Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-10
WHERE THE BEST WHISKY Is.
At the Bottom of the Missouri, and There's
Mighty Little Show of Getting 1t.

At the Bottom of the Missouri, and There's
Mighty Little Show of Getting 1t.
From the St Louis Globe Democrat
The fact that party of Texas people recently
located and dug into a wrecked steamer,
reaping a rich harvest of gold and old whisky,
has caused revival of talk of some old Mis-
souri, 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 generations
have passed away and the wrecks and con-
tents 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 a trace of the prizes sought.
Other companies are now talked of, and a
number Of ST. Louisans stand ready to gam
bic stake with any one who takes lead in
organizing The whisky buried in the sand
and bars, If 1t is ever recovered. will produce a
period OF the rarest intoXication to the table,
spoonful. There could be no better process Of
curing it than by burning it ia the damp sand
OF the river bed or bars. Then, too the whisky
OF those days was real whisky. and had age and
body at the time 1t was lost, and il il was on
sale now it would have a market all its own,
five cents a drink, either. The chances would
be, rather. that il would go into private cellars
TO be handed out only on rare occasions.
The Oldest wreck of which there is now any
knowledge, and ii is nearly traditional as
anything could be. is OF a Spanish boat that
! was sunk at the mouth of the River Des Peres
| in South St Louis. The year in which il went
down, the character OF the boat, the nature of
the cargo, all is traditional. But il is. said
among the Oldest of the old river men that a
boat did go down there sin the early years, T"
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 known. "In
the early years. Also ii is said that efforts
were made to locate the wreck. but without
success. 1t is also said. by the way, that the
Spanish vessel had on board goodly stock of
liquors.
The Oldest wreck of which there is any record
or knowledge with people now living is that of
q government steamer which sank in the early
thirties at Arrow Rock leland, near Bonneville.
1t was on its way up the river TO paw off the
soldiers, and had on board large amount of
gold and a 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 impossible. 1t has been a
fascinating hidden treasure for the people of
Bonneville, and dozens Of companies have been
organized to search for it. So far as known
however, none of them has ever succeeded In
getting any trace of it.
The Arabia is still another steamer which
went down and was broken up, with a consid-
cradle amount of gold and several hundred
barrels of whisky on board. The Arabia went
down IT. 1854 below Parkville. She was a fine
sidewheel boat. and her loss was a considerable
one Efforts were made to save her cargo, but
I. was practically a complete loss. There have
been number of searching parties who were
hled with the idea OF locating and digging up
the treasure. but. so far as known, they have
never had any trace of it As In the case of the
government boat, there is a story that some of
the plumber was recovered. but in this case II
was of the whisky instead OF the gold. The
place where the Arabia went down is now solid
ground. grown over with timber and grass,
some of the timber being two and three feet
through. That Is, this is the condition of the
place pointed out as the Arabia's grave though
there is no such thing as a chart to- show it
corclusiveiy.
couple of years after the Arabia went down
the Ogden found resting place on the bottom.
a few miles above jefferson City, The Ogden
had on board large amount of gold and
considerable cargo Of good old whisky. Ii was
likewise found impossible to recover any of the
Cargo, and in the natural run of things search
ing parties have found it impossible TO reach it.
The location at which the Ogden went down is
said to be sandbar. which would be very
easily worked at low water. For this reason
the Ogden is said to be the most promising of
all the old wrecks for searchers after wealth
carried down by the treacherous Missouri
There is understood to be a very fair work
ing capital available for anybody who
can suggest any feasible plan of opera
tions. Another two years went bv
and then the Twilight. a side wheeler.
went down. The Twilight found bottom near
Sibley, above Fishing river. She had on board
a cargo of between 200 and 800 barrels of
whisky, bound for the mountains. The point
at which she went down is something like
mile inland now, and is a very inviting field for
exploration. number of companies have
been organized to prospect for the buried
whisky. but the attempts made to locate it
have all been futile. Capt. George Keith of
the steamer Mason. running between St Louis
and Kansas City. has been at the head of
couple Of companies and has not yet given up
the idea of locating il. Another attempt will
probably be made this coming summer Those
500 barrels of good old Bourbon would paw a
big dividend on any reasonable capital en-
ployed in drilling and excavating.