A special dispatch to the Cleveland Leader, dated Erie, 9/4 says: "The wrecking schr. PHANTOM, which came here with an electrical invention for the purpose of ascertaining the whereabouts of the schr. VERMILLION, which with a valuable cargo of copper was lost in Lake Erie 50 years ago, has succeeded in striking the hull, and divers have brought up some of the copper.
Buffalo Morning Express
September 6, 1881 4-6
. . . . .
A SUCCESSFUL SEARCH
A dispatch to the Chicago Tribune from Erie dated September 4, says: About two months ago the schooner Phantom of Buffalo arrived in this port with a mission to search for the wreck of the schooner Vermilion, which with a large cargo of copper, was wrecked on Lake Erie in 1843. Operations were made under the superintendency of D. Chapin, a mine locator, who had on board a peculiar electrical apparatus for discovering metals. After a long search, success came. The electric apparatus indicated the presence of metal under a spot passed over. The Phantom let go an anchor and divers descended. They dropped square on the hull of the lost vessel and brought up an ingot of copper with them. The wreck will be raised. The cargo is worth $60,000.
Detroit Post and Tribune
September 6, 1881
. . . . .
A dispatch to the Chicago Tribune from Erie, dated September 4th, says: About a month ago the schooner PHANTOM, of Buffalo, arrived in this port with a mission to search for the wreck of the schooner VERMILLION, which, with a large cargo of copper, was wrecked in Lake Erie in 1843. Operations were made under the superintendency of D. Chapin, a mine locator, who had on board a peculiar electrical apparatus for discovering metal. After a long search success came. The electric machine indicated the presence of metal under a spot passed over. The PHANTON let go anchor and divers descended. They dropped square on the hull of the lost vessel and brought up an ingot of copper with them. The wreck will be raised. The cargo is worth $60,000.
Cleveland Herald
Wednesday, September 7, 1881
. . . . .
The wreck of the VERMILLION discovered
Capt. D. Chapin, who has been cruising for months outside the mouth of the harbor, in search of the wreck of the VERMILLION, a schooner that went down in a storm nearly half a century ago, and which had on board nearly $200,000 worth of copper ingots, has met with success at last. The magnetic needle being greatly disturbed at a certain spot, soundings were made and the wreck struck. The particulars of her sinking and the many efforts which have been made to find the treasure have been told by the Dispatch, so do not require repeating. A diving bell is to be placed over the location and divers will set about bringing up copper at once.
Erie Weekly Dispatch
August 23, 1882 4-3
The schr. VERMILLION wrecked off Erie with 350 tons of copper in ingots in 1844, was discovered Thursday by a company of Treasure seekers who for several months have been searching for the wreck with an electric apparatus. The copper lies in 50 ft. of water and is worth nearly $200,000
Cleveland Plain Dealer
August 26, 1882 1-4
