West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-09-14

i
son. master diver. inventor and ex-
pert I'm submarine engineering. IL not
proving an easy task. says Stillson.
The treasure-laden ship is. or was.
the Ward line steamer Merida. She
was sunk In the summer OF 1911 about
55 miles OF Cape Charles ughtship
when she was rammed 10y the freight
steamer Admiral Farragut The Me
rida carried over 800 passengers. all
of whom were taken on by the Far
ragut and transferred to the Old Do
miniou steamer Hamilton, which land
cd them i'm Norfolk.
Among the passengers were a num-
Der of Americans fleeing from Mexico.
| They had with them the savings OF a
lifetime and these savings, they say.
were locked i'm the safe OF the Office OF
the purser OF the Merida When the
steamer was struck the water poured
through the hole in her starboard side
so fact that they did not have time
to save any OF their valuables.
The Merida also carried silver bull
ion said TO have been worth over $780,
600. The purser's safe is filled with
money and Jewelry The vessels car
go was fruit
The treasure-hunting fleet is compos
ed the yatch j. II. Beckwith, the traw-
Ter Fearless and a barge used by div
ers. There are about dozen divers
in the outfit. including +. Nillison. who
is said to have been the first to explore
the bottom of the Atlantic near where
the Merida went down.
Capt. c. II. Hermanson, who Is I'm
command of the flagship OF the fleet. is
of the opinion that II the Merida Is
found she will be some miles away
from the spot where she went down.
The treasure hunters, barring bad
weather, have been searching for the
sunken ship for nearly n month now.
They have been driven TO port several
times by high seas and wind. but with
the coming of fair weather have gone
forth again to renew the search.
Divers have explored two miles OF
the Atlantic ocean. II is stated. and
have found several wrecks. one of
them apparently steamer but II was
not the one they sought Divers sent
up portions Of a deckhouse of the
steamer. There was nothing OF value
in the wreck
Sharks were encountered by the
divers on several occasions, but they
stood off at n distance. apparently
watching with interest every move OF
the divers, who were armed with axes,
and also carried large knives in their
belts.
Captain Stlllson says he has not Civ
en- up hope Of finding the Merida and
is not disappointed at not finding the
vessel at the point where she went
down.
"A vessel seldom goes right straight
to the bottom when she sinks" he
says. especially where the water is
deep and the currents strong" It is
possible that the Merida is ten miles
away from the spot, where she went
down. Under currents sometimes car
ry vessel miles away before she
settles on the bottom. And after she
strikes the bottom, shifting sands
sometimes carry a vessel several
miles.
"If we find the Merida within ten.
or even twenty miles of the spot where
she went down IL will not he unusual.
When we do find her, It will not prove
very difficult to bring up the treasure
In her, and believe we are going 10
be successful. Our greatest difficulty
is TO locate her.
Capt. Hermanson also is of the op-
inion that the Merida will be found.
and the divers, too. are confident.
The men tell OF encountering
strange looking objects under the wa
ter. of stumbling against a sunken
vessel. or meeting a shark face TO
face
After searching Aye miles In one di-
rection, the treasure hunters will re-
turn TO the spot where the Merida
went down and search Eve miles In
another direction After they have
gone north south, east and west for
five miles they will continue the
search for I've miles further in the
same directions n she is not found
before winter comes on. 1t r. probable
that the searcp will be apandJhed un-
I'll next spring
The expedition Is costly one.
The divers are paid as high a. s1o a
day. u Is said that Capt. sulison
will receive a big bonus II the expe-
lition Is a success. and fair" compen-
sation If IL fails
In marine circles IL is believed that
the Merida will not Pc igupq. II Is
figured that IN the I've years since
she went down she Is probably com
pletely covered with sand. and diyers
might walk aver the spot where she
lies without knawtng H.
Tho treasure hunters come to Nor
folk and Newport News about every
two weeks 10 take on fuel and sup
plies.
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