Money Pit

[Bruce R]

I’m finding it hard to believe that somebody in the 1600’s got enough guys together to dig what they’re all speculating is there, even with a large work force it could take decades. After all, only so many guys can fit into the hole at one time. What tools were used ? I seem to remember reading that, at that time, steel shovels were only made in Sheffield and the British government didn’t allow them to be exported. Doesn’t seem likely that they would dig a deep hole on an island for fear of sinking it, at that time people still thought islands floated around because they were so hard to find with any regularity, due in course to the crude navigation of the time.

 

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[jeff of pa]

I solved it

ant People Wearing SCUBA Gear eating their way through,
& using their Poop to seal the Walls.

 

[Robot]

Those Who Know...Have Dug Tunnels...With Out Hitting Water...That is Why They Know!

Patrick... Claims in 1861 that they tunneled 4 shafts on Oak Island down to 110 feet with no water, only the main shaft at 98 feet had water...could this have been due to the Booby Traps?

Patrick Letter I
The provenance of the letter below is unknown, since we do not know who "Patrick" was or what his relationship to the alleged earlier works might have been. This document appeared in the Nova Scotian newspaper on 30 September, 1861, presumably in response to earlier articles discussing the history of the Money Pit.

Generally the article provides no new information over that presented in the earlier Oak Island Diggings or Original Sketch articles, but it does provide interesting details that observant readers should be aware of.

1) the "memorandum" is the first known mention of the results of earlier auger work. The writer obviously means to suggest they bored through two oak treasure chests filled with coins; the specific mention of "coin, if you will" is a leading statement designed to direct the reader toward that conclusion. However, he fails to mention a note from another writer who claimed the works around the old pit collapsed on at least one occasion in the past; thus the bottom reaches of this earlier excavation would be filled with debris, including oak and spruce beams, chain, gravel, and other materials that could easily have been encountered when the auger was passed through them. Given the claim that cross tunnels were excavated under the Pit by earlier expeditions, the best explanation for the oak and voids encountered by the auger is that the operators accidentally drilled through the hoardings and other material left over from these earlier works; the "small pieces of metal" was actually gravel and debris filling this tunnel.

This observation builds on the concept that later treasure excavation attempts wrongly claim to have found evidence of the "original" construction, when in reality they have simply encountered the trash and debris left behind by earlier treasure hunters. The latest Oak Island hunts have built their reputation on the garbage of their predecessors.

2) he claims that "the treasure and platforms came down with a crash" when the water broke through last. If this is the case, what happened to the layers of wood and metal he claims they encountered while boring? Are we to believe that they only recovered a few pieces of wood and no chests of gold, or that the violence of the collapse would not have ruptured one of the chests, sending "coins" all over the excavation?

3) he claims that only the "old pit" was encountering water at 98 feet, while they dug 4 others (one on each compass point around the original pit) in the same area, effectively surrounding it and encountered no water. Are we to believe they dug 4 large shafts and failed to encounter the alleged "flood tunnel?"

4) He also claims they dug directly underneath the old pit and encountered no water. If true, then this disproves the assertion that the treasure was concealed in a much deeper location as claimed by modern treasure hunters, since these earlier diggers would have encountered further disturbed soils when they dug underneath the original pit. No such claim is made; instead these men are said to have believed the treasure lay above the 110 foot level and saw no evidence that would lead them to dig deeper under the original pit.

R.E. Joltes, 1 February 2006

Patrick Letter II
Mr. Editor

As he wise editor of the Witness, and the wiser correspondent of the Liverpool Transcript, have been meddling with business not their own, on Oak Island, please permit one who is acquainted with the facts of the case to state a few of them.

The ground on the part of the island where search is made for the treasure is formed of compact clay, mixed with round lumps of stone to the depth of 110 feet, perfectly dry, excepting in one pit where the water comes in at 98 feet from the surface. Over 50 years ago, a company from Onslow took the earth from this pit, and found it was dug at some former period, and carefully filled in with earth, in which they found wood, charcoal, putty, &c. At 93 feet from the surface they probed with a crowbar, and struck a platform of wood 5 feet beneath them; after which the water came in, and neither they nor any company that followed them, ever again sent a shaft so far down.

About ten years ago a company, of which the writer was one, bored into this place with mining augers, and at 98 feet passed through wood. The following is a memorandum of one of several holes bored through this platform at 98 feet.

1st. Six inches, spruce wood.
2nd. A space of 12 inches, through which the auger fell
3rd. Four inches, oak wood
4th. Twenty inches of a material, which by its action upon, and the sound conveyed along the auger, resembled boring through small pieces of metal -- coin, if you will -- through which the auger passed by its own weight, in one turn.
5th. Eight inches, oak wood.
6th. Twenty inches, similar to the twenty above.
7th. Four inches, oak wook[d]; and then through spruce wood, into the clay below.

It is asked "what did you get up out of the twenty inches which you twice went through?" Answer -- nothing. The valve sledger that would bring up coin was broken in the first platform, and that used would bring up no coin, even if bored through. Samples of the earth, and specimens of the wood, it brought up without fail, but of the material within these twenty inches, it brought up nothing.

The part of the pit occupied by this wood, &c, is deluged with water. Four shafts have been dug north, south, east, and west of the old pit, from six to ten feet deeper than we wish to go in it; none of them distant from it more than twenty, and some of them not more than ten feet, and yet no water. This season we have gone directly underneath both platforms and water, within two or three feet of them, and yet dry.

Now, we are "deluded" enough to believe that the water comes from the sea through a tunnel cut by the art of man, because we saw the end of it at the shore, and by sinking shafts struck it twice between the money pit and the shore. At the shore there were drains laid most skilfully, and underneath, the sand covered with a kind of grass, which one of the best Botanists of the province informed us grew nowhere in the British North American Provinces. This same grass was bored up from about the platforms in the old pit; it was also found in these drains-- shewing [showing] the two works to be connected.

This season two pits were prepared for bailing the water, by sinking them a few feet below the depth we wished to go in the old pit, and tunneling in at the proper height for the water, when with five gins we found we could conquer the water, and intended to go down in the old pit 98 feet; but having undermined the water and wood, before a way could be made for the water to come down to our tunnel leading to the west pit, the treasure and platforms came down with a crash, driving wood and clay before them through 17 feet of a tunnel 4 feet by 8 feet in size, and raised this earth and wood 6 feet in what we call the west pit. While the water was hindered by this earth from coming through, we took out part of the earth and wood. The wood was stained black with age; it was cut, hewn, champered, sawn, and bored, according to the purpose for which it was needed. We also took out part of the bottom of a keg, but in digging down we again made way for the water, and as this pit by its position was the deepest all the bailing of water came upon one pit, and not being able to apply enough power at this point, we could clear out no more of what fell.

The association is now preparing a steam engine and pumps. Over one hundred shares of ?5 each are issued, and the money is coming in again. Hear it, O Witness, and thou, Liverpool scribe.

I remain, the digger.

Patrick

Truro, Sept. 16th, 1861

 

[Robot]

For a Cornish Tin Miner...Tunneling was what he Lived or Died For!




The ingeniously engineered Flood tunnels and Treasure tunnels were added after the Money Pit Shaft had been built.

I believe these 5 tunnels funneling into 1 from Smith’s Cove were the design of Royal Society and Freemason member...James Brindley (1716-1772).

James Brindley was a Master Engineer in Britain who used the technique of “puddling” for the construction of canals and later for dams.

Puddling is the process of lining a channel with puddle clay to create a watertight barrier.

Puddle clay can be described as (blue clay) which was found in abundance within the Money Pit Shaft and these Tunnels.

Blue clay is not indigenous to Oak Island and no previous explanation as to its purpose for being there has been explained.

The unique ocean tide associated with Oak Island allowed the workers to build these 5 tunnels out into the bay while the tide was out with the aid and protection of the Coffer Dam.

In order that these tunnels did not fill up with debris with each tidal movement a filtering system was devised.

This consisted of Coconut Fibers along with Rocks, gravel and Eelgrass.

Eelgrass was used in Europe and especially in Holland to seal dykes.

Prussian Blue Clay was use to emit Cyanide to prevent any Marine growth within the tunnels.

Hemlock wood was used (documented)to prevent any Torpedo Worms eating the wood structures and collapsing these tunnels.

The construction of the main tunnel met up with the 5 feeder tunnels at a junction box just a short distance from the shore.

This tunnel built by Cornish Miners to standard size of 5 feet high and 3 feet wide, was started from the Money Pit Shaft at a set compass degree towards Smith Cove.


Using the mathematical formula for a Right Scalene Triangle, knowing 2 sides and the angle between, once the up slope was within 20 feet from the surface a metal rod was sent up through the surface for a sought bering from the tunnel running from Smith Cove.

Solve triangle...SAS
At low tide the 2 tunnels were connected.
The final construction of this booby trap prior to the back fill of the Money Pit Shaft was the placement of the air lock at level 8.

 

[Singlestack Wonder]

Its been proven far beyond the shadow of doubt that there never was a "Money Pit" or water traps of any kind on the island. Natural water caves and passages along with storytelling and attempts to create relevance are the only thing keeping the myth alive...

 

[franklin]

I say as long as the Lagina brothers can finance or get someone to finance the search, the hunt and the dig more power to them. I hope they find tons of gold and artifacts. But for me research by others and by myself reveal that the treasures of the Knight's Templar and the Holy Artifacts of the Holy Land were placed there but have been removed. The treasures location is known today but it will not be recovered or removed until God lets it.

 

[Dave Rishar]

Prussian Blue Clay was use to emit Cyanide to prevent any Marine growth within the tunnels.

Remember the earlier conversation that we had about this? If not, here's a reminder: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/oak-island/485273-not-possible-digging-deep-20.html#post5250746

The last time that I questioned you about this, you seemingly had no idea what Prussian Blue actually is and declined to continue the conversation when I pushed because you were formulating a theory or something. As you are trotting it out again, presumably you're willing to discuss it again now.

So here we are, two years later, and I'm still confused about the difference between "pure" Prussian Blue and the Prussian Blue that the rest of the world uses for metal layout, art, and the treatment of heavy metal poisoning - which is insoluable in water and does not emit cyanide. Can you explain this to us now?

 

[Al D]

Its been proven far beyond the shadow of doubt that there never was a "Money Pit" or water traps of any kind on the island. Natural water caves and passages along with storytelling and attempts to create relevance are the only thing keeping the myth alive...

I agree that there is no treasure on Oak Island, however, I would like to see your proof

 

[petetherocker]

One of the major problems for me is that OA is probably the least suitable location to bury something without being seen. With hundreds of islands far from prying eyes, they choose one within a hundred feet of the mainland, rolleyes....

 

[Robot]

Remember the earlier conversation that we had about this? If not, here's a reminder: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/oak-island/485273-not-possible-digging-deep-20.html#post5250746

The last time that I questioned you about this, you seemingly had no idea what Prussian Blue actually is and declined to continue the conversation when I pushed because you were formulating a theory or something. As you are trotting it out again, presumably you're willing to discuss it again now.

So here we are, two years later, and I'm still confused about the difference between "pure" Prussian Blue and the Prussian Blue that the rest of the world uses for metal layout, art, and the treatment of heavy metal poisoning - which is insoluable in water and does not emit cyanide. Can you explain this to us now?

Later in Post # 309 I state what my believe in the two types of Prussian Blue are

Although the present post is not contributing Prussian Blue with the accident that occurred on Oak Island, only that Prussian Blue does contain cyanide and if mixed with clay could detour marine growth within the tunnels.

[h=2]Null Hypothesis on the Freemason's Use For Prussian Blue would be a Soluble Solution[/h]
Here is a link to a book written by: Davidson, David...The Nature of Prussian Blue


http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/...lCode=jpchax.2

Soluble Prussian Blue

This is made by pouring a solution of ferric chloride or ferric nitrate into an excess of potassium ferrocyanide solution (yellow prussiate of potash), or by pouring ferrous sulphate solution into excess of potassium ferricyanide solution. The blue precipitate formed is washed with distilled water until the wash-water begins to acquire a blue tint. The composition of the pigment thus prepared is, when dry, represented by the formula K[SUB]2[/SUB]Fe[SUB]2[/SUB](CN)[SUB]12[/SUB]Fe[SUB]2[/SUB]. It contains potassium, and is, in reality, a double ferrocyanide - a 'potassio-ferric ferrocyanide.' It is less stable than the other kind of Prussian blue...InSoluble Prussian Blue


Insoluble Prussian Blue

Insoluble Prussian Blue may be prepared by boiling No. I. (the soluble kind) with a solution of ferric chloride, by mixing solutions of ferrocyanic acid and ferric chloride, by pouring potassium ferrocyanide solution into an excess of a solution of ferric chloride, or of ferric nitrate, and heating the mixture for some time, or by precipitating a watery solution of Blue No. I. with an excess of either of the above-named iron salts. It may also be obtained by oxidizing Turnbull's blue (No. III.) with chlorine water or nitric acid. The chemical composition of this pigment is very complex, the simplest empirical formula for it being Fe7(CN)18: it will be seen that it contains no potassium.

Prussian Blue referred to in Wikipedia is the Insoluble although this Pigment can also be made from The Soluble Form.
Prussian blue is a dark blue pigment with the idealized chemical formula Fe
7(CN)
18. To better understand the binding situation in this complex compound the formula can also be written as Fe
4[Fe(CN)
6]
3 · xH
2O. Another name for the color is Berlin blue or, in painting, Parisian or Paris blue. Turnbull's blue is the same substance, but is made from different reagents, and its slightly different color stems from different impurities.
Prussian blue was the first modern synthetic pigment. It is employed as a very fine colloidal dispersion, as the compound itself is not soluble in water. It is famously complex

 

[Dave Rishar]

Later in Post # 309 I state what my believe in the two types of Prussian Blue are

And you cite a reference that appears to be using questionable terminology, at least as you and I are understanding it. Let's go over Mr. Davidson's method for making "soluble" Prussian Blue briefly. I don't have access to that book, so I'm going to use your post from that other thread. It goes like this:

"Soluble Prussian Blue

This is made by pouring a solution of ferric chloride or ferric nitrate into an excess of potassium ferrocyanide solution (yellow prussiate of potash), or by pouring ferrous sulphate solution into excess of potassium ferricyanide solution. The blue precipitate formed is washed with distilled water until the wash-water begins to acquire a blue tint. The composition of the pigment thus prepared is, when dry, represented by the formula K[SUB]2[/SUB]Fe[SUB]2[/SUB](CN)[SUB]12[/SUB]Fe[SUB]2[/SUB]. It contains potassium, and is, in reality, a double ferrocyanide - a 'potassio-ferric ferrocyanide.' It is less stable than the other kind of Prussian blue..."

Okay. One ingredient is potassium ferrocyanide solution. You can read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_ferrocyanide Note the yellow color of the crystals, hence it's earlier name of yellow prussiate of potash. To this, we're adding ferric chloride or ferric nitrate - ferric salts in solution, basically. What do we get when we combine ferric salts with potassium ferrocyanide?

Yep..."soluble" Prussian Blue as described in the Wikipedia page for Prussian Blue. But note the apostrophes around "soluble". That's because it's not actually soluble. More importantly, neither of them are toxic. That's because the cyanide is so tightly bound up with the iron that extraordinary measures are required to split them apart. Because the cyanide is bound to the iron, it won't bind to anything else if ingested or inhaled. So yes, there's cyanide in there, but it's cyanide that refuses to react with the world around it, which is why it's harmless.

And yes, he did say "less stable than the other kind of Prussian Blue...", but that doesn't mean unstable. That means you won't need quite as much concentrated acid to break one up than the other, but you'll still need concentrated acid in both cases. Seawater won't do it.

Although the present post is not contributing Prussian Blue with the accident that occurred on Oak Island, only that Prussian Blue does contain cyanide and if mixed with clay could detour marine growth within the tunnels.

There's absolutely no way that Prussian Blue contributed to any accident on Oak Island, whether or not it was there. And while it does contain cyanide, that cyanide is not a concern. It's chemically bonded to the iron too firmly for the human body to separate, never mind seawater. Just like table salt contains sodium and chlorine (neither of which you want anywhere near you), but when they're locked together chemically in a stable arrangement, they're not hazardous.

Null Hypothesis on the Freemason's Use For Prussian Blue would be a Soluble Solution


Here is a link to a book written by: Davidson, David...The Nature of Prussian Blue

See above. You're citing a source from 1927. It's not up to date, some of the chemical formulas are incorrect, and I don't think it's saying what you think that it says. Discard the terms "soluble" and "insoluble." What chemical compound is he describing, and is that soluble or insoluble? He was using those terms the way that we use "wrought iron" today - as in, my wrought iron railing was not wrought, and is not even iron, but that's the term that's commonly used to describe it.

The takeaway here is that regardless of what specific sort of Prussian Blue we're talking about here, the chemical bond between the iron and cyanide in ferricyanide is too strong to break outside of a laboratory; that's why Prussian Blue in both of its forms are nontoxic. It certainly isn't going to be caused by seawater, oxygen, sand, fish poop, or anything else that's going to be encountered in a flooded tunnel in Canada - not unless that tunnel was flooded with concentrated hydrochloric acid, anyway. And if it had occurred, your ferricyanide would no longer be ferricyanide, and as it's the ferricyanide that gives us the blue, stripping out the cyanide would also strip out the blue, and your clay would just look like ordinary clay.

 

[gr88bd]

Reading some of these threads makes me feel like a well digger ....... everything's over my head .....

 

[Raparee]

I agree that there is no treasure on Oak Island, however, I would like to see your proof

It's difficult to prove a negative, but in more than 200 years of searching, nothing has been found that indicates that there was ever any treasure there.

 

[Al D]

Its been proven far beyond the shadow of doubt that there never was a "Money Pit" or water traps of any kind on the island....

Lets try this again, where is the proof in the above statement?

 

[Al D]

It's difficult to prove a negative, but in more than 200 years of searching, nothing has been found that indicates that there was ever any treasure there.

You are correct, but your response does not answer the question. Where is the proof that there never was a money pit or drainage tunnels.?

 

[n2mini]

Are we really talking all about this for the 100th time. No one proved anything really and no one can. As mentioned above you can't prove nothing is there but at the same token there is no way to prove there wasn't something there at some point and has already been found... which is what I think has happened.. I can't prove it but no one can disprove it either. Just can't happen...

 

[franklin]

I have seen proof that something was buried there by the Knight's Templar. And I have thoroughly checked out his work. I have also seen proof that it was removed from the Island and is now in the USA. I have also checked the work out on this one also.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I have seen proof that a petrified 10-1/2 foot giant was unearthed by a resident of my hometown in 1869 and transported to Cooperstown, NY. It even is still on display!



Also bunkum.

 

[Dave Rishar]

You are correct, but your response does not answer the question. Where is the proof that there never was a money pit or drainage tunnels.?

That can't be proved, just as it can't be proved that Oscar the Grouch doesn't live in the money pit with his herd of unicorns. I'm pretty sure that we're not going to find Oscar or unicorns on Oak Island, but I have to admit that I can't prove that we won't. We can only prove that they did.

Which we haven't been able to do. For two centuries. That's not 100% conclusive, but trends can be awfully compelling.

 

[gazzahk]

Which we haven't been able to do. For two centuries. That's not 100% conclusive, but trends can be awfully compelling.

The real point is there has never been any evidence that treasure does (or ever has) been buried in the "alleged" money pit (for which there is also no evidence). There is just as much proof that treasure is buried at the end of the Rainbow as there is of treasure buried on oak island.....

I fail to understand what people mean when they say "prove it is not there". It is impossible to prove a negative like that....