Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-06-09
he Wreck.

III the year lS4l, the steamer Erie, was
burned IN Lake Erie, with large amount
of money on board. Ia the summer OF
1853, twelve years after the burning, w.
B. Bishop built a derrick fifty feet high
and placed it on the hull of the old steamer
Madison and went TO the scene of the
wreck, which was sunk between Silver
Creek and Dunkirk, but was gone but As
hours when a storm arose and drove the
Madison ashore on the beach above the
breakwater. The following year, 1854,
Wells and Gowan engaged Captain John
Ledger TO build derrick 10 raise the hull
Of the Erie, and herewith is the captain q
story OF her raising: :-"I / built the derricks
and placed them on the schooner MdnOiid,
Captain Hindman, and the brig Boston,
Captain Macarthur. We got all fitted out
and went into Lake Erie on the 10Th day OF
June, the tug Hamilton Morton, Captain
Hefford, towing us. We reached the spot
where the wreck was sunk, which was
buoyed, and let go our anchor over it.
John Tope, our diver, went down and
made line fast to the wreck on the even
ing OF the 10th. The next morning he
went down again and was absent about 10
minutes when the man in charge of the
life and signal lines signaled him, but re-
celved no answer. The life line was inn
mediately pulled up and when the face
plate of the helmet was taken of blood
gushed out IN a large stream. Poor Tope
was stone dead. | had a wooden box
made of rough boards, anil the BODY was
placed in it and taken TO Silver Creek and
thence by rail to Boston. The tug came
to Buffalo and got John Green, another
diver, aud he arrived on the 10Th. When
he was ready he went down In the same
armer and took with him large chisel,
hammer and an inch and one-half auger.
With these tools he cut square hole on
| the starboard and one on the port side of
the keel and keelson forward, just abaft of
| the foremast, and then rove a line and
brought the end 10 the surface. BY this
line we hitched three quarter inch wire
chain and sent down our main purchase,
which was fivefold of one and one-quarter
inch wire chain. The running part was
brought up on deck aud through a snatch
block and a huff upon luff TO the capstan
and hove taut. Then we commenced aft,
about twenty-five feet from the stern, and
cut the same size holes as forward, and
had commenced to reeve our purchase,
when storm arose and we had to leave
the wreck. The tug had us in tow, but
the line parted, and we were left at the
mercy OF the waves. We commenced
rolling and tossing iu The trough Of the sea
and made terrible work. The guys parted
the cross-spans of the after derrick and it
fell aud smashed IN the cabin OF the Mag
nOliG, setting ii on fire and injuring the
cook.
"Just as we extinguished the fire the
forward derrick fell and both vessels came
together with crash and sea-sawed one
another until they came near sinking. We
got the topsall and standing jib on the
Boston and the lib on the Magnolia and
squared away for Buffalo. When we got
down in the bay we could not make the
harbor, so we run down the river TO Tona-
wanda, and there made fast 10 the dock.
After repairing damages we went 10 sea
again, the same tug towing us. We ar
rived at the wreck the 14th of July and
commenced operations again, and this time
we were successful. Our diver went down
and made fast all the purchases, and when
everything was ready we began to heave.
In sixteen hours we had the hull afloat and
started for Buffalo. we went under Point
Ablno and concluded to take out all the
money and valuables that were in her, as
we were afraid that some of the express
companies might undertake to seize the
money. We came 10 anchor under the
point and lay there forty,six days, all this
time searching for the money. We re.
covered over 200 gold watches, but the
works were useless; silver goblets and
bracelets, partly melted; 300 cook stoves,
all broken to pieces; shotgun and rife
barrels, all twisted out of shape, and over
twenty seven nail kegs OF gold, silver,
brass, iron and copper all melted together.
The contents of the kegs were sent to the
mint at Philadelphia Over $50, 900 in
gold and silver pieces, not mutilated, but
as good as the day they were coined, were
taken out. Human bones were found in
plenty forward about the heel of the mast,
and also any amount of big nails which
immigrants generally wear in Their boots
After taking out everything that was of
any value. we were towed to Buffalo and
the hull was pulled out on the ways and
sawed 10 pieces Between the outside
plank and the ceiling we found several
hundred dollars. The best part of the keel
and keelson, that which would split
straight, was taken out and made into
canes which sod for twenty-five cents
apiece. In searching the wreck found a
young lady's gold ring with her initials on
it. / held it in my possession and adver-
tised it. An old gentleman came 10 me
and said his daughter, who was lost on the
steamer, had ring so marked, and l
handed it to him. His old gray locks
shook and he was overcome with grief
He turned to me and SAID My friend,
here is package of money which present
TO you for your kindness in advertising and
saving for me relic of my daughter.
This declined TO take, as | knew | had
done my duty"