Editor’s Note: Moments in Time is a collection of recovered newspaper briefs and other publications, compiled by local historian, Steve Hathcock, that offer a look back at the history of the Rio Grande Valley and the rest of the world.
Steamer strikes Rio Grande Bar
On the 24th of June, 1875, the Steamer Jessie, with F. Wade as master, and a crew and passenger list of 14, loaded with a cargo of general merchandise, and bound from Brazos to Brownsville, struck on the Rio Grande bar on entering the mouth of the river and sank. The cargo, in a damaged condition, and the machinery on the vessel were saved.
On June 26, 1881, the schooner Wipper bound to New Orleans with a cargo of bones, was wrecked off Padre Island.
(Editor’s note: this was originally published in the Daily Cosmopolitan, Brownsville Texas)
Looking for buried treasure
For several weeks past a party have been engaged in making excavations on Padre Island, on the Texas coast, in search of treasure that they believe was buried there by some pirate of the olden time. They have an old chart, which they think will enable them to locate the treasure. A few days ago, they found several old medals and gold coins, dating from 1690 to 1750, and are encouraged to believe that immense wealth is almost within their reach. In this connection, the story is recalled of a shepherd on the Island who some twenty years ago found several hundred dollars in gold, and took it to a village on the Rio Grande, where he was robbed and murdered by bandits. Before he died, he said that he had left a wagon load of gold and silver on the Island and was seeking means to remove it when he was waylaid. Several parties went out to look for the treasure at that time but found nothing.
(Editor’s note: this was originally published in the Detroit Free Press on June 11, 1893.)
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