The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-25
ENGULFED DY TIE LAKE.
The Fate OF n Town That Stood on the Shore
OF Lake Michigan.

From The Chicago Inter OCEAN.
Within sound OF tina footballs OF Fort Sheri-
dams sentinels and almost within tho shadow
OF the tluttering flag whom the sun sinks west.
ward Is the site OF deserted village. Two
apple trees. a cellar within closng founda-
ton walls crumbling inward and long tor
tuous embankment. showing whore a rail-
road once ran. are now all that is eft to show
that on this spot Of Lake MichiRans bluff n
once thriving hamlet stood.
In name tho village lives only In a thor
oughtare-St. Johns avenue. which. running
south from the Government reservation,
pierces tho hamlet of Highland Park. The
village Of St. John was established some time
IN the fortles by a man named Hettlneer. who
long since WIS called to a place of which the
St John for whom the village was named once
s vii N Was Frank Mitch Who p9oSabp
the IL t only o sury hM Of the original
The residents q St. John soon increased In
Ii. place Il ran Halt Day and kitie sfi Fort t.
Chicago and MiiTauk &C., Only little 'w ways
tavern. where the stage Changed horses and 4
Where Where tr n aiGhted for dram and a
Hf ar 6 nHs,n tt bonn II ns
awakened to danger OF which they ," had never ever
before, dreamed, There was a storm on
as up s the fsH ca fhs o T' ,ss
morning showed tnat what before had been
now for a distance Of twenty lee; Inland SIM I'M
KY q frail upper strata OF turf and dirt over
hS11snE n. cHySrn2ns 9penng, The water had
WY. carrying with Il some outhuIldines. TO
same week a LAWYER. who told the . neople 'H OF
s. John thnt their land titles were faulty
od he 20 bsn disS
lishel brckyard.
In the course q time Lake Michigan again
John had to be abandoned, Attacks'irom the
land side were renewed. the weapons being
they might be able to Withstand the legal as. "a.
sauLts. but the attack Of the waves was too
tb SEh for them snS Theg LEFT their houses
lch4hod. foI it's glory was departed And now
OF those early dsys and early struggles there
years after S.. John had become second Ge Au.
am amin s ia 9 6e ma , to
tourths of the ground covered BY The old to wn
had gone int ths lake but even at that time
ther encroachments OF the waves. Mowers
vent to the sandy beach underneath the butfo.
ps s sa spp pa. s 9.s h% he
.ns last Of the old st. John orcharJ' HI:
Which ysarS bs,e stsn ,hs upon spot above
stood. CHANGING up and down the bank sons me-
tnlhg RltterlnR eauRh his eye. The aun was
strikiaE tho particular spot Ia the hank nj
, TnIShi MS csc vas directed and bis FIRST
'qund half ied in'the sand at the foot OF the
ilay an inGnt NJ nure copper weighing eighteen
pounds; Mowers has a reputation in the nlacS
where or he sti!l lives Of never allowing himself
| shining face of the copper In the sun ami IL IL
lld sent ne idea Of gold into his mind. IL was
gold. therefore, that he was after.
lie dislodRed the chunk OF copper. dug
lnont me place, and after two hours work Ind
unearthed gold and silver Spanish and Frencn
pieces minted upon one side only and to the
value in American money OF about SlI In
addition to this there were two or three cor.
per or bronze coins found. One OF them was
an oid Noman piece. bearing date CORE
ss{nondine to the second century oil the Chris.
counted for, the metal under the blnff NJ NJ
Mover. said that It had originally been sup
Gated In the old village OF 81. John. THE
tacsi however: ~ SAID, that the coins were ali
a ,ra Ssei now that some tie in The early DAYS
and that Lake Michigan Is even YET oecae
slonally washing up part OF its cargo.