The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-24
FOR sUNkEN TREASURE.
Four Divers Met Their Death in Seeking
1t but Fifth is Ready to Try 1t.

In Lake Huron, opposite the entrance
to Thunder Bay, is large buoy which
would be an object of more interest than
it is if lake tourists passing in sight OF
it knew that it is there to mark the
spot where, nearly twenty-five fathoms
deep, lies the wreck of a once famous
lake vessel, which sank while sixty of
her passengers were still in their berths,
not one of whom ever more made sign.
That their bones are still held in the
sunken steamer there is no doubt, al
though thirty years have passed since
the vessel went down, for there is no COM
motion IN the waters of the great lakes
at such a depth, and it is no uncommon
thing for divers to find sunken vessels
standing motionless on their keels on
the bottom, as if they were sailing OH
the surface, even many years after they
had gone down.
But whether the skeletons of the three
score victims of that disaster are in the
wreck or not, the buoy was not placed
VIII ere it is to mark the spot for the pur-
pose of finding and bringing them to the
surface. According to all accepted
her when she sank not only that precious
human freight. but $500. 900 in sold coin
and 500 tons of copper. The sunken
steamer was the Pewabic. She was
hound down the lakes from Copper Is
land, in Lake Superior, then the richest
known deposit of pure copper in the
world. She came into collision with
the steamer Meteor, bound up the lakes,
and sank almost instantly. Diving ap-
paratus was then somewhat crude on
the lakes, and the great depth of water
in which the Pewa bic went down made
it out of the question to attempt to raise
her or to recover any of her valuable
cargo. Twenty-Five years after the wreck
the sunken vessel was located by means
of graphing irons, and Toledo diver
venturtd to 90 down and Inspect it. He
was hauled up dead. In spite of this
fact two other divers, tempted by the
price offered went down at different
times. Neither survived the venture.
Nothing was done further toward re-
covering the wealth lying in the wrecked
Pewabic until 1892. Then the noted
diver. Oliver Pelky, who had by means
of diving apparatus of his own devising,
done safe work in deeper water than any
other diver on the lakes, had ever been
able TO Withstand, announced his will
inaness to go down to the Pewabic
wreck lie was taken to the SPOT, the
went down. He was down twenty min
utes. and then signalled to be drawn up.
When he reached the surface he said he
had experienced no great inconvenience,
had gone into the wreck. and was enthu-
siastic in his belief that he could do the
work that was necessary to recover the
cargo. He went down again, and an
swered every signal for a quarter of an
hour. Then he did not respond, The
mel on the vessel pulled the lie line. 1t
had plainly cau2ht OH some obstruction
The crew believing that Pely was dead,
backed the steamer. The jerk loosened
tine life line, They hauled the diver to
the surface. His armor was open, hav-
ing been b st by some great force. The
diver. of course, was dead. In the sole of
one of his lead shoes piece of copper
was found embedded.
FThe fate of Pelky did not discourage
those who were intent on recovering the
treasure from the Pewablc's wreck.
The finding OF the copper on the divers
-Ieadeu shoe in fact increased their desire
for further effort. A syndicate of De-
troit. Duluths and Chicago capitalists
was formed, and an offer was made to
M.F.ChaIk of Duluht famous diver
priuciple. and intended more for the
use of paying public than for pure
astronomy, although TO the latter II
would render iDcalculable services. From
% to 30 people could view heavenly OBJ
iects at the same time together without
preventing an astronomer from continu.
ing his work through the same instru-
ment
The construction of the mirror would
be so peculiar and so cheap that it would
h. made of 20-foot diameter. WIN teI
times the light ri wing power OF the LICE
teIescone. and vet ata cost not greater
than itsay 81 900, 600 for the mirrvr (ne
tube wanted) with the accessories, the
mountings and the buildings
Strange, as the proposition may seem
at first blush, it is now quite evident thai
Senator Fair and the late director-gener,
LIZ AIalI hon rna nhaar f0rY W1U