The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-07-25
rReAsuRe IN aWER WRkOKs.


and whisky, has caused revival OF
talk OF some old Missouri river wrecks.
There's millions in the bottom of the
Missouri or somewhere near it. but the
trouble is TO find it, Some of it may be
found some time, but that some time is
very apt to be when present genera
tions have passed away and the wrecks
and contents of the steamers exist only
in tradition Exploring companies have
been formed in the past, number of
them, but they have all been without
reward. none of them ever having found
even trace of the prizes sought. 9th
er companies are now talked Of and
there are number of st. Louisuns who
stand ready to gamble stake with
any one who takes the lead in organic
inp. The whisky buried In the sand
and bars, if it is ever recovered, will
produce a period of the rarcst kind Of
iutoxication to the tablespoonful
There could be no better process of
curing it than by burying it in the
damp sand of the river bed or bars.
Then, too the whisky Of those days
was real whisky, and had age and body
NJ the time it was lost. and If it was on
sale now it would have a market all its
own and IL wouldn't be at twenty cents
or twenty-five cents a drink either.
The chances would be, rather that it
would go into private cellars, to be
handed out only on rare occasions.
The oldest wreck of which there is
now any knowledge, and it is as nearly
traditional as anything could be, is OF
a Spanish boat that was sunk at the
mouth of the River Des Peres iu South
st. Louis. The year in which it went
down, the character of the boat the
nature of the cargo, all is tradition.
But it is said among the oldest of old
river men that a boat did go down
there Gin the early years. and that it
was laden with rich Spanish goods and
arms and gold of immense value. The
exact spot at which she sank is not
1nown, but IN a general way it is
nown to have been at the mouth Of
5he tortuous little stream that now oc-
casionally gets on a high and tears
around generally in the Forest park
and South st. Louis regions. "In the
early years, also, it is said that efforts
were made to locate the wreck, but
without success 1t was attempted by
the use of divining rods, by digging
and by excavation. But after all these
efforts it remained as great a mystery
rs the buried treasures of Capt. Kidd
| himself 1t is also said, by the way,
that the Spanish vessel had on board a
roodly stock of liquors. If this is so,
md it should ever be found, there
] l., -,
for the whole of Carondelet and still
leave big supply for St. Louis proper.
Just think how far a barrel of goods
made "in the early years" and thus
preserved would 90 in this time of
quicllly-aged whisldes! A good aver
age drink would fill a person with the
idea that he owned the town and every
thing in it.
The oldest wreck of which there is any
record or knowledge with people now
living is that of a government steamer
which sank in the early thirties at Ar
row Rock island, near Boonville. It
was on its way up the river to pay of
the soldiers and had on board a large
amount of gold and considerable
quantity of whisky. When it went
down it was to stay. Efforts were
made at the time to recover a portion
Of the cargo, but the condition of the
river was such that this was impossi
bic. 1t has been a fascinating hidden
treasure for the people of Boonville anC
dozens of companies have been organ
ized to search for it. So far as known
however, none of them has ever sue
ceeded in getting any trace of it
though there is a story that some of the
gold was found, but that the location
of the cargo could not be traced from
it. The channel of the river, and the
banks, too, have greatly changed since
the steamer went down, and it is prob
able that it is now under some farmer
feld. The search has not been giveI
up. however, and it is said that an
other company will be formed this com
ing summer to make further and NOR,
extensive explorations.
The Arabia is still another steame
which went down and was broken up
with a considerable amount of gold anC
several hundred barrels of whisky OF
board. The Arabia went down in 1s5
below Parllville She was a fine side
wheel boat, and her loss was a consid
cradle one. Efforts were made to saw
, her cargo, but it was practically a com
, pleta loss. There have been a numbe
of searching parties who were file,
with the idea Of locating and digging
mp the treasure, but, so far as known
they have never had any trace of ii
As in the case Of the government boat
j Al. -. 90, Of a mr.
der was recovered, but in this case
was of the whisky instead of the gold
If such was the case, however, the finl
was kept as a state secret, for no on
knows, except by hearsay, that such
discovery was made 1t is not likel
that the story has any good foundation
as the find of any of the whisky woul
have caused a great deal OF digging TO
acres around that particular spot. Tn
place where the Arabia went down
now solid ground, grown over wit
timber and grass, some of the timbe
] being two and three feet through Tha
is, this is the condition of the plac
pointed out as the Arabias grave
/ though there is no such thing as char
TO show it conclusively.
( A couple of years after the Arab
went down the Ogden found a restin
place on the bottom at a point fey
miles above jefferson City. The Ogde
was owned by Capt John Lee, and ha
Jim Bissell as captain IL also had o
board a large amount of gold and
considerable cargo of good old whisky
II was likewise found impossible TO ~
cover any of the cargo and in th
natural rum of thlngs searching plrt.e