Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1893-05-08
ELKO, NEVADA, MONDAY, MAY 8. 1898.
CAST UP BY THE SEA. :
Strange Recovery Of a Ship That
Was Sunk Fifty Years Ago.
The Wreck Literally Inorusted with Sen
Shells Presents q Picturesque APP
pearauce-A Mystery OF
the Deep.

The Norwegian bark Elsa Andersen
came into Galveston a day or two ago
with a strengthening vessel in tow.
This was very small brig of English
build, dismasted and in need of repairs,
which had been sunk more than, fifty
years ago. judging from its ancient ap-
pcarance and awkward rigging, so
sailors who have looked at it told a
Philadelphia Times correspondent. On
the afternoon of the 18th of February,
off the coast of the Farce islands,
where the Elsa Andersen had been
blown by recent gale, there was VI
olent upheaval of the sen, about two
miles distant from the spot where she
was riding, that sent several waves
sweeping over her which did much dam
age and threatened to submerge her en-
tirely. When the alarm which this
sudden sea had subsidized there was seen
about mile off wreck which had not
been there before the upheaval of the
bo tom of the sea, q phenomenon cor
responding to an earthquake on land.
The wreck excited much interest among
the officers and passengers of the Nor
wegian vessel, and an order was issued
to approach the strange craft, when it
was seen that the remains of her rig
ging, stumps of masts, and the hull it.
self were covered by thousands of sea
shells, causing the wreck to present the.
appearance of the miniature ships of
shellwork to be purchased at any sea-
side town. The leaks which had sunk
the vessel were now stopped by an nc
cumulation of barnacles, and the dere-
1ipt rode the JyounC lilo Hi1nlx
A boatload of sailors was dispatched
to board the wreck, and they found the
hold and the under decks water tight,
covering the cargo, had sunk her. But
this cargo and the other contents of the
ship were entirely destroyed, most of
the former having been devoured by the
denizens of the deep. In what had evil
IDENTIFY been the captains berth were
found several iron-bound chests, which
had resisted to some extent the ravages
of the time and the sea, but, on being
opened, the contents were found to be
reduced to a sort of pulp, with the ex-
ception of n leather bag. This had be-
come hardened until 1t was necessary
to break it open with an ax, when from
it poured a quantity of rusty disks,
which, being cleaned, proved to be
golden guineas of the year 1909 and
amounting to the sum of five thousand
and twenty five dollars. There were
also several watches of gold and
stomacher of pearls; these, however,
are valueless, having been blaclened by
the action of the water.
The wreck was attached to the Elsa
Andersen by cable and towed to Gal
weston, where it attracted crowds of
visitors. On the fourth day after its de-
tachment from the bottom of the sea nv
the quake, the water was all pumped
out of the derelict, when 1t was found
to contain three skeletons, two of them
of men and the other a woman's, this
last being of Il person of gigantic build,
and in life of nearly seven feet in
height. About the neck of one of the
male skeletons was chain of gold, to
which was attached a silver crucifix
and evidently a rosary.
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