HURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1950
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
PAGE NINE
Australian Sunken Treasure Is Object Of Large Search
Darwin, Australia—(U.P.)—Two Sydney men are all set to start the biggest, and possibly most lucrative, sea salvage job in Australia. They hope to bring up the cargoes of four ships sunk by Japanese bombers in Darwin harbor in 1942. Two of the ships are known to be filled with trucks and jeeps. One, the Zealandia, contains hundreds of tons of corrugated fiber $ ^{ \textcircled{2}} $
fooding sheets and a big load of liquor consigned to the Darwin arison.
Behind the treasure-hunt are Carl Atkinson, young deep-sea diver, and T. J. Massey, Sydney car battery manufacturer, who bought the rights to the ships and their cargos from the Australian government.
A. Mr. Atkinson and Mr. Massey are most excited about recovering a large quantity of gold pesos from the L. S. destroyer Peary, supposed to have been brought out of the Philippines. Although there has been no official confirmation, rumors persist it is there and that it's worth $1,120,000 to $2,240,000.
About a year ago, Capt. Ethride commander of the U. S. destroyer Preston which was near the seay when it sank, said in Washington he had no knowledge of the
Peary's reported hoard. The Peary's captain wasn't aboard when it went down, and the executive officer in command was killed with the crew of 80 when the ship blew up.
There's one catch to the low price the salvagers paid for the unknown cargoes. No one knows where the Peary and Zealand are lying—and there are many square miles of water in Darwin harbor.
The other two ships, the U. S.
war department's 12,500 - ton
freighter Meigs and the 9,000 - ton
Matson liner Mauna Loa, will be
easier to locate and work on.
It's been a long, tough grind for Mr. Atkinson to get a chance at the sunken treasures. In 1946, he got the O. K. from the U. S. authorities in Sydney to salvage the trucks, jeeps and other stores in the Meigs and the Mauna Loa.
With everything seemingly
straightened out, he left for Darwin and spent most of his savings buying navy disposals gear and assembling a crew of eight. For three months he worked under water every day, clearing off Sampson posts and masts from the ships, so that he could get barges directly over their holds.
It was no easy job. His work almost ended in disaster when a crane collapsed into the water and pinned him for three hours among a mess of steel poles and wires below the surface.
To complicate matters still further, Mr. Atkinson was told by the local disposals commission officer that the Australian government had bought all the gear on the two ships in a "blanket" deal with the United States.
Mr. Atkinson was offered the lot "blind" for about $22,400. He decided it wasn't worth it and lowered the price by taking the government agent down—on his first and probably last dive—into the deep blue sea, to stumble around in muddy murk and on slimy decks.
He started again and got one
truck to the surface when the customs stepped in, demanding a $2,240 bond and payment of duty on all goods recovered at the rate charged for new goods. Mr. Atkinson couldn't afford to carry on.
He came back to Sydney with stacks of official documents, looking for someone to help him out. He found Mr. Massey and they went into partnership. Mr. Massey arranged the purchase of the Peary and Zealandia cargoes.
The two treasure-hunters have collected plans and cargo lists of all ships except the Peary. The destroyer probably will be the last to be tackled. She was dodging bombs when she went down by the stem
Even if located, the Peary is probably on her side and it will be a superhuman task to get inside. And if they do meet with success they might find nothing but ammunition—no gold.
Sheep's Heads Make Good Broth But Gold Comes First-Always
But they have one hopeful sign to go on. Last year a landing ship made a special trip from the United States to Darwin and spent a long time looking, fruitlessly, for the Peary's hulk.
Melbourne, Australia—(U.P.)—James Keiler of Portland bought a couple of sheeps heads to boil up some mutton broth. He was about to throw them into the kettle when he noticed their solar teeth were coated with what looked like gold.
He took the teeth to be assayed. Sure enough, there was pure old on them.
Keiler hurried back to the butcher shop. "Give me some more of those sheep's heads," he said. "I am thirsty for soup."
The new sheep's heads had gold on their teeth too.
Furtively, through the butcher, Keiler traced the heads to a nearby flock that grazed near gold fields. He made plans to buy up one flock and the land they grazed on.
But word leaked out. Others began trying to get the flock. Something like a dental gold rush developed.
Scientists explained it this way:
During a drought in the gold-bearing country, the sheep nibbled grass roots and in the process picked up minute particles of alluvial old, which formed a film on their molars."
Kansas Senators To Be Petitioned
Petitions urging Kansas Senatorsarry Darby and Andrew Schoepelto support the Fair Employmentpractice bill are being sent out toorganized houses by the Civil Rights coordinating committee.
The committee met Monday night to plan the presidents' breakfast which will be held at 9 a. m. Saturday, in the Union cafeteria. Jean Francisco, executive secretary of the Y.W.C.A., will talk on the function of the Civil Right Coordinating committee at the breakst.
Driver Loses A Game Of Wrinkle Fender
Racine, Wis.—(U.P.)—Maybe it was
a/ Kugel's hard luck docket.
he stopped behind another car
it ran across and a car
ackered into him.
Kugel pulled up alongside of the motorist to find out what the big ea was. The motorist drove away, nocking off Kugel's left fender. Being a man of principle, Kugel usued the car and finally forced the driver to the side of the road. But again the motorist sped off this time damaging Kugel's right end.
Kugel never found out who the river was.
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The Kansas Medical society presented a day-long program Monday for juniors and seniors at the University School of Medicine in Kansas City. Its purpose was to interest students in practising in Kansas.
Med-Students See Program
A seven-scene skit staged by the citizens of Kiowa to show how they were planning to interest a doctor to settle in their community was a feature of the activities of the day.
Speakers on the program were Dr. M. J. Renner, Goodland; Dr. F. R. Crosson, Clay Center, president-elect of the medical society; Dr. Haddon Peck of St. Francis, present president; Dr. Henry S. Blake, Topeka, vice-president of the Kansas Physician's service; and Blake A. Williamson, Kansas City attorney for the Kansas State Board of Medical Registration and Examination.
NOW ENDS SATURDAY King of the Screen!!!
Also Color Cartoon Selected Short Subject
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STARRING
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GLORIA DE HAVEN
Law Will Fight For Law
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Stillwater, Minn. - (U.P) Stillwater's new police chief is Raymond Law.
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RED RYDER "COBWY AND THE PRIZEFIGHTER"
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"Hold That Woman"
Ch. 14 "Wild Bill Hickok"