The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-02
MINING FOR WHISKY.
UNIQUE ENTERPRISE ON THE MIS-
SOURI, ABOVE KANSAS CITY.
Steamer Arabia, Which Sank Forty Years
Ago. Has at Last Been Locsted-Whisky
Was Part Of the Cargo-The Miners Ex-
pect to Secure 1t.

an organized company or men digging
deep hole into the earth for whisky is rath- |
er extraordinary Whisky mining Is now
under way at point along the bank of |
the Missouri river between Leavenworth |
and Kansas City, and an effort is being |
made to secure from 200 to 900 barrels OF |
40-year- 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
resurrect 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. A trip was
made few days ago to Nearman, a Mis-
souri, Pacific telegraph station, nine miles
north of Kansas City, and after walk OF
four miles through the bottoms and the
crossing of one old river bed the camp or
the whisky miners was located on tho west
bank of the Missouri river, around the
sharp bend a mile south of Parkville.
seven men were 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 have positively located. The
head of the party was large, good natured
| old man, named Gales c. Henson and call
| cd by the rest dad" Another leading
member was G. w. Summers, merchant
| of Parkville, who saw the boat sink Al
| years ago, and is the possessor of an album
| dant store of "reminiscences. From the
members of the party putting up 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 600
barrels. The trip was made without incl
dent or trouble until Parkville 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 Parkville 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
| against the current, she struck on the OPP
posite side of the river. The water was not
very deep and the pilothouse, captain s
cabin and the roof of the upper deck were
out of water, and while the excitement
was great the passengers and 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 were put to work
81 nd rf If tho other IN
chinery were removed. The whisky ant
7 queensware could not be secured, as they
were In the hold that filled with sand dur
I ing the winter, and in time the boat wa
lost to sight by sand washing over it ant
the channel of the river changing. Th'
spot where it sank was forgotten, and aft
err a hunt of years it was only discovered
few days ago.
Dad Henson rugged up contrivance o
his own invention, whereby he was able Il
sink an iron rod into the sand for dept
of AZ feet, by using ladders, and man.
soundings could be made in a day. Start
ing mt the edge Of the water, over 200
soundings were made, covering severa
square miles, and twig was placed q
every spot where the rod had been sen
down. Many logs were struck and falls
hopes raised and the men were about Z
give up when they sounded out among tn
willows and underbrush fully mile fror
the present river bed, and at last hit o.
what they say Is the sheet iron roof or tn
boat The rod was sent down repeated
and the outlines Of the boat were located
some parts of which are under "a feet G
sand and the remainder 80. After fndin
the boat the brush was cleared of, SO tina
"A patch is now cut out of the forest OF wi
lows the shape of a steamer.
: At first an effort was made to reach tn
boat by digging hole in the sand 20 fe'
square, but the sand came in on them
fast that this had to be abandoned aftt
getting down 10 feet. They were ais
y troubled with water flowing in on then
y and an engineer was consulted who II
h formed them that they would have to HAY
: caissons and follow the plans used in pu
ting down bridge piers.
They learned that good machinery IL
8 the purpose could be procured that ha
IS been used in getting the cargo out of Il
u old Twilight, which was secured near
:, two years ago after having been buried
G the sand 81 years, and they purchased u
IS same for use here. They now have thr
e large iron caisson sections and big al
n pump on the ground. They will push 81
L work in order to get everything OF vail
II out of the boat before high water sets
II next spring.
u The men are enthusiastic, and they Q
D. lieve that their fortunes are made. One
them stated that members of the compal
would not sell out for $4,000, and tn
before spring they would realize far 3
e. yond this amount. dad" Henson is
re old river sage, and he says that timh
he buried in the sand where air cannot req
a. 1t will remain perfectly sound for veal
ID and that the whisky barrels will be foul
n in condition to be removed and taken
to through the cassons. In case the barre
BY cannot be moved the liquor is to be tapp
d. into kegs and placed in hogsbeads that q
now being secured for the purpose. III
whisky is said to have been of SUPER
quality, and with its Al years of age it
=, expected to be the finest ever placed on {
American market. The men state tf
they have made inquiries of liquor dealt
and that they will get big price for 1t
When asked If they expected to pay
ternal revenue duties omit they said tn
did not know, but thought that, inasmu
ms the whisky had been manufactured
fore the war and antebellum duties II