Evening star., 1921-10-05
BELIEVE SUNkEN
TREASURE |SFOUND
Searchers for $3,000,o0
Submerged Wealth Have
Hopes of Success.
sy the Associated rress.

BY the Associated rress.- ..-.--
NORFOLK, Va, October 5.-Search
for sunken treasure amounting to
$4,000. 900. and which has been at the
bottom Of the ocean eleven years in
the wreck of the Ward line steam
ship Merida, Is vigorously going on
at a point sixty miles east of the
Virginia capes. where the Merida went
down after a collision with the United
Fruit Company's steamer. Admiral
F,arraEut Word has come from the
treasure hunters that they believe
they have located the wreck of the
sunken vessel and expect soon to
bring to the surface Of the ocean the
gold. silver and precious stones which
had to be abandoned when the vessel
sank.
The search for the treasure ships
wreck Is being made from the steam
er Ripple, disreputable-lo looking
craft. Looks don't amount to much
as far. as salvage vessels go, how
ever, and aboard the Ripple is the
can be obtained. Manned by picked
crew of twenty-five men. the ship
carries three Of the best konwn divers
of the country, all of them able to
work at depths considerably in ex-
cess of the goo feet in which the
Merida is supposed 10 lie.
Financed by New Workers.
The search for the Merida's treasure
Is being financed by a group Of prom:
inent New Workers. The Ripple left
New York on August 80. and has
point approximately sixty miles
east of Cape Charles, where the
Merida is supposed to have foundored.
When the Ripple commenced the
sweeping of the bottom at the posi-
tion given by Capt. George W. Nord-
when she sank. a six-mile row of
buoys. spaced a mile apart, was
placed so that the same ground would
not be twice gone over. Finally the
drag line. grew taut.. Capt. Nord-
strom. who is aboard the Ripple. be-
lieved that the obstruction encounter
ed is pile Of the Merida's hfeboats
and liferafts which were dropped over
from the steamship Hamilton after
she had taken the passengers aboard
The Hamilton's position at that time
Is estimated at from a quarter of a
mile to mile from the spot where
the Merida rests.
Searchers- Are Confident.
Those aboard the steamer feel con-
fldent that. once located, the wreck
can easily be stripped Of its treasure.
Among the three divers is Frank J.
Crilley. who holds the worlds record
for depth. 30S feet, made while he
was assisting in attempts to rescue
the crew Of the submarine F-5, sunk
of Honolulu some years ago. Fred
Nelson. who went down 2s6, feet when
engaged upon the same task. also is
aboard. The third member of the
diving trio is Frank Kramer, we'll
known up and down the cost.
The Merida'S treasure consists of
a large quantity Of silver, about
S5o0.000 In gold and quantity of
precious stones. She was sunk in
May, 1910. when bound from Mexico,
via Havana, for New York, by the
steamer Admiral Farragut. The col
lision occurred about midnight in a
fog. the Merida remaining afloat for
six hours. The admiral Farragut
was badly damaged but remained
aioat. All passengers Of the Merida
were saved by ships which answered
her 9: @. s. messages.
Carried Copper Ballast.
The vessel had 400 tons of copper
in her hold, carried as ballast. She
is believed to be resting on an even
keel on the hard sand bottom which
obtains in the vicinity.
The Ripple expedition is second to
attempt the finding Of the Merida.
About four years ago a number Of
New. York capitalists fitted up a
steamer and dragged for some days
for the wreck. 1t was believed at
one time that she had been located
but bad weather prevented further
operations.