The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-04
PUMPING OUT 4 oUICksAyD.
An Attempt to Recover n Treasure Said TO Have
Been Lert by Indians In Missouri.

An Attempt TO Recover n Treasure Said TO Have
Been Lert by Indians In Missouri.
MARYviLLE, Mo-, Jan. ga search for gold
has been in progress for the last three months
near C!earmont, "A village in the extreme north
west corner of Missouri. For n number OF
years the Bains brothers. David, John and vii,
liam, and their neighbors. have believed that
a large amount of money, estimated at from
$500 to 100000, is buried on a small strip Of
land lying two and one.half miles north Of
Clearmont- and belonging to Alexander Gray.
n harnessmaker. The money Is supposed to
have been buried by Indians.
In 1897 that part of Missouri now included
in the counties Of Buchanan. Holt, Nodaway,
Atchison, Andrew and Platte was held by the
Sac and Fox and Ioway Indians. The Gov
eminent bought 1t from them on certain condi.
tions. including the payment Of $1,000 in cash.
Old Chief Ca.ha-qua tRcd Fox of the Sacs and
Foxes, so tradition runs, was deputed by his
tribe to receive the amount duo 1t. He brought
half of it on one trip, and going back for the
rest he and his companions were set on by Q
party of Omahas and killed. He had told no
one what he had done with the money already
secured, and with other treasures of his tribe.
which he had in his possession before starting,
and the secret of their burial place was carried
with him to the grave. Soon after the Indians
were removed to Kansas it became n tradition
among the Sacs and Foxes that the treasure
had been deposited in a hollow log and sunk
to the bottom of a small lake near where Clear
mont now stands. There was formerly such o
lake, but the Nodaway River filled it with sand.
and its site is doubtful.
After the tradition was related to them the
Bains brothers dreamed by night and talked by
day OF the buried treasure. Three months
ago they got two magnetic needles supposed to
have gold.locating properties. and tho entire
community turned out to see them tested.
To the delight of the brothers both needles
posed to have been. The experiment was re-
peated and with the same result.
had dne on 1fo' iust f Begun Sn " Ss they soon learned.
The needles had dipped oyer a bed of quick;
sand; The brothers and their helpers worked
for days with untiring energy. 1t was evident
that the box or hollow log containing tho
money, IL there at all, was deep below the sur.
time slipped away. Finally, one day. three
! weeks after the arrival OF the needles, Bin
Bains,,s spade struck something hard. Natur.
ally, he believed 1t was the hollow log. He
called to his companions for help. But the
wash in. They worked as fast as they could,
nd, it Is said, succeeded in uncovcring the end
of Tds the lo K o bat hi IT Waf l. h soDid b tee se wa1sr We fSS
treasure had slipped away.
That was more than two months ago. The
story of the finding of the treasure created
great excitement in Burlington Junction and
Clearmont, Mo, and Braddyville, La. So many
| ptOplS lbllt II pld'p hAihb ~ 'SNN 10y
days that to keep them out armed men stood
guard night and day. A number of Ciearmont
business men became interested. u s ock com.
pany was formed for the purpose, OF helping
the Bainses and 100 shares, were sold az the rate
OF $25 u share. Harry Soucrs, n Clearmont
druggist, took a number of shares, and, TO pay
for them. furnished a stationary engine Win
which to pump the water from The hole, ana tos
several weeks II good sized force of men worked
night and day. As fast, however, as the watef
and sand were pumped out OF the hole the river
filled it again and little progress was made,
But the trCa sure seekers know no such thing
as encouragement. They quit work for a few
Days until II more powerful engine and two
stand pipes could be procured. The pipes were
sunk twenty feet into tho. sand and the pump
ing WINS begun again, and il still going on inces-
sanity night and day. Under the new arrange
ment the sand and water are both thrown QUO
in a continuous stream; but the skeptica de-
clare that before the lake is pumped empty all
the Nodaway River north of Clcarmont will be
dry.
People in northwest Missouri and southwest
ern Iowa are watching the work Of the trea sure.
seekers with great interest, knowledge OF which
fact has probably added greatly 10 their ardor.
Already almost half as much as was paid I0r
the entire Platte purchase has been spent IN
the vain search, but the Bainses and their
friends say that they have not yet thought OK
| giving nm