time TO
sign bis name and consign his message to
the waves Tribune.