[SEL] Fwd: A 150-Year-Old Steamboat (Ifound the pic and artifacts interesting)

Sat Jan 16 04:59:04 PST 2016

Thought this might be an interesting story to share with the group.
Thank you,
Curt Andree

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Cgandree at aol.com
To: cgandree at mchsi.com
Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2016 7:29:00 AM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: A 150-Year-Old Steamboat (Ifound the pic and artifacts interesting)

____________________________________

What  They Found Inside The Sunken Remains Of A 150-Year-Old Steamboat Is  
Still Edible.

When  they dug up this old sunken steamboat, 

they  couldn't believe what they found.

(http://www.wimp.com/cargo-perfectly-preserved-in-hundred-fifty-year-old-sunken-steamboat/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=story
) 

What They  Found Inside The Sunken Remains 
Of A  150-Year-Old Steamboat Is Still Edible 
In 1856,  the Steamboat Arabia left the banks of Kansas City on a routine 
supply  trip up the Missouri River. Onboard were two hundred tons of precious 
 cargo en route to 16 different towns along the frontier. 

Steamboats  were common in those days, as they were the best method of 
traveling up  and down America's river systems. These boats were a big business 
at the  time and were absolutely essential for trade and commerce.

Unfortunately  for the Steamboat Arabia, a fallen walnut tree was waiting 
just below  the surface of the water, hidden from sight thanks to the glare 
on the  water from the setting sun. The impact instantly tore the  hull and 
the boat sank in minutes. Thankfully, everyone on board was  able to swim to 
safety, except for one poor mule who was tied to the  deck and forgotten in 
the chaos.

The soft  river bottom quickly engulfed the boat in mud and silt and in 
just a few  days, it was swept away entirely due to the force of the river. 
Over  time, the river shifted course and for the next 132 years, the Arabia  
was lost to the world until it was discovered in the 1980s, 45 feet deep  
underneath a Kansas farm.

Legend of  the sunken ship had been passed on through the generations in 
the area  and inspired local Bob Hawley to find it in 1987. He and his sons 
used  old maps and sophisticated equipment to eventually find the boat half a  
mile away from the present-day river. The farmers who owned the land  
agreed to let them dig it up - as long as they were done in time for the  spring 
planting season.

All manner  of heavy equipment was brought in, including a 100-ton crane. 
20,000  gallons of water had to be removed into 65-foot-deep wells.

After two  weeks of excavation, the first parts of the boat appeared - the 
remains  of the left paddlewheel and this small black rubber shoe that was 
lying  on the deck.

They also  recovered fine china, fully preserved along with its yellow 
packing  straw. It had all been preserved perfectly thanks to the airtight  mud.

  For 

On  November 26, 1988, the full boat was uncovered along with  its 200 tons 
of buried treasure. 

With no air  to cause spoilage, thousands of items were recovered 
completely intact.  Jars of preserved foods were still totally edible. One brave 
excavator  even tested it out by eating a pickle from one of the jars and found 
it  to still be fresh.

Today,  the artifacts are all housed in a museum in Kansas City called the  
Steamboat Arabia Museum. One of their displays is the fully preserved  
skeleton of that poor mule. 

These jars  of preserved fruits are just some of the relics recovered from 
the  Arabia.

Thinking of  all those unmade pies kinda makes me sad ...

Though most  of the hats recovered from the Steamboat Arabia were wool 
felt, this hat  is one of a rare few that were made of beaver fur, which is 
naturally  water resistant.

All manner  of clothing was found. Much of it could still be worn  today.

The ship  also had over 4,000 shoes, all packed up and ready for delivery. 
Some  shoes were even lined with buffalo hair for extra warmth.

A keg of  ale from 1856.

These  bottles of French perfume were still fragrant when they were 
recovered.  Ever wondered what the 1800s smelled like?

Just a few  of the 29 different patterns of calico buttons found on the  
Arabia.

Calico  fabric was a type of cotton printed with small, repeating patterns 
named  after its point of origin, Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. The fabric 
was  quite popular in England and the Western world and the Steamboat Arabia 
 had several calico dresses that sadly did not survive that much time  
underwater. The dresses did have porcelain buttons printed in the same  patterns 
as the dresses, however, which shows us what kinds of designs  people were 
wearing back in those times.

A variety  of (mostly unidentified) vintage medicines.

A sampling  of some of the other relics recovered from the steamboat. 

Would you  try this 150-year-old pickle?

  For those that can, study the bottle seals.

For  those in insurance, study the packing of the unbroken  teapots!

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