The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-05
is STILL WAITING
a Prospector's Strange Discovery
in Death Valley.
He Comes Upon a Full-Rigged Ship In
the Midst of an Inland Desert-Its
Builder Expects an Inunda-
ton Some Day.

"One of the queerest and most sur
prising sights / ever saw in all my wan
behring's over the wilds of this country"
said Z. c. Traver, well-known pros
pector and civil engineer, few days
ago, in the San Francisco Chronicle,
was newly constructed brig lying
on the floor of Death valley. And it
is there yet, so that any body can see it.
SIT was by the merest chance that I
ran across the vessel" said Mr.. Traver,
because had 1 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 / 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. / 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 d
relic of past age never entered my
head for moment, because it was con-
structed on perfectly modern lines and
the wood had a yellow appearance, in
dicating that it had not been cut very
long. am something 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 a small
rope ladder, found everything ship
shape. The decks were as clean and
white as a man-of-war's, and every
rope was in place. Entering the
cabin 1 found everything neat and
clean and several hunks with bedding,
ready to sleep in Such, a thing, how
ever, would have been impossible, as
the heat was simply unbearable, and 1
had to go to the door, gasping for
breath, before l had completed my in
vestigatbon. The more l looked the
more interested and mystified 1 be-
came. 1t WIS plain the brig had been
built where she was; but by whom,
and for what?
81 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
human being. When night came on I
concluded to camp near by, but had no
sooner got fixed comfortably when a
voice from somewhere called good
evening" You may be sure jumped,
as my nerves were feeling a little weak
through my strange afternoons expe-
rience.
There was no need TO be alarmed,
though, for a 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 Saltun
lake a few years ago he was at work IN
the mountains around Death valley. 1t
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 the
new sea. Evans was not poor man,
but had enough money 10 hire a couple
of men to help him lay the keel Of the
vessel, put in the masts and do the
other heavy work. AT first the work
was pushed rapidly, but when the
water commenced to recede Evans
took things easy and did all the work
himself, because he thought the water
could not come again for year. He
has been disappointed every year
since, but still thinks that Death valley
will become sea, and he Is ready