The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1897-12-08
MINING FOR WHISKY.
UNIQUE ENTERPRISE on THE MIS-
SOURI, ABOVE KANSAS CITY.

Steamer Arabia, Which Sank Forty Years
Ago, Has at Last Been Loeated-yg-I Risky
Was Part of the Cargo-The Miners Ex-
pect to Secure 1t.
Mining for gold, silver and other min
eral is very common, but the spectacle of
an organized company Of men digging "a
deep hole into the earth for whisky is rath-
er extraordinary. Whisky mining is now
under way at a point along the bank of
the Missouri river between Leavenworth
and Kansas City, and an effort is being
made to secure from 200 to 600 barrels of
40year-old liquor that is said to have been
buried in the sand since 1856
Nearly every one living along the Mis-
souri, river from st. Louis to Omaha has
heard the old story of boat laden with
whisky sinking, always close to the town
where the story was told. and Of the great
wealth in store for the person who would
Tesurroct these spirits from the deep and
place the same on the market From time
to time reports have been circulated that
the steamer had been discovered
Fresh stories have recently been travel
ing up and down the river about the find
ing of the long lost steamer. i trip was
made few days ago to Nearman, a Mis-
souri, Pacific telegraph station nine miles
north of Kansas City, and after a walk of
four miles through the bottoms and the
crossing Of one old river bed the camp of
the whisky miners was located on the west
bank of The Missouri river. around the
sharp bend a mile south Of Parkville.
IT was noticed ar C7,t,a flo~ y ,,o-,+~- IF
seven men We're at work in dead earnest
sinking a large hole in the sand. about 20
feet square, to reach the old steamer, which
they claim to hs~ge positively located The
head of the party was a large, good natured
old man, named Gales c. Henson and call
ed by the rest Dad. " Another leading
member was G. W. Summers, merchant
Of Parkville, who saw the boat sink II
years ago, and is the possessor of an album
dant store Of "reminiscences. From the
members of the party putting up a derrick
at the time the story of the lost boat was
learned.
On the 1st of August 1856, a large side
wheel steamer, the Arabia, left St. Louis
for Omaha and Council Bluffs, loaded
with pork, queensware and whisky, the
wet goods now estimated from 200 to 500
I'M A' 4 LAC III w DIS IlldGC W lllOuJ Incl
dent or trouble until ParkyiIIe was reach
ed, on Aug. 20. At this time the channel
of the river was a mile west of where it is
at present, and in attempting to get into
the Parkyille landing the boat was snagged
and began to take water The pilot lost
his head, so the story runs, and swung the
boat into the stream, and after drifting
down, as the engines could not hold her
1yA.-t h., H..
posite side of the river. The water was not
very deep and the pilothOuse, captains
cabin and the roof Of the upper deck were
out OF water, and while the excitement
was great the passengers ana crew were
all crowded on to this part, and afterward
they were taken off in small boats
The upper part Of the steamer remained
out OF the water for over a year, and the
following spring divers We're put to work
and the engines and part Of the other ma
chlnery were removed The whisky and
queensware could not be secured, as they
were in the hold that filed with sand dur
ing the winter and in time the boat was
lost to sight by sand washing over it and
the channel Of the river changing The
spot where it sank was forgotten, and aft
er hunt of years it was only discovered
a few days ago.
Dad Henson rugged up a continuance of
his own invention, whereby he was able to
sink an iron rod into the sand for depth
of AZ feet, by using ladders, and many
soundings could be made in a day Start
ing at the edge Of the water, over ?, 600
soundings were made, covering several
square miles, and a twig was placed at
every spot where the rod had been sent
down. Many logs were struck and false
hopes raised and the men were about to
give up when they sounded out among the
willows and undeTbrush fully mile from
the present river bed, and at last hit on
what they say is the sheet iron roof Of the
boat The rod was sent down repeatedly
and the outlines Of the boat were located,
some parts Of which are under "a feet of
sand and the remainder Sc. After finding
the boat the brush was cleared off, SO that
patch is now cut out of the forest of will
lows the shape of a steamer.
at first an effort was made to reach the
boat by digging q hole in che sand 30 feet
square, but the sand came in on them so
fast that this had to be abandoned after
getting down rs feet They were also
troubled with water flowing in on them.
and an engineer was consulted, who in
formed them that they would have to have
caissons and follow the plans used in put
ting down bridge piers
They learned that good machinery for
the purpose could be procured that had
been used in getting the cargo out of the
old Twilight, which was secured nearly
two years ago, after having been buried in
the sand 81 years. and they purchased the
same for use here They now have three
large iron caisson sections and a big air
pump on the ground They win push the