Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-19
Many a woman
has found a hus-
band in Aver $
Hair Vigor. s s!@:'': KS:
suNkEN TREASURE FOUND.
Divers Bring Up Thousands of Bullion
Recently Lost at Sea.

Now York, Oct. 1S.-Tales of treasure
| lost at sea do not generally have the
happy ending of that just concluded
| through the work of divers and a
dredge in Staten Island sound, off Sea-
| warren. N. J. Silver and lead bullion
| worth 800, 900 has been recovered after
lying at the bottom of the sound since
Sept. p last.
The bullion came from the Mexican
mines by way of Galveston on d Mall
lory Line steamship and was on it's
way from the East river water front to
the pant of the American Smelling and
Refining Co.. near Perth Amboy, N. J.
There were 1918 pigs of the metal on
the deck of the barge Harold.
In company with Is light canal boats,
the treasure ship was taken in tow by
a 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, passed the evening chatting
with the canalers alongside as the tow
dragged slowly across the upper bay
and into the Kill Won kull. The Har
old was not as comfortable as might be,
so when bedtime came he accepted 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 immedi-
| ately 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 on the move.
| Moore failed to notice that a fortune
had disappeared 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 morning
| at the pier in New Jersey there was u
| surprise awaiting the smelter officials,
| and everybody was sworn to secrecy. In
| Surance companies were notified and
preparations quickly made to search the
| bottom of the sound for the lost pigs.
The waters in that part of the bay are
| known to be infested with pirates who &c
about in small boats preyng on canal
craft and coal barges. They are consid-
cred dangerous men and great fears were
| affair and locate the treasure. Launches
| We're hurried to the scene, and for more
than a week, while the men aboard pre-
tended to be fishing. sounding lines Were
being put down over the sandy bottom
| Finally Oct. 5. the search was rewarded
| when the line gave metallic answer tt
the tapping of the lead
| Divers went down and found nearly ar
acre of the bottom covered with the bull
lion, A dredge Immediately was put int
commission and the work of recovery
went on rapidly until nearly 50 per cent
OF the treasure had been brought up. The
'divers then went down again and gath
cred up what the dredge had failed tC
reach. and the insurance company officials
breathed a sigh of relief as their loss will
| now be small one comparatively.
The bullion was a mixture of lead and
| silver the latter making up fully three
| quarters of its value which will be sep
arate and refined at the Perth Ambos
works. Capt. Baxter of the salvage crew
said the next few days search will de
eide how long the divers shall continue
at work, but he is satisfied not enough
| remains on the bottom to make it worth
any amateur wreckers while to turn il
and help without an invitation.