Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-25
TREASURE OF LAKES
SUNKEN WEALTH OF THE IN
LAND SEAS
Fortune That Was Taken From the
Wreck Of the Erie-Recovering
Cargo Of Copper.


While the oceans and the islands in them
undoubtedly contain the greater part of
the hidden treasure of the world, there are
other places which are beginning to attract
those infested by the germ of treasure
it's" and among these are the Great Lakes
From time to time treasure-hunting eX-
petitions have been fitted out at various
ports, but they have been generally re-
garded as such businesslike ventures that
only now and then has one seen much of
romance or adventure in them. The ma
jority of these expeditions were unsuccess-
full in their efforts, but few of them have
reaped rich rewards.
Probably no similar area of any ocean,
If suddenly robbed of its waters, would
expose to human eyes more sunken ships
or more valuable cargOes than would the
five Great Lakes. This is easily under
stood. when one knows that during the
twenty years between 1873 and 1898 only
one less than GO00 vessels were wrecked on
the inland seas, and that 1903 of these
were total losses. The loss Of cargo during
those years, which represent but little
more than one-fourth of the years of navi-
cation on the lakes, was Sc, 54S 800, and
from this it is quite safe to reason that the
total amount Of property which has gone
| to the bottom Of the lakes, counting only
cargoes. would make the enormous total
of at least $12,O00O00.
Copper and Iron.
OF course, the greater part of all this
sunken property has been destroyed by
time and water, but much of it was in
destructible, and Is as good today as it
was when 1t was lost. 1t is also true that
at the bottom of the lakes would be found
valuables of less romantic interest than
the gold and plate OF Spanish galleons and
the riches of pirate chests. There is little
doubt but that there are large sums of
money hidden in the inland seas, but most
of their lost treasure Is made up of copper.
steel, iron, coal, machinery apd other prac-
tically indestructible things which 20 to
make up lake cargOes
How ship may lose herself in the Great
Lakes and for years, perhaps forever, defy
all attempts at discovering her is illus
trated in the tragic story of the Erie. a
treasure ship which was lost in Lake Erie
during the season of 1S41. This vessel,
under the command of Capt. T. J. Titus,
left Buffalo for Chicago on the afternoon
of August g. When about thirty three
miles from Buffalo, off Silver creek, a
slight explosion was heard and almost
veloped in flames. On board the Erie were
scores of immigrants bound for the west
and specie amounting to $1SO,O30 but in
the excitement and appalling loss of life
which followed no thought was given to the
treasure
Treasurer Ship Raised.
The steamer De Witt Clinton came up
down the Erie carried 100 souls with her
For years after this the treasure ship lay
half buried in the sand seventy feet under
water. Not until fourteen years later in
1856, was a successful attempt made to
raise her. In that year a treasure-seeking
party left Buffalo and lowed the hull into
shallow water. A fortune in foreign money
was secured, mostly in five-franc pieces.
Other stories of treasure recovered from
the bottom of the lakes are quite numerous.
In 1902 the steamer William H. Stevens,
loaded with SOL $50 worth of copper,
caught fire and sank between Conneaut
Ohio, and Port Burwell. Ontario. Under
writer's worked on her all one autumn, Sc
curing only nineteen tons of copper Then
Capt. Baker of Detroit began operations
which resulted in the recovery of nearly
100000 worth of property. In 1895 the
William Home. loaded with $4,000 worth
Of steel billets, sank I'm ninety-six feet Of
water of Swishwah Point, Lake Michigan.
In 1901 she was raised, one diver being
killed in the work and another paralyzed.
Capt. Baker also recovered treasure in
steel bilets amounting to $31, 600 from the
Alva Bradley, which sank in deep water
off North Manitou Island. Capt. Quinn Of
Detroit has also recovered many valuable
cargOeS.
Somewhere along the south shore Of Lake
Erie, between Dunkirk and Erie, lies a
treasure ship which will bring fortune
to her lucky discoverer If she is ever found
One night the Dean Richmond, with $780,
worth of pig zinc on board, mysteriously
Disappeared between those two places.
Every hand aboard was lost and their
bodies were picked up ashore. In vain
have searching parties spent much time
and money In the hunt for the lost vessel
The last attempt was made by the Murphy
Wrecking Company of Buffalo, which had
vessel and several divers searching all
one without success