Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-19
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FOR Joke more than ANYTHING else Roy Shacklcy
of Denver his name address and the date July
80, 1898 slip of paper enclosed it in ordinary
glass gallon jug and tossed into Coorados South Platte
River while fishing trip.
This jug carried by the quirks of currents and
winds almost 10000 miles to be picked up nearly four
years Island Massachusetts, Bay by John
Kerivan. House of Correction Guard
Kervan. supervising a group of House OF Correction
inmates who working the beach Deer Island
Boston noticed the jug bobbing the surf He sent
of the inmates pried the stopper and
amazement, read the inside He thought
joking for he could not understand how the jug
foaed so far believing at first that it had been dropped
into the River Plata in South America.
Kervan pondered it for several days. and finally de-
cided to write to the address the slip Of discolored
paper week later he received from Shackley
in Denver, thanking him and explaining that he just
wanted where and when. the jug would be
picked up The theory advanced that the big bottle
probably floated South Platte River the Mis-
souri, then into the Mississippi where it bobbed along TO
the Gulf Of Mexico, became caught in the northward
sweep OF the Gulf Stream and was carried past cape
Hatteras to a point opposite Boston where blown
ashore by east wind a northeast storm.
There always something mysterious and intriguing in
the finding bottled message which has been carried
by tickle to distant shore Take the bottle
message thrown overheard mid-ocean from steamer
and which 10 have followed n> the ships wake for
it safe to land on March 81. 1907 Philadelphia
named John Donald who route TO Europe,
threw bottled message from the Allan Line
steamship Meridian when the vessel was three days out
from this side
at ELY Bay, County Mayo Ireland by Francis Donahue
who could neither read write Thinking that IL might
something important the finder walked eight miles
to the nearest guard
Of the which answered for him by Of the
guards who communicated with the Philadelphia.
Another message in continent bottle dropped
Pacific Ocean Kobe Japan, 1910 and found
only two years ago riding the beach swels at Hoqiam
Washington Frank Burke who what appeared 10
be a mass o barnacles floating in the surf
After hauling the bit of fotsam, closer examination
revealed bottle in which note. Burke broke The
bottle and read the message printed in English and
japanese which said that had been put TO so
to return the note to government official NJ Yoshida
at Kobe, with data where it found and the date.
Burke did, but received reply.
message foated for $500 miles to Wesport Beach,
Washington and told strange tale of shippers hatred
the Set adrift by a Captain w. j. Fowler, it
took dry land Meanwhile the author
parted forever from this creest of misresses for
job shore.
There is, however, famous message that the sea
never given up in the endless stretches
the encaed cartel from the hand of no less
a parsonage than Christopher Columbus. Set down
parchment four and half centuries ago it detailed
account the discovery of America addressed to King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. If
picked up the finder will have historical
document value of which saggers the imagination
According his story, Columbus after discovering
the New World home with his little fleet Of
ships but into terrific storm off Haiti where
one ship Maria, completely wrecked. Only the
Nina Pinta survived and later when these two be-
came separated during second storm. Columbus feared
that neither would make port to carry to the
Spanish king queen the Of his great discovery
That is why he wrote complete account of his find
ings on parchment which coated with and bound
I'D in sharskn bearing the Official seal given TO him
by the king the inside and outside wrappings
was a promise of 900 ducats reward TO the person
or persons should deliver the message unopened
The packet then embedded in solid cake of wax
secured sturdy wine cask, and put over the Nnas
side somewhere the Atlantic.
But the Nina finally reached her home port safely,
and shortly aferward the Pinta arrived the written
evidence discovery Of America needed
since great navigator brought with him from the
World slaves gold silver plants and spices. On
several occasions barrel has been reported
found evidence has substanated the claims