The sun., 1908-01-09
fOPRESERRRONANCE IN RUN
TEE BURIED TREASURE RING
ORGANIZES IN FRONT STREET.

LltteFaseurs, Mariners. retired war Cor
respondents splice the Main Brace and
RemAnHsce OT Sweet Bilgewatog and
TroplD splCes. Pirates and MArOOns.
A new society. the 3. T. R.--it must not
bs confused with the B. r. T.. which has
entirely different aims-has been organized
with headquarters at a certain delectable
hole 10 the wall in Front street near ROose-
welt and with branches at all the most
picturesque gin mills along Manhattan's
eastern waterfront below the Swamp.
b. T. R., IL may be explained. is the abbre-
Walton Of the magic words Buried Treasure
Ring, The Buried Treasure Ring promises
to be the most peculiar and fascinating
society in all New York.
The name Of the new organization just
hints at its PURPOSE without revealing its
possibilities. IL is not composed Of people
weighed down with the secret Of some
mysterious fortune hid by Kidd. Morgan.
Flint or any other old time buccaneer.
No indeedy. While the names OF the
members are secret. it may be said that
90 far they are less than a score. AnfonG
them can be found two or three litterateurs
in search Of local color for romAnces of
the high se'Gs, including pirates. marOons,
undiscovered islands. runaway cabin boys
and pieces Of eight, several ancient mari
ners. a chosen few from tho old guard along
South street. that redoubtable old guard
which drinks and drinks but never gets
drunk, a couple OF splendidly mendacious
brassbOund Rudyard Kipling sailors. two
real imported-from-T Tahiti beachcombers
preserved In alcohol. two retired war cor
respondents and several other persons who
have an Overpowering individuality.
A charter member Of the new society
was induced the other day to describe its
purposes and scope TO a reporter for The
SUN. Clearing his throat. in a deep bass
note he rumbled forth:
The Buried Treasure Ring has been
founded by few choice spirits to preserve
the integrity and pristine romance Of
South street and the waterfront With
the disappearance of the old square rggers
and the instalment of a new horse car on
South street some Of us old timers came to
the conclusion that we were between the
devil and the deep sea We all prefer the
deep sea. but seeing as how we're here
because we're here. we must make the best
Of it, The B. I. r. proposes to preserve
the atmosphere of South street with its
original tang OF salt water cargoes from
all the seven seas and the flavor Of ware
houses, the whole enhanced by the scent
of good rum" Here the talker rumbled
allegro and most momentously.
Some OF us prefers Jamaica and some
OF US prefers st. Croix, he resumed. sucking
in his breath. But at our conclaves both
are permitted. They help preserve the
atmosphere and they must be hot. Our
gatherings are held at any time of day or
night. All hands are piped to the bar by
the bo's'n and are expected 10 join in hearty
singing Of the old chanties. quartet
then renders Fifteen Men on Dead Mans
Chest and after the mate has read a Aelec-
ton from Treasure Island conversational
intercourse IL permitted. Each member
must tell a story beginning When / was
aboard the Jumping Jehosaphat, or some
other boat and we was in the Gulf OF Bonn
hay, or some other sea or port, ct cetera
and 80 forth The bo'sn then Tecounts
the latest exploits OF Earl FitZwilliam in
search Of the treasure of CocOs Island OF Of
somebody else. Spinning of yarns is then
in order Plans are formed next for an
expedition In search Of some hidden treasure
The mate announces the names Of all ships
arriving IN port with cargOes from the
tropics since the last meeting and a COM
mittee Is appointed to gather the news they
bring from foreign parts A subsidy OF
free drinks round after round and all around
is offered to the crew OF any ship arriving
here from an unciviliZed or tropical port
or bearing a Tedolent or unusual cargo,
and IL she's a sailing vessel we make EN-
hot runs and il she's a square rlgger we 20
the limit. BY the way, every member Of the
b. +. r. is expected TO cultivate and perfect
a rolling gait
Thus he spake. and blowing his nose
crescendo and in the most alarming fashion
the charter member rolled away down South
street even as stanch bark rolls in the
trough Of the sea. A heavy fog blowing in
from the East River obscured the prospect
but II seemed to the reporter that the water
front was once more lined with sailing ships
and the air laden with the scent Of spices
piled in bales along the dirty wharves 1t
was perhaps a vision Of what should be
brought to pass by the B. 1. r. Through
the mist family he could hear the bos'n
piping all hands to the bar TO get their hot
rum, or was he piping the crew OF some old
wind iammer to the manm'st that each
man might get his portion of lime Juice?
As he boarded a Eelt line horse car the
reporter was not sure.