Post 1379...
1909 and 1931...
A sample of the digging, coffer dams, shafts, trenches, shoring, blasting, and other works...late 1800's, all before 1900. with references to excavation encountered from the early 1800's
1850
Under the rocks are five 8-inch wide drains of flat stones over pairs of parallel lines of stones converging to a single larger drain at the high tide line, leading inland. As the drains are excavated, they are found to slope down toward the shore.
1861
April 3
The Oak Island Association syndicate is formed, based on the Truro syndicate. Included are Adam Tupper, Jotham McCully, James McNutt, Jefferson McDonald, Samuel Retti, and George Mitchell. They make a deal with land owner Anthony Graves, to give him one-third of any treasure recovered. The company issues 100 shares at $20 each. [4.48] (1860 [5.50]) (1863 [7.37])
(month unknown)
The Oak Island Association resumes the search. The Money Pit is cleared to 88 feet, encountering no water. A new shaft (5B) 25 feet away is dug to 120 feet, with no sign of the flood tunnel. [4.48] [5.50] (1863 [1.194] [7.38])
Another shaft (No. 6) is dug 18 feet west of Money Pit. At 118 feet, a horizontal tunnel toward the Money Pit is started. At 17 feet toward the main shaft, water and mud again rush in. A pumping gin is employed, but stopped after three days pumping with no progress in keeping the water out. [4.50] [5.50]
A tunnel is dug from the 120 foot shaft, 25 feet away from the Money Pit. Again, as they get close to the main pit, uncontrollable water rushes in. They try bailing the three shafts using four 70-gallon buckets with all 63 men and 33 horses. They abandon this after a couple days. [4.50] [5.51]
Two men go into a connecting tunnel toward the Money Pit to clear out the mud. A big crash is heard, the men barely escape, and water rushes in. The water level is lowered again, then another big crash is heard, then collapse of timbering within Money Pit, leaving only the upper 30 feet. Now, the bottom is sounded at 102 feet, 14 feet lower than previous. Some artifacts are recovered from the inrush of debris, but no treasure. Artifacts recovered: bottom of yellow painted barrel or dish, stick of oak timber 3.5 feet long, piece of juniper with bark on and cut at each end, spruce slab with mining auger hole in it. [4.50] [5.51] [7.38]
The Oak Island Association raises another $2000. [4.53]
September 30
The Novascotian publishes an article "The Oak Island Folly". [3.43] [5.206]
1862
(Spring) The Oak Island Association digs a shaft (No. 7) close to the west of the Money Pit. It is dug to 107 feet, using a pump to keep it free of water. At 90 feet tools from 1850 Truro work are found; at 100 feet tools of 1804 Onslow are found. No sign of the water tunnel is found down to 107 feet. Then the Money Pit is dug and sides cribbed to 103 feet, but pumping cannot keep up with water to dig further. [4.54] [5.52] [7.39]
A new shaft is dug inland from Smith's Cove, down to 50 feet, no flood tunnel found. Tunnels are dug from the bottom in various directions, but encounter no flood tunnel. [4.54] [5.52] [7.39]
The box drains of Smith's Cove are uncovered and 30-40 feet are removed and packed full of clay. This reduces the water flow into the Money Pit, but the sea soon clears out the clay. [4.55] [5.52] [7.39] Box drains removed?
