Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-09-26
Search for Captain Kidd's Treasure

they discovered large pit about eight
feet square, and open, as far as they
could see. The pit was opened up.
and at IS feet a platform was struck.
The pit from this depth was open
and well crihbed down to a depth OF
los feet. The workers at once pump
cd the pit out and commenced dig
ging. but had a great deal of trouble
in keeping the water out, and 1t was
after a great deal work and time the
1l3 feet was az last struck. At this
depth the water became very heavy
and the pumps had all they could do
to keep It out. The pit was eight feet
square
] wrong. and before It could DO re-
paired the pit was filled with water.
It was then decided that pumping and
sinking In the same pit was out OF
the question. and IL was concluded to|
try to stop the tunnel near the shore
by the use OF dynamite Several holes
were bored near the shore. and al
large amount of dynamite fired, but
with no material effect on the water.
: They swung In three-inch pipe|
through the water to the bottom of
the pit and commenced boring. with
A. iaUo 80 et~fafrg Tho fraaspr., at
a depth OF not greater than l25 feet.
! No one dreamed of there Deing any
thing below that depth. They bored
through puddle clay down to a depth
of $50 feet and struck nothing but
several pieces OF wood from 100 to-
1876 feet.
They started another nCie and stuck
iron at 126 feet. They struck this
iron on the edge. and IL prevented
them from getting the threeinch pipe
deeper. They, however. got small
chisel and succeeded in passing the
iron. and worked down without pip
ing the hole. At $50 feet they struck
what they thought to be limestone. At
15S feet they struck wood. They put
a common auger at the end OF the
rods and bored through the wood.
When The auger went through the
wood it dipped two or three inches
and struck something hard that they
could not bore through The anger
was worked for some time in an at
tempt to get it deeper. but il would
not go down, and when brought up
the bore was cleaned in basin and
the dirt was washed out the same as
If looking for gold.
> A piece of parchment with several
pieces of wood was the result of this
washing.
After drawing the auger they put
i, chisel on and tried that. They
worked down about two feet and then
struck a metal that they could not
get by. They did no boring in going
down these two feet The chiseI was
worked by twisting. turning and ham,
mering.
/ Whatever was below the wood was
showed aside and bored. The chisel
frequently became wedged in a Gre
vice or crack, and Il would then take
tho strength of two men to lift ii
out.
! Another hole was then started and
wood was struck at 100 feet and the
soft stone at 152 feet
This time, however, they struck the
box on the edge and the chisel work
ed down past it to 157 feet, when
soft stone was again struck. They
bored through this and found it three
feet thick. Under this they found ten
feet of puddle clay. and at 40 feet
struck iron, pieces Of which they
brought up, but they did not attempt
to get through 1t.
After they gave up the boring they
decided that the best plan was to sink
another pit. A pit was accordingly
STATED. but at los feet the water
drove them out. Starting a new pit
was cheaper than pumping. so again
a new pit was started. but much fur
Their away from the money pit
This was sunk to a depth Of $50 feet.
and il It had not been for the III luck
that always followed them at Oak
island the mystery would have been
solved. Al 100 feet, without mo
ment's warning, with a great rush the
uafe- oncc more broke in The