The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-05

When the Merrimac went to pieces
on the north bar Of Townsend's there
were rolls Of silk all along the beach on
| Tathems and Ludlams islands. Those
i were great times for the women folks.
The men gathered the silk up and toted
1t home and l reckon every woman in
Cape May county had silk dresses to
wear. Why, my women folks laid away
their best calico dresses and stood at
| their WASN'T tubs with silks on. 1t
would have done your heart good to see
the sight, Yes, stree, we men folks
walked round wearin' overalls andKen-
lucky jeans, while the women sported
silks"
Many Cape May county women still
haze vivid recollections of the days when
it was cheaper to wear silk dresses than
it was to don the commonest calicoes.
Remnants of this silk are still to be
found in some of the homes on the
mainland, the worse for wear, but still
showing traces Of the exquisite color
ing of the French dyer's art. OPP
posite the United States
life-saving station at Sea Isle City, deep
ly imbedded in the sand lies all that re-
iiApittS VI WIG pIS sup l4lN
stone. She also was wrecked in 1862
while bound from Havre, France, to
Philadelphia. Her cargo, which lies
covered with her, consisted Of wines and
Sevres china. At odd times, generally
after storm, images of Parian marble,
of fine workmanship have been found
on the beach. Two winters ago a cask
of wine was found by a patrolman of
the life-saving station. The Living
stones cargo was valued at two hum
dred thousand dollars Some day the
ocean currents may uncover the wrecks
and chance may lead man to them.
There was one ship that came ashore
on Ludlams island more than century
ago whose cargo was not engulfed by
the sea- The story of her coming--it is
scarcely more than legend now-is still
told in Cape May county homes The
Minerva ran on the beach at point now
known as Minerva avenue, Sea Isle City.
She was full-rigged East India mer-
chairman. Her coming was weird and
uncanny. On a dreary day in March,
1897 the beachcombers living three miles
away on the mainland got glimpse
the mist of the stranded ship.
Ever ready to profit by the misfortunes
of the shipwrecked, the beachcombers
manned their boats and put off across
the bay. When they reached the island
beach they found the Minerva high up
on the bar, with all sails set. The
boarded her.
From the main hatchway came the
cry of cat. Then all was still. Super
stitious to a marked degree were the
beachcombers, and it was some time be-
fore they gathered sufficient courage to
venture below decks, In a large cabin,
even luxurously fur
nished, seemingly the captains, the
found the body of young
man, evidently a Spanard. Disturbed
by their intrusion, large gray cat, the
only living thing encountered rushed
swiftly from the cabin into the darkness
Of the hold beyond. Frightened by the
sight of the dead man and the APPEAR
ance of the cat, the wreckers rushed
rom the cabin to the deck above. Gu
riosity, however soon overcame their /
ear, and they went through other parts
If the merchantmen. They found he
aden with cargo of coffee, tea, spices T
md other rich products, but there was
zone to watch over it, save the big gray |
AT and the dead man. The beachcom- 4
,ers carried much of the Minerva's car |
20 ashore before a storm came tearing |
lown the coast and broke her to pieces. |
long afterward it was learned that the
Minerva was owned at little seaport
own on the Bay Of Biscay. She was
pound for Almeria. OF her crew or the
ause of their desertion of their ship
lothing was ever learned Sometimes,
when the sea currents run strong the Y
and washes away from the spot where
he Minerva lies, exposing her timbers
# hearted oak. They are black and
lark green with their covering of bar
acles and seaweed, and they recall to
hose who have heard the Minerals
tory one of the mysteries of the sea-
few Jersey Letter in the New York
un