Some facts and questions.
1790
Daniel Vaughan(Anthony's father) sells Oak Island lots 13 and 14 to Nathaniel Melvin
1795
The original story:
What it is: Dan McInnis saw the lights on the island. The three "lads" discovered an indentation in the ground. They dug down 30 feet and quit.
Why I believe it: Something had to draw them to that spot. If not lights then they went to explore. The indentation in the ground(possibly block and tackle hanging from a tree above) caused them to dig. To have such a precise and detailed story convinced me that it was genuine.
Flag stones on top. Pick marks in the walls. Oak timbers every 10 feet caulked with blue clay and coconut fiber.
What a drab boring story. If I were making something up, it would of been way more detailed with booby traps, skeletal remains, treasure markings and anything exciting I could think of to draw in suckers.
To me, the fact there is no exciting embellishment makes the story credible. Tom's road work story is proof. By the time the Truro company got wind of it, there should of been a Spanish galleon sticking out of the ground in the way of tall tales, but the story didn't change all these years.
Then, not even a month later, this happens:
After discovery of the pit area, John Smith buys Lot 18, the site of the pit, and builds a house. (He later buys lots 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20. He lives on the island until his death in 1857).
Why spend the money if nothing was there? Another good question is, where did he get the money to buy these lots? The island is not the garden spot of the world, in fact, it would be quite brutal to live there.
1803-1805
The Onslow Syndicate
1803
The three original diggers interest Simeon Lynds of Truro, related to Vaughan's father. Lynds forms the Onslow Company, appointing Colonel Robert Archibald director of operations. Investors include Sheriff Thomas Harris of Pictou and Captain David Archibald.
Why would the original three come back if they already found the treasure? Why would they come back at all if they made it up? They weren't on a payroll. It wasn't easy money by a long shot.
1804
At 40 feet, a lot of putty is encountered, likely used for sealing an air vent or to plug water leaks. At 50 feet, beach stones are encountered, likely used for backfilling the flood tunnel. At 60 feet, much coconut fibre is found, perhaps used for rope, or caulking with putty. At the 90 foot level, a large stone slab weighing 175-500 pounds measuring 24-36 inches by 12-16 inches is found, possibly with an encoded inscription facing down. Also at 90 feet, water is slowly seeping through the clay. At the 93 foot level, the ground is probed with an iron bar. At 98 feet, it strikes a another wood platform, the first not at 10 foot spacing. The extent of the wood is bounded by the sides of the pit. Digging is halted for the day. (A university professor later supposedly deciphers the rock message as "forty feet below two million pounds lie buried". The stone disappears in the 1930s.)
Again very odd and precise detail to the point of ad nauseam. The stone at 90 feet, it could of been less or more. I don't think they were keeping an exact depth gauge.
1805
Onslow Company workers dig a new shaft 14 feet south-east of the main shaft, down to 110 feet, then start on a horizontal tunnel toward the main pit. After 12 feet, water floods in, raising water level to 65 feet in both pits. With funds exhausted, the company abandons the treasure hunt.
After only two years, they couldn't raise any more money. Did they use a stone to buy them one more year of digging? If they were scamming people, why would they stick around?
1845
A new company is formed, the Truro Company, including Anthony Vaughan, Dr. David Barnes Lynds, John Gammell, Adams Tupper, and Robert Creelman. Manager is Jotham McCully and foreman is James Pitblado.
Anthony Vaughan As in the 16 year old from the original 1795 dig. He would be 66 years old. Why would he still be there at that age unless he believed in the legend or he found something previously?
I will stop at this point. There seems to be a lot of facts that don't fit with the "We made the story up for investors" narrative. It also seems as if the original three believed in the treasure so much so, that their lives rotated around the Island.
1790
Daniel Vaughan(Anthony's father) sells Oak Island lots 13 and 14 to Nathaniel Melvin
1795
The original story:
What it is: Dan McInnis saw the lights on the island. The three "lads" discovered an indentation in the ground. They dug down 30 feet and quit.
Why I believe it: Something had to draw them to that spot. If not lights then they went to explore. The indentation in the ground(possibly block and tackle hanging from a tree above) caused them to dig. To have such a precise and detailed story convinced me that it was genuine.
Flag stones on top. Pick marks in the walls. Oak timbers every 10 feet caulked with blue clay and coconut fiber.
What a drab boring story. If I were making something up, it would of been way more detailed with booby traps, skeletal remains, treasure markings and anything exciting I could think of to draw in suckers.
To me, the fact there is no exciting embellishment makes the story credible. Tom's road work story is proof. By the time the Truro company got wind of it, there should of been a Spanish galleon sticking out of the ground in the way of tall tales, but the story didn't change all these years.
Then, not even a month later, this happens:
After discovery of the pit area, John Smith buys Lot 18, the site of the pit, and builds a house. (He later buys lots 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20. He lives on the island until his death in 1857).
Why spend the money if nothing was there? Another good question is, where did he get the money to buy these lots? The island is not the garden spot of the world, in fact, it would be quite brutal to live there.
1803-1805
The Onslow Syndicate
1803
The three original diggers interest Simeon Lynds of Truro, related to Vaughan's father. Lynds forms the Onslow Company, appointing Colonel Robert Archibald director of operations. Investors include Sheriff Thomas Harris of Pictou and Captain David Archibald.
Why would the original three come back if they already found the treasure? Why would they come back at all if they made it up? They weren't on a payroll. It wasn't easy money by a long shot.
1804
At 40 feet, a lot of putty is encountered, likely used for sealing an air vent or to plug water leaks. At 50 feet, beach stones are encountered, likely used for backfilling the flood tunnel. At 60 feet, much coconut fibre is found, perhaps used for rope, or caulking with putty. At the 90 foot level, a large stone slab weighing 175-500 pounds measuring 24-36 inches by 12-16 inches is found, possibly with an encoded inscription facing down. Also at 90 feet, water is slowly seeping through the clay. At the 93 foot level, the ground is probed with an iron bar. At 98 feet, it strikes a another wood platform, the first not at 10 foot spacing. The extent of the wood is bounded by the sides of the pit. Digging is halted for the day. (A university professor later supposedly deciphers the rock message as "forty feet below two million pounds lie buried". The stone disappears in the 1930s.)
Again very odd and precise detail to the point of ad nauseam. The stone at 90 feet, it could of been less or more. I don't think they were keeping an exact depth gauge.
1805
Onslow Company workers dig a new shaft 14 feet south-east of the main shaft, down to 110 feet, then start on a horizontal tunnel toward the main pit. After 12 feet, water floods in, raising water level to 65 feet in both pits. With funds exhausted, the company abandons the treasure hunt.
After only two years, they couldn't raise any more money. Did they use a stone to buy them one more year of digging? If they were scamming people, why would they stick around?
1845
A new company is formed, the Truro Company, including Anthony Vaughan, Dr. David Barnes Lynds, John Gammell, Adams Tupper, and Robert Creelman. Manager is Jotham McCully and foreman is James Pitblado.
Anthony Vaughan As in the 16 year old from the original 1795 dig. He would be 66 years old. Why would he still be there at that age unless he believed in the legend or he found something previously?
I will stop at this point. There seems to be a lot of facts that don't fit with the "We made the story up for investors" narrative. It also seems as if the original three believed in the treasure so much so, that their lives rotated around the Island.
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