The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-08-25
WAITING FOR WATER.
A rroapectors Strange DlscQyeryi
IN Death Valley.


pr1Slng sights ever saw IN al my wan
derings over the wilds Of this country"
said E. G. Traver, well-known pres
pector and civil engineer, . few days
ago, in the San Francisco Chronicle,
was . newly constructed brig lying
on the floor. Of Death valley. And 1t
is there yet, 50 that any body can see 1t.
1T was by the nierest chance that I
ran across the vessel, . said Mr.. Traver,
ssbecause had / been . few feet further
south I would never have seen it. You
see had been, working on the eastern
side Of the valley for several weeks
without success and concluded to go to
Mount Darwin, where I would At least
be sure of expenses. was crossing the
valley at the northern end. which Is
quite narrow, but about the lowest
spot on the earth's surface. I am, not
exactly certain, but think that where
the vessel is located it Is about two
hundred feet below sea level.
''After the first surprise had worn of
/ began to figure out how the craft
came there. That the. vessel was =
relic Of past age never entered my
ACuO AO1 q A0OA0CAVs U'CC<sOoO AZ " 90 SOAA-
structed on perfectly modern lines and
the wood had yellow appearance, in
dicating that it had not been cut very
long. am something a sailor myself.
and the first glance told me it was the
work Of some modern shipbuilder; but
that only made the mystery greater.
climbing onto the deck by . small
rope ladder, found everything ship
shape. The decka were - clean and
white a. . nan-of-war's, and every
rope was in place. Entering the
cabin found everything neat and
clean and several bunks with bedding,
ready TO sleep in. Such, thing, how
ever, would have been impossible, rs
the heat was simply unbearable, and /
had to go to the door, gasping for
breath, before had completed my in
vestigation The more looked the
more interested and mystifed 1 be-
came. 1twas plain the brig had been
built where she was; but by whom,
and for what?
! II spent the whole afternoon climb
ing over the vessel. went into the
rigging and looked over the surround
ing country, but could see no sign Of a
human being. When night came on
concluded to camp near by, but had NO
sooner got fixed comfortably when .
voice from somewhere called good
evening You may be sure jumped,
as my nerves were feeling little weak
through my strange afternoons expe.
rience.
There was no need to be alarmed,
though, for . good-natured looking
man with gray hair and beard was
smiling at me.
"He said that his name was Frederick
Evans. that he was shipbuilder by
trade and one of the California pion.
GERS OF 40. He had never made big
strike, but had always kept prospect
ing, and when the water rose in Salton
lake few years ago he was at work il
the mountains around Death valley. II
was then that he got it into his head
that the water would eventually reach
that locality, and he was determined
to have the FIRST vessel TO float in th<
new sea- Evans was not . poor man
but had enough money to hire couple
Of men to help him lay the keel Of the
vessel, put in the masts and do thu
other heavy work. At first the worl
was pushed rapidly, but when thu
water commenced to -recede Evans
took things easy and did all the worl
himself, because he thought the watel
could not come agnin for year. HI
has been disappointed every yea1
since, but still thinks that Death vale,
will become sea, and he Is ready
for it"