The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-22
MONEY FROM SPANISH WRECK
Treasure Ship Sunk Along Atlantic
Coast Is Traced.
washinEtOnian Finds silver Coin
Near Ocean City Where Ancient
GaIIeon FOundered Years Ago.

Mr. Samuel Maddox. an attorney Of
Washington, D. C. has in his posses
sion a Spanish silver coin OF the year
l789. which ne found on the beach near
Ocean City. says the Baltimore Ameri-
can. while enjoying promenade there
in company with a party Of gentlemen,
among whom were several BaltimOreans
An interesting legend associates itself
with this bit Of money. and although the
intrinsic worth of the coin could not have
exceed 80 cents. it was valued highly
by its finder and those who were with
him.
The stretch Of sand on which the coin
was found is known as the Money
Beach" II obtains lis name from a legend
TO the effect that some time in the latter
part Of the eighteenth century a Spanish
galleon. or treasure ship, was wrecked
off the coast. In support Of the legend a
number of Spanish silver coins have been
found upon the beach. In years gone by
many of these coins are reported TO have
been found, but IN recent years their dis
covery has been much less frequent.
The finding of the coins. among other
things, demonstrates how hard the sandy
bottom Of the coast has become. The
coins. instead Of sinking, have been grad
ually worked landward by heavy storms.
The old Spanish galleon must have foun-
dered where the water was sufficiently
shallow for the bottom to be disturbed
by heavy seas. and the coins. after what
ever they were placed in had decayed.
gradually passed over the surface OF the
intervening sandy bottom and appeared
on the shore If the wreck had been in
deeper water the coins would undoubtedly
have remained where they sank.
Many efforts have been made not only
to find the bulk Of the treasure OF this
old galleon, but to locate the hundreds OF
millions of dollars worth of other valu-
ables which in the lapse Of years have dis
appeared in all quarters Of the world S
vast expanses Of water. A great portion
of this sunken wealth becomes valueless
IN time, although often supposedly per-
ishab,a cargOes remain uninjuTed at the
bottom of the sea for a considerable time.
Take, for instance. ca.gO Of flour In
bags. When It goes down the outer por-
ton OF the flour in each bag forms a
paste and protects the interior. In this
Way dUNui lWt-AiitAne VI AAAS al 81 WIN
remain in good condition for some time.
Tightly wrapped bales of silk have been
taken from the sea in good condition af-
ter having rested there several years.
The outer wrappings. soaked with water,
become watertight and protect the in
terror.
Wrecks are strewn all over the Atlantic
Ocean, and a map issued by the United
States government on which dots are
used to show their several positions much
resembles the average sized piece Of fly
paper bearing a months crop. There are
some sections where the bottom of the
ocean IS literally paved with wrecks.
Not long since vessel loaded with iron
rails and bound south from Baltimore was
lost of Cape Hatteras. The owners, To-
eating the ship. arranged with a wreck
ing company to recover its cargo. Rails
bearing the mark of the manufacturer
were raised and sens back to this city,
and after the work had progressed for
some time it was found that rails were be-
ing received bearing the mark of another
manufacturer. An investigation was
made Immediately. and it was found by
a remarkable coincidence that directly
underneath the wrecked ship was another
vessel lost many years previously, and
which also had been laden with rails.