The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-04-14
Grappl1n~ for yaluablsa.

|
Tor lost valuables, and though perhaps
shouldn't say it, no man about the harbor
OF New York is as sure of finding ring,
watch, cane, body, billiard table, piano or
any thing else that lies at the bottom of
the river as am. For why2 Simply be-
cause I'm the son Of Henry Lnesburg. who
was for fifty years acknowledged to be the
best wrccker, grapp!cr and scarcher in
America. My father dug all the East
hiver ferry slips; raised $4,000 bars of
railroad iron that was sunk OF Whltmorc's
| stores; recovered no end of anchors that
were supposed to be lost; made 800 an
hour for twenty hours at Il stretch by fish,
ing up eighty four iron plates, weighing
400 pounds each, that were mado for the
first iron monitor by Dclamater, and died
lamentcd by many. lie had an ancient
head, he had-an ancient head. Pm his
son."
''dr. Lincsburg paused 10 get light
from the stove of his small shop in Tillnry
street, Brooklyn, where he was talking
with the reporter, and then leaned back in
his chair with the expression of a man who
has thoroughly defined Lis social status
and feels that it is unimpeachabc. lie is
rather small, but sincwy and tough in nd
pearancc, and he speaks deliberately and
quietly, and looks directly in the eye of a
person when speaking. Not al old man
by any means, but one whose life has been
one OF exposure and hard work from child
hood.
''l've been in the profession of grapplin'
since l was wee kid under my father"
he continued, cam have been in the bust
ness myself for twenty years. You've
heard of my skill. 1t nln't skill 80 much
as Ills knowledge. You may think ii
strange, but l know every hole, crevicc,
rock or notch in the bottom of the East
river from Corlcars Hook to the Battery,
an along the Hudson to Spuytcn Duyvil
creek. If you drop a thrce-cent piece
overheard III find it for you, likewise an
anchor"
"You must have brought some queer
things to light in your tine"
'Must IL True, must. l have. A
good many years ago, Captain Jacobs, of
the second precinct, notified me to come
an see him. Linesburg,' he sez, look
for stuff "A mystery scz /. 'Dcd
mystery sez he. l begun next day at
dawn, an within three hours l found q
coffee bag at the foot of Little street,
Brooklyn. In the coffee bag was the right
leg and thigh OF woman. She had been
quarlered, and found one quarter. That
was all. It's mystery yet, and have no
more idea Of its solution than babe un
born Nor do | know how Captain Jacobs
came by the information that made L. i'm set
ME Oh the scarcn. The other three quarters
were never found. They must bavc been
burned or buried, for they were nowhere
in the harbor."
"Might-"
'tNo, they mightn't be in the harbor, for
l looked. That settles it. NI7 father
(now dcad) once found box of complete
R9ggJl9Hr,lst tt?2|s IN t5e NeEia take my word
fer it they were beauties. never saw a
more elegant and finished kit in my life.
The find created a big excitement among
the police at the time, as it was ht ped that
1t would lead to the conviction of a gang
of burglars that crossed the ferry the night
before. 1t didn't. 1t was only mys
terry"
"l've picked up more women along the
river than you can shake stick at. Look
ing for diamond ring that some lady had
dropped overheard, and find some lady
that ring had-or no-that won't twist
exact!y-but I've found an awful sight of
females in this Old harbor. They kinder
take to the water, you know, and when
tnd one tow 1t gently to the dock and tic
it fast, and then notify the police. The
police take her to the morguc, she is buried
in Potter's field, anu there's an end of
it. Lord what books and books of mys-
teries."
GLOW do you find pmallcr articlcs2"
"Several days ago a we'll l.known merch-
ant in Fulton street, Brooklyn, named
Jewell, fell over the forward Chain OF
Catharne ferry boat. AS he fell, his
watch, which was very valuable, jumped
from his pocket, the turquoise shell chain
broke, and the watch rolled into the river.
| went down to the slip in a row boat and
dropped pair Of longs twenty-six feet
long into hole happened to know near
the end OF the pier and tishcd up the watch
clappcd it into swcct-oil, and sent it back
to the owner. The tongs arc Just like
oyster grapplcrs only finer, and knew
the tide swept HI avy articles into the hole
when the cbb sets in"
Annual Production or fuel,
The severity of the last winter, the high
price of soft coal, and the difIiculty of OH