Evening star., 1896-07-04
AGED UNDER WATER.
Whisky Raised From the River
BOttOm.

Whisky Raised From the River
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
One foggy morning. just about dawn. in
August, 1865, the side-wheel steamboat
Twilight was making her way cautiously up
the Missouri river. In the wheel house the
pilot stood. dripping with the heavy mist,
calling to the wheelman:
Keep her jackstan on the lone cotton
stern around
The Twilight was chug-chugging along
slowly against the current. Right ahead
was bend in the river. Suddenly there
was JAR The hog chains snapped with
report Ike cannon, and the boat heavily
"hogged." or bulged up in the middle be-
gan to sink She had struck a submerged
sycamore tree OF huge dimensions, having
got out of the channel in the fog.
The passengers were cared for by the
Farmers in the vicinity and taken to Kan
sas City, twenty miles distant by a boat
that came up the river that night. The
cargo of the Twilight was very rich 1t
was composed of 800 barrel of whisky
hundreds of cases Of wines, liquors and
canned goods. and large stock of general
merchandise.
For several years she lay on the log in
the river, visible when the water was low,
and again covered. She was thing of
fascination to country boys who dreamed
out of her. There was an air of mystery
about her that thrilled the farm lads like
the tales of Captain Kidd or the stories of
the adventures of wreckers.
Four years after she sank an unsuccess-
full attempt was made TO get the cargo
Several years after that farmers In the
vicinity got two barrels of whisky out of
her. and when they went for more she could
not be found. The treacherous river had
shifted. and she was buried in sand bank.
ihen the river cut in along the south bank
close under the bluff and the great rise of
1887 made sand bar on top of her. buried
her deep and left her far inland under
thirty-nine feet of sand. 100 yards from
the bank of the river at high water and
half mile from shore when the river was
down.
tlemen organized company to recover the
sunken cargo. By a series of ingenious me-
chan1cal devices they located the wreck in
thirty -nan'e feet Of water. and found the
freight in comparatively good condition
There have been many Interruptions of the
" ork, but a large part of the merchandise
has already been recovered.
The 300 barrels Of whisky in the hold are
IN perfect state of preservation One of
them was tapped. sd the whisky was
found to be beyond compare. glass of it,
which was poured out before a company Of
men in the Kansas City Club, filled the en-
tlre hoor with its aroma. 1t was thick and
ely, almost of the consistency of New Or
leans molasses, and after the glass was
enlptied 1t clung to the sides as sirup
would.
The whisky will not be taken out until
the government officials shall become satis-
ned that 1t is tax free. The taxes were
paid at the distfllery where the stuff was
made more than thirty years ago.
Ihere Is rumor that abaft of where the
whisky was found Is the purser's cabin, and
In 1t Is safe containing large sum of
money which was being carried from St
Louis to up-river merchants and army
posts The money question, however is for
gotten for the present in the joy Of the
wreckers at the ffndirg of the whisky
Speculation is rife as to what will be the
profits of the wreckers. Experienced deal
ers say that the whisky will sell readily for
at least 500 a barrel