Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-11
UNDER LONG ISLAND BEACH.
Great Ship Lies Buried In til
Sand.

"A oTSAe Shlp Lles burleu IN the
Sand.
From the Charleston News and Courier
Not many days ago party of ladies and
gentlemen We're paying "a visit to Long
Island. a spot now coming prominently
into public view on account of the pro-
posed electric line hotels &c In the party
was well-known Charleston lady, and in
the course of a promenade along the SPLEEN
did beach she spied what seemed to be an
ugly piece of wreckage, just at the low
water mark On the sand. Going to it, she
struck it with her parasol and remarked
that it seemed to be a part Of a ship.
Others In the party went to look at it, and
one, getting a shovel from the workmen
then on the island, began to dig a little
way down into the sand.:.>The result was
most surprising! 1t took but few minutes
to see that the exposed timbers was the
keel of large vessel andAthat the hull
appeared to be practically intact. 1t was
lying bottom up and the sand had buried
it completely with the exception of the
keel. which was only visible at dead low
water. i--'
Curiosity prompted the owners Of the
island to investigate the wreck a little
further, and the Developments were still
more Interesting. The sand was cleared
away for some distance along the hull of
the ship, and then with axes and saws a
hole was cut into it.. This was no easy
task, for the ship was found to be planked
inside and out and the bottom was hard
and tough; besides this the ribs, or
knees were SO close together they al
most constituted a solid wall in them
selves. The interior was reached, however.
and 1t was seen that the cargo consisted
OF yellow pine lumber. 1t had been per-
fectly preserved and was in better conIli-
ton than when placed on board the ILL
fated shir, for it is seasoned better than
any kiln could do it. With the workmen
employed on the island some half dozen
or so of pieces were taken out of the ship,
and theL the find .ng of timber by II
inches and 50 to 90 feet long made 1t ap-
Parent that more than man power would
be required to unload the ship that has
seen SO long on Its way to market. But
the glimpse that can now be had Of the
cargo convinces the owner that the shib
contains some two hundred thousand feet
OF fne yellow pine lumber, and steps are
of the. wreck. Mr. ANS. Emerson has con-
tracted with the o&Aers Of the island to
get this cargo out aSid will have derricks
and a large force ofF pen over there during
or course there is no telling what else
may be found In the ship that was buried
In the sand of Losl Island. but the lum-
Der may be only ABORT of the cargo-there
may be treasure found in the upper part
of the ship. which Is NOW Or the bottom
Of the sand; but, again, there may only
lie the bones ofsaau poor seamen or the
ordinary chests sf4 books of the ordinary
coasting schooner. But the name Of the
ship and the port from which she sailed
may be discovered. and 1f So the dates will
surely be of long. aga No one remembers
the loss of a shipslIll this ON The coast of
Carolina. and the q I'D and make Of the
hull that lies buried n the sand is OF pat
tern and plan forgotten. The planking on
the bottom of the, ship is fastened with
square, copper, handmade nails, and 1t
has been many years since such fasteners
wore used. Then too, the placing Of the
knees so close together is q mark Of the
boat hrildef~of the ''seven4eenss"
The discovery Of the ship and the rails
ing of the cargo are interesting. and the
find will no doubt be a valuable one for
the owners of Long Island. and perhaps
the lumber may be used in building the
big hotel proposed for Charieston's new
summer resort.