The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-18
1t Covered Nearly an Acre of Staten
Island Sound and Was Brought
Up by Dredges.
QUEER STORY OF ITS LOSS
WAS LOADED ON BARGE WHOSE
CAPTAIN FELL ASLEEP.
Boat Tilted During the Night and
the Major Portion of the Cargo
Fell Into the Water.

NEW YORK, Oct. 17.-Tales of treasure
lost at sea do not generally have the hap
by ending of that just concluded through
the work of divers and dredge in Staten
island sound, off Sewaren, N. j. Silver and
lead bullion worth 100000 has been recov-
cred after lying at the bottom of the sound
since Sept. o.
The bullion came from the Mexican mines
by way of Galveston on a Mallory line
steamer and was on its way from the East
river water front to the plant of the Amer
lean Smelling and Refining Company. near
Perthamboy, n. ]. There were 1873 pigs
of the metal on the deck of the barge
Harold. In company with thirteen light
canal boats the treasure ship was taken
in tow by tug. 1t was the last boat in the
line. Under a moon nearly full the night
was brighter than many days. There was
no wind. Peter Moore, captain of the
barge. spent the evening chatting with the
canalers alongside as the tow dragged
slowly across the upper bay and into the
Kill Won Kull.
The Harold was not as comfortable as
might be, so when bedtime came he &C
copied an invitation to sleep aboard the
canal boat.
After all hands had turned in the barge
rolled to starboard under the weight of
400 tons Of metal and dumped the whole
mass, except about 200 pigs, into the water.
She righted Immediately and went along as
peacefully as before Some of the metal
landed on the canal boat deck and Moore
was awakened. He hailed the pilot of the
tug, but had no megaphone and the pilot
kept the squadron the move Moore
failed to notice that fortune had disap-
peared from his craft while he slept. The
barge appeared TO be moving along all
right and he went back to his bunk.
When the boats drew up in the morn
ing at the pier there was surprise
awaiting the officials, and everybody
was sworn to secrecy. Insurance companies
were notified and preparations quickly
made to search the bottom Of the sound for
the lost pigs. The waters in that portion of
the bay are known to be infested with
pirates who go about in small boats prey
considered dangerous men and great
fears were entertained that they might
learn of the affair and locate the treasure.
Launches were hurried to the scene and for
more than a week, while the men aboard
pretended TO be fishing, sounding lines were
being passed ever the sandy bottom
Finally, Oct. 5, the search was rewarded
when the line gave a metallic answer to
the tapping of the lead. Divers went down
and found nearly of the bottom
covered by the bullion. A dredge was i'm
mediatey put into commission and the
work of recovery went rapidly until
nearly SO per cent. of the treasure had been
brought up. The divers then went down
again and gathered UP what the dredge
officials breathed a sigh of relief as their
loss will now be a small one, comparatively.
The bullion was mixture of lead and
silver. the latter making up fully three
quarters of its value, which will be sep
arated and refined at the Perthamboy
works.