The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-11-30
Ar THE BOTTOM
on A GREAT BAY


NoW Ao1k may ono u8y Ec4o Inc at
nouneernent that Capt. Kids famed
and much sought treasure has been
pumped up out Of the bay, for four
monster submarine pumps are grunting
and straining over the bottom Of the
lower bay and sucking up greedily the
mud and sand. They are attached 10
the governnsnt dredges Atlantic and
Manhattan. which are striving night
and day Is ret channel up through the
mud banks deep enough 70 hoat the
commerce. which Is clamoring 70 get IN
and out Of this port and unable 70 do 50
because the water IL too shallow to float
mary 81 the liners loaded to their full
est capacity.
What are some of the things which
could readily be found &c the bottom Of
the bay7 One might think a. hard as
he could and then not have q list of the
curious and general truck which has
been sucked up BY the general centri-
fuRal pumps On board the government
dredRsD. One might say their wouh
Be bits Of Of chain, pieces Of rope, Ash
hoOks, ainkers, and all sorts Of marine
refuse, and once IN q while one Of the
more ghagtIy things which the bay oc-
casinally yields up and which demands
c6rcner's inquest But who would
think that hoop-skirts, bustles, side
combs, hat-pins, shoe buttons, safety
pins, and garter buckles would show
forth when old Neptune was ticklod In
the ribsf Such however, h the case.
And that IL lot q one thousandth part of
the varioue articles which are dredged
out Of the bay.
The sailors and captains Of the dred-
Res occasionally find articles Of value,
such as gold rings, earrings, bracelets
and pins. The other day one Of the
men found q s. gold piece. This was
the second piece Of this kind which had
been found on the dred0e Atlantic. The
captain Of the Atlantic has nearly q
quart Of money Of small denominations.
These coins come from all over the
world. The dates 60 back 70 140O.
Some Of them retain only slight traces
Of the mint marks, and some even have
none Of these left, and II Is impossible
TO guess even at what they may have
been.
Many Of the coins pumped up are
evidently counterfeit. Most of the
counterfeit money represents United
States coinage. One piece Of consider
able interest is q brass quarter that
Sui EeIAlfab bOIIlc u Tie bliNcI ptaIluBs
It has almost the same ring as a silver
quarter, and is apparently about the
same weight. While it retained the sill
yer plating it must have been a great
deceiver.
There are about 100 pennies Of all
kinds in the collections on the dredge
Atlantic. Among them are big pennies
little pennies, copper pennies and white
metal pennies. There are several two
cent pieces and nickels. Some Of the
money has evidently been through.a fire.
The iewely pumped up Is curious. Most
of 1t burned, but some was evidently
lost overboard-not pleasant thought
went over with respondent man or
woman seeking surcease from sorrow in
the murky waters of the harbor.
The Atlantic has forced from old
ocean two wedding rings. On one of
them is engraved "JOhn to Edith, 1873, "
Now, how came that ring at the bottom
of New York harbor7 Were Edith and
John returning from Europe after their
wedding tour and did the ring go whirl-
ing out Of the port hole as the result OF
their first quarrel? Or did il go to it's
submarine resting place in the pocket
Of John, Respondent and alone and un-
able to find anything in life worth the
living after losing the loving compaiOn-
ship of Edith? Such are the thoughts
aroused in the contemplative mind as it
views the miscellaneous pile IN the At
lantic's cabin.
Here Is 9 little lump Of gold. 1t con-
tains enough Of the precious metal TO
make 4 or s $40 pieces. 1t has passed
through FIRE, for mixed with IL is for
eiRn matter, such aschareoal and brick.
who knows the many. hours Of weary
toll lightened only by the happy
thoughts Of the greetings when the
dear ones ahould arrive from over the
seas. that went with those coins into
the stocking On . Saturday night
the happy son brought 70 his little,
dark back room IN an East Side tene-
ment house the last gold piece that
meant emancipation for hia aged father
and mother IA Russia. He deposited 1t
tenderly with the others and sought
his poor cot for dreams Of happier
houTs. He was awakened by the alarm
af Gre. His first thought was for his
hard earned treasure under the mat
kress. He seized II and dashed for the
hall, but was driven back by the flames
There was no window 10 his room, and
he died ike q rat In a hole His body
was found next day IN the ruins, but
the little nugget Of gold escaped the
sharp eve Of the seareheF. II vas
tossed into q cart with broken brick
and plaster and other debris, and from
that went 20 . seOw and was dnmped
f.tne th.a slotrfoe knv