Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-07-06
SLIT & T HE s a n DIS.
How the Beach Combers' Work
When 9 Storm Comes.


MR. a storm = just as good as a fire
though When the "beach comberss
I rec one coming, across the waters they
pull on their rubber loot, and oilskins
and forth they sally. The first wind
SpicNssnp the light dry sand and blows il
away in little swirls. That takes OF
one layer The "con,ber'' hurries
around after the swirls and picks I'm
whatever is exposed to sight. Layer
after layer of sand isremoved, uncover.
ink more and more coins and tr.nl,cts
{ foA the scavengers CT ecashore. On
TIL day Of the les t greet storm one man
picked up S32, Which is the best days
work remembered b. any Of the mon
talked with. This storm chasing il
petty hard labor. The men have to
1un around from zee to place after
the elbows of sand.'' and the wind soon
begins to lift and throw in big waves.
which, with the tie, pour in shore and
cover the beach. So profitable is it,
however, that the comEers search till
thewater is over their boottops.
The most profitable work of allis the
hardest. That is digging around the
base Of the piles of the iron pier. The
pier in summer is promenade as well
as waiting-room. From it all sorts OF
things drop, and, sinking in the water.
are given up by the owner as lost. The
comber knows otherwise He has
learned that the ebb and flow Of the tide
washes little eddy holes around every
pile, and that everything that comes
anywhere near these holes is deposited
in them. He is aware, moreover, that
even heavy objects are borne backward
apl for.sard by the waves, and that
consequently the chances are in favor
of the pile hoe receiving, on some in
and out flow ofthe tide, all things worth
recovering. So when the beaches are
left by the summer crowds and tbs
hucksters, the combers go out with
their big shovels and sleeves and dig W
the sand in the holes. They say thai
the finds are of good value and very mis-
cellaneous. Most numerous are The
pickings from the surface of the share
pan" from two or three feet dowr
through the surface sand. Upon this |
hard floor the coins stand on edge in 6
position to penetrate to the safe regions
below. But the colnber, understanding
this, shovels down three or four feet
further, and though it is heavy work
and exhausting afterward when the
sieve has to be used to release the sand
the patient placer miner makes sure he
has reaped the summer harvest before
he leaves off his task.
There are two rich places which have
not been explored. One is defended by
q man and his wife who own the ground
1t is a line of poles set up for the BATH
ing patrons. Four years ago young
man W ent into the water there with two
$40 gold pieces around his neck. He
-yas about to be married and was saving
up the money for the event. twas toe
precious. to be left in the bathhoust
Keepers safe, SO he kept it in the little
leather bag at his neck. When he came
out of the water the bag and the golc
were gone. He wept and cursed ani
,xaads@such a. noise about his loss thai
every body ION Coney" knew oft. Thu
coInbers were not alone in the search
for it, but it was not found during the
lseason and in the fall the winter mer
prepared to dig around the lifeline
poles. Gebbafd was afraid they would
dig tie poles OF loosen them and he
forbade them to work three. The police
assisted him when they were within
call, but whenever they and Gebbarl
were away down swooped the combers
70 search for the gold. The owner
lound it necessary to leave his wife t.
Erateh>while he was away and the colu
pers have been kept off ever since. Bui
they mean to have those double eagles
vet; they know they are in the pole
holes and Dave Stewart, the negro
comber, said recently:
Use goin' to have them goldbugs i
it takes till Gabriel blows"
The other untouched spots are also
lifeline poles, those that once carried
a line from the pier to the Scenic rail
road. When the bathing houses ther;
were torn DOWN the poles were left an6
Il e~sombers are welcome to delve be
side thesQ But every year they have
been passeN bver because there were
enough other places equally rich to las,
through the winter, and now the tide
and the sand drift are gradually risin:,
over the tops of the poles. They, wiz
soon be buried and their location will
be forgotten unless some energetic
comber attacks them.-N. Y. Post.
Much in Little.
One of the most important industries
of the world is manufacturing prod.
uct which, if taken singly, may be sale
to he without, yalle No nersnn ,uo,,l.,