Three large stones have been found on Oak Island. Two are white, fairly large, and bear identical hand-drilled holes. The other is slate, bearing a matching hand-drilled hole. They are thought to be marker stones left by the people who buried the treasure, possibly as a reminder of where things lay under the ground. They have become part of the puzzle for searchers. Lines are measured from the stones, drawings are made, hypotheses are formed. They are thought to be an integral part of the solution to the Oak Island mystery.
Having relocated the drilled rock, Dad and Bobby continued probing at the beach, now working out from the drilled rock, noting the composition of the earth near it and running lines between the drilled rock and other markers or shafts.
June 2, 1961
Located a vertical hole about 12” in diameter. Found small dome of beach stones and hollow space below. It is about 8 ft. SE of drilled rock.
June 6, 1961
Found hole to be about 18” across and possibly 5 ft. down. Bar passes through stones at about 8 ft. and enters open space. Ran Big Pump with no effect on water in hole.
The dome of stones that Dad and Bobby found was slightly inland at Smith’s Cove. When they pumped out the Money Pit they hoped to see the water rise or fall in this new hole, indicating that it was connected to the sea water inlet tunnel and the Money Pit. When there was no perceptible change, they cribbed the hole with twelve-foot two-by-fours then, using the compressor, forced a half-inch pipe down to about forty-three feet below zero tide level and ran the big pump again. This time, listening through the pipe, they thought they could hear water moving.
They were certain that the hole with its dome of stones was the work of those who had buried the treasure. It had not been discovered by earlier treasure hunters. At last they had uncovered something new and significant. By now they were calling this hole the Vertical Shaft.
With nerve-racking anticipation, Bobby and Dad concentrated all their attention on this shaft for weeks. Then Dad wrote Fred a letter.
July 4th, 1961
Dear Fred:
We got [found] the drilled rock OK and also the old original Shaft. Dug this shaft down to 2’ above Zero low tide so that I could examine exactly how it was built. It was 12” to 13” in diameter lined with stones and had a stone dome over it. Half the stone dome and part of the stone lining had gone down, over the 256 years.
I was able to carefully examine about six feet of it. Then we put 2 lengths of 3/4” pipe and with a 125 lb air hose on it got it down to 43’ below Z low tide level. It was partly stopped at three levels with stones and clay. However, had no real trouble getting the pipe down. Found the level the drain joined it from the five drains and also the level the drain leaves it to go inland. The shaft was completely clear between these two levels. I then put it down to the lower level and with the Air wide open I blew up about 75 lbs of very small stones scoured by the Water (approx 1/4” dia stuff). There was no way that we could get further information from it. We then got a 2” casing down with a steel point that we removed with a 3/4” pipe key. Then, by holding the point down and raising the casing we had an open 2” casing right where we wanted it. We got everything ready in advance that we possibly could.
Got a mixer over and screened a lot of sand. On Thursday we tried but got rained out.
So put up canvas for Saturday, rain or shine. We got a new shipment of cement just arrived from Cement Co. Got an Air Ram built from 10” pipe with a blank with gauge 1” plug for dip stick, a 3/4” pipe for the float valve, a feed valve for air and an air exhaust valve. Mixed 2 sand 1 cement with water and Quick Set. Got 1st load down and air blew it all away. Float valve did not cut off air when cement had gone down because of bumps in cement. As we had cement down now with Quick Set, had no alternative but to continue.
Took float valve out and put next load (about 3 cu. ft.) down by balanced air pressure. No go. The sand was so sharp it packed in casing. This load the casing was already full and pressure did no good. Spent 3/4 hr. clearing casing with 3/4 pipe and 125 lbs air; got it clear at last (also a cement bath) put balance down no sand. Very tricky with balanced air pressure; however, got it all down, each load taking a little more pressure than the one before, showing by the gauge that it was packing in great. However last load was trouble as by this time pressure needed was greater than the seal around the casing would stand. Our seal was canvas around the casing then spread flat with 5 ft of sand and gravel to hold it down. We actually had it, but it blew up through our seal on the last half of our last load.
Nothing we could do about it. Impossible to know how much pressure the seal would take (blew at 55 lbs). We now could pull the casing, wash it out and try again or because it blew upward the chances seemed good that the bottom 2/3 of the cement would be OK and do the job. Decided to let it set and see. Let it set 48 hrs. Pumped the water down 37 ft and 7 ft came back in 1 hour. That is about 350 gal. a minute and right exactly at that pressure difference. So now we knew the air had penetrated it all and the cement had gone out the drain at low tide with 3 lb of pressure, approximately, to help it along.
Now our casing is full of cement (bottom half and has a lump of cement on the end large enough so we could not budge it with a hydraulic jack. Bobby got a bad whack when the jack slipped. [He chipped a front tooth and split his lip.] Managed to get the top half of the casing by screwing it apart at the coupling.
Our whole effort was shot through such a small trifle. Who would ever think that they have lumps in all their cement down here. When they want some smooth, they sift it.
We can, of course, get another casing down and now we have the levels, and the pressure the seal will take is another story. Instead of a flat rubber to close the float valve I will have a metal needle about 45 degrees on the face that will close every time, lumps or no lumps.
It was discouraging after going to so much trouble to have everything right.
The telephone I was using has been moved from the booth, and everyone in the restaurant can hear what you are talking about.
If you have any of those people show a little interest, try to get them to come in on the thing.
When I found this stuff I just couldn’t take the chance of making a single all-or-nothing attempt. I am trying everything that I can from this end.
By, the way, send me down [name withheld]’s proper address, would you. … Would be glad to get all these addresses as soon as is possible.
It seems to me incredible that after 156 years of searchers working here, it has been possible to get all the real facts so straight, and separate the misleading records that caused such confusion.
Best regards to all from all of us. Never thought it could take so long, but we’re getting there.
Yours truly,
Bob
As he had been convinced that the Vertical Shaft was the shut-off point where the pirates planned to stop the sea water to recover the treasure, Dad was palpably disappointed. Despite his best efforts, most of the cement that should have sealed off the intake water tunnel had instead, under pressure, blown out to sea.
Next they brought Professor Hamilton’s drill rig over to the island and began to probe into the Vertical Shaft. Work did not go easily. Bobby’s journals report more than a month of drilling in the shaft and adjacent ground. Exceptionally hard stones played havoc with the drill bits. Ultimately, the drilling bore no fruit.
Fred was already on the island working with Dad and Bobby on the Vertical Shaft when my husband, Doug, and I and our three children arrived on August 5 for a two-month stay. Dad described the Vertical Shaft to us. He was clearly disappointed that his attempt at cementing the shaft had spoiled that location. Cement could not be tried there again.
During our time on the island, Doug and the kids and I slept in the tent trailer that Dad had built and took turns