Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-05
Finding of Coins Revives
Search for Buried Treasure
At OLD FORT LOUISBURG
Half q Million Hidden by It's De-
tenders in 1853.
WHOLE TOWN rs TAKING PART
Tradition Says Coin Was Thrown
Into Sea When Americans
Captured Fort.

.LOC1SBURG, n. s., December 5-This
town, which has been dug up from end
to end dozen times in the search for
tho gold which rumor has it was hidden
BY the French at the time they surren-
dered to the Americans under Pekkerel;
N l7oS has been deeply stirred by the
discovery of evidence that the stories to
that effect are not entirely old wives
tales
Lew Petrie, one of the most enthusiast
tic OF the treasure seekers. is the man
VINO has discovered the evidence, and as
II Is IN the form Of gold and silver coins,
it Is considered probable that there is
more to be found. At any rate the whole
town Is interested, and the digging has
been renewed with energy
Louisburg long has been a mecca for
Americans who visit Cape Breton Island.
situated on the southeast coast of the
island, 1t is not a long ride from Sydney
and North Sydney, which are becoming
moro popular each year as a center for
campers in Cape Breton Island or in
Newfoundland Many remain ali summer
e the hotels, but few there are who visit
those places without coming to see the
old fort.
Old Fort Cost 100000.
The fort was built by the French early
IN the history Of Canada as q protection
primarily against the Ind ans. Later it
was strengthened, and by the expenditure
OF more than S5,00v,0OO was made the
strongest fertilization then in North
America, except Quebec. A town grew
UP about the fort, but today its glory mas
departed. Its inha bitants are principally
nsner FOX, and their number is much
smaller than In the old days. After the
tort was abandoned it never was re-
occupied, and sank into ruin. Today the
old works in places are barely traceable,
though in others they still stand.
But whatever the history of the fort
later, 1t is with the French occupation
that the interest lies today for the treas
ure hunters. The story goes that there
was In the fort a large sum of money
more than half a million dollars. it is
said, kept there for the troops, and to pay
those who were working on its eonstruc-
ton. When 1t was seen that the fort
would fall. this money was hidden to
prevent 1t falling into the hands of the
enemy. and the hiding place is what the
TOW ns1o!k have been seeking ever since
Some say that the money was buried, and
tradition has led to all sorts of digging
Others maintain that the money was
thrown into the sea, and this has led in
turn to all sorts of schemes to recover it,
May Be In the Sea.
One of those who believe the sea was
chosen is Lew Petrie, who for years has
been devoting all his spare time to rak-
ing the sands and searching the rocks.
The building of a breakwater around
the place helped the search, and attempts
have been made to render this barrier
Water-tight. that it might be pumped out,
hut without great success. AS of,en as
the water level inside the pond as it is
lI<.1 has
from without has opened the dam and
4Hled 1t again. 1t has been a gigantic
task, for the searchers have been without
modern implements for the work, the
pumping being done by hand slowly and
painfully.
1t was IN one of these periods of low
water, 80 to speak. that the discovery
was made which has raised the hopes of
Petrie and those with whom he has been
working. Turning over the sand, as the
water Feceded, he came upon several
small objects incrusted with barnacles.
Hhese were tossed aside. first without
thought but while walking about Petrie
happened to step on one, breaking it open.
Inside was a smooth surface, and on rub
bling 1t with sand he saw 1t was an old
French coin. The search continued. and
q number of the coins were found. In
some cases three or four were Joined to-
Eether by the sea growth.
-1On one of the coins, after cleaning and
polishing, the date ''1T31' was made out,
while another, a silver piece about the
size OF a half dollar, was dated 1723. Be-
sides the coins. a silver spur was found,
e. pair OF silver candle shutters. canteen,
and several buckles, believed to be gold.
-
Search to Be Renewed
Soon after the articles were found the
water broke through the Golfer dam and
flooded the pond, bringing the search to
D. standstill, but before that news of the
discovery had spread through the town,
and a great crowd soon was scraping
over the old sea bottom. 1t is believed
that other things were found and carried
0n by the volunteer searchers.
Digging in the OLD fort has recommended
with a vim, too. and many relics have
been brought to light. These include sew
eral fintlocks, spoons. knives. the hilt OF
a sword with part of the blade, Il can
teen, d china plate or 20. not to mention
many cannon balls and musket balls. For
Years there has been u desultory trade in
sucl things sold to Americans as souye-
Mrs. Cannon which Were in the old fort
are now in museums III Montreal or Que
bee.
In view of the finding of the money in
the water, more determined and syste-
matte efforts viii be made to explore the
pond The cofferdam will be made abso-
Iutely water-tight and d steam pump in
stalled to empty IL.