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Online Newsletter Volume V, Issue 20, November 18, 2003 Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems. --Rene Descartes (1596-1650) |
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Here's the Scoop Next week is Thanksgiving--a time where Americans stop to reflect on all the things for which they are thankful. And as I was trying to explain the holiday to a reader in New Zealand, it is also a day when the traditional meal consists of a turkey feast. Here in the land of plenty, we tend to eat way too much while gathering with family and close friends. In Oklahoma, where Indians were forced to live following the Trail of Tears, it is often a time for a reflection of sadness. When the white people first came to America, the climate forever changed the ways of the Indian people, thus Thanksgiving is often referred to by area tribal leaders as a time to pay tribute to ancestors who lost land and life. And although the Thanksgiving tradition varies from one family to another, some things remain constant in this great land. Through all our trials and tribulations, Americans still have a great deal for which to be thankful. Without freedom of speech, I would be sitting in a government owned media outlet, sharing with readers only that information the leaders wanted to be dissipated to the general public. It would be a boring existence, with little challenge in the workplace. On the flipside, not only would my editorials be canned propaganda, but also negative responses from readers would be quickly squelched. It is with great pride that in this issue I offer a couple of letters from readers who didn't care at all for my last editorial. Thank God, here in America, we are not all alike and we all still enjoy a melting pot full of different opinions. To those treasure hunters who have served, or are currently serving in the armed forces and have fought so hard for my right to speak freely, I am very grateful. Not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year. Yours is the greatest gift--one that lasts a lifetime, is utilized every day, and a treasure for which I remain eternally thankful. Managing Editor Noteworthy Treasure News Metal Detecting Museum As many of you know, several years ago some very dedicated folks in the Cisco, Texas treasure club (Southwest Searchers Club) took on a project most of us wouldn't have tried. They worked as a team and took the old vacant courthouse with an upstairs full stage theater and renovated it into this nations first metal detecting museum. Again, Texas Treasure Hunters is a first in the nation, very special thanks to these hard working folks. You and I did very little or nothing to assist in this great effort, but it is not too late. Below you will see a recent email to me from Jerry Eckhart as to the condition and needs of this great landmark in Texas. Our hope is that this museum can be open to the public at least three days a week and we will need the assistance of you and other members of the clubs of Texas to help us advertise the existence of this wonderful landmark for our hobby to all hobbyist and retired travelers. I'm asking, that each and every club in Texas to either have a special fundraiser in behalf of the museum or to take one month a year and make a special donation to help support, up keep, utilities, and possible attendant for at least three days a week to open this museum. I am not asking for a large amount from any of you but for some type of donation to help them on a yearly basis. I also ask you to advertise the museum to any and all you can. Visitors are the best support to the museum. I will not only be donating funds myself, but items that the museum might be able to sell to visitors. Not just any state can say they have a museum
that shows the best of their hobby, but we in Texas can. c/o Jerry Eckhart, 704 Ave. i, Cisco, Texas 76437 (254) 442-4210 Thanks, Keith Wills Yes, the museum is up and running. Thanks to the dedication of Duane Hale who not only did his part, but a big part of mine as well. 99% of remodeling and repair has been completed. The display rooms are filled to capacity, and in what time I have, I am rearranging the displays according to category. In order to qualify as nonprofit and to get what little backing we have gotten, we had to designate only one room as the official treasure room, although there are metal detector treasures in every room, although not specifically identified as such. We have received a wealth of historical information (printed) on Texas that has yet to be classified, which will provide a tremendous opportunity for treasure research. We have almost all the original newspapers for Cisco back into the teens, and just purchased the old, old papers from a nearby town (Putnam) They have to be sorted also. We have carved map rocks on display, painted other treasure maps (accurately) on the walls, displayed metal detectors, displaying old, old treasure magazines and many treasure finds. This is already an excellent place to start research on most anything related to treasure hunting. The bad news is that we are unable to find anyone who will volunteer their time to keep the museum open even on weekends. That means Duane or I have to be on an on call basis. The local chamber of commerce has a key and they will often go open it up when out of towners ask to see it. Our big hurt now is the funding just to pay the utilities, which run about a hundred a month, give or take. We have plans to sponsor some historical seminars and treasure hunting seminars in the newly decorated upstairs auditorium, which will hold about 150. Any, will let you know more. This would be a great place to hold a quarterly TCOTC meeting. Starting to feel a little better and get around a little better now. Luck, Jerry Eckhart
Folks, it is very important for
the future of our hobby that we stay in Obviously we cannot do this alone and it will take your help. I ask each of you to please SAVE the attached Congressional Email Directory so that it is easier for you to ACT when necessary or CALLED UPON for help to support our wonderful hobby. I'm sure I do not need to tell you that either money or constituent's vote are the only things that can sway votes and change laws. Since my visit with the U.S. Forest Service in Washington D.C. a number of changes have already been put into motion. I feel soon you will see some action taken in a plan to open more lands to our hobby, change public attitude in regards to detectorists, and a very new step in professionalism for our hobby and the folks in it. These changes are now taking place even in our group W.W.A.T.S.. Our website is down for updating and will be back on line soon. Our membership is still FREE, for we feel your support for our hobby is payment enough. Also our Annual Open Hunt is still FREE as it was last year to all that attend, for we feel our discussions of the condition of our hobby with you and others is much more important than any entry fee. We are able to do this by Sponsorship Program and Donations from individuals and companies that truly have a deep dedication and love for the hobby. Thus our direction and focus is to be of benefit to folks that enjoy this hobby and to secure it's future in the world of tomorrows. Again, Please keep the Congressional Email Directory I'm sending you here, it is very important. We will need your help in the near future and hope that you love the hobby enough to support any action taken to broaden it's view and open it for the future detectorists. Sincerely, Keith R. Wills, president
W.W.A.T.S.
http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html San Juan National Historic Site (PR) Sentence Issued In Significant ARPA Case On November 4th, Danny Macon plead guilty in federal court to an ARPA charge (16 USC 470ee(d) and 18 USC 3559(a)(6)) that was filed against him for stealing artifacts from Castillo de San Felipe Del Morro (or El Morro), a 16th century fort located in the park. As per the terms of a plea agreement, Macon will pay $5,000 in restitution to the park; he will also serve a year's probation, with previous time in jail counting as time served. Last January, co-defendant Jimmy Fralick was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,000 to the park, but was not sentenced to jail time due to failing health. El Morro is considered one of the world's most important cultural sites and was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. Fralick was hired as a contractor to clean vegetation away from the fort in 1995. He entered a little-known passageway, where he found a number of artifacts, some dating back 400 or more years. Fralick removed several of them, including bullets and a lead bar with carved inscriptions on one side. He returned to Florida with the stolen artifacts and sold the lead bar to co-defendant Danny Macon for $1,000 in 2000. Fralick later counseled Macon on how to access the site to find more artifacts and helped Macon arrange a trip back to Puerto Rico to steal some of them. On June 7, 2000, Fralick and Macon broke into the fort after park hours and attempted to locate artifacts. This was a very important case
because it was the first conviction for violations of ARPA at a World
Heritage Site in the United States. The case was investigated by law
enforcement specialist Eric Lugo and NPS archeologist Margo Schwardon
and prosecuted by AUSA Carlos Martinez (Puerto Rico) and AUSA Kathleen
O'Malley (Jacksonville, Florida). Additional assistance was provided
by the US Postal Inspection Service and FBI. Significant Find SAVANNAH, Ga. - After
searching the ocean for more than 10 years, marine explorers found
crates of gold this week at the site of a Civil War-era shipwreck
about 100 miles east of Savannah. The gold's worth is not yet known, said Barton, who added the old coins must still be lifted very carefully from the ocean floor. "We don't want to scratch them," Barton said. Though Barton declined specific estimates Friday, she suggested last week that coins from the shipwreck could be worth more than $120 million. In August, Odyssey's salvage crews found what they believed was the site where the side-wheel steamer SS Republic sank during a hurricane in 1865, Barton said. Newspaper accounts at the time said 59 to 81 passengers were on board and 13 to 17 died, Barton said. The gold went down with the ship. Letters to the Editor A great article from Terry Botts.
Thanks for sharing it with us. Response to Editorial in November 4 newsletter. No way would I contact
anyone if I found an old location of any kind, whether it be a sunken
ship, an old fort etc. It might be the right thing to do in Britain,
but here in the good old US of A, between the archeologists and the
pinko Commie environmentalists, the finder would end up with noda,
zip, zilch, and to top it off the finder would probably be fined and
or jailed just for touching or looking at it in the process of the
finding. Take it from someone who knows. I just read your article on declaring historical artifacts. I was amused to see that it was prefaced by a quote from Jimi Hendricks, I am assuming the late rock star who overdosed. I couldn't help but think that there are still people like yourself who are being duped by government red tape and law primarily aimed at gain, building the treasury. It is true that historical artifacts should be viewed by all interested and not just private collectors. If you had a hoard of lets say 1000 pieces of eight, how many of these are needed for viewing! The hunter should
keep the lion's share. If the governments want the bounty so badly
why don't they get into the treasure hunting business. It is your
type of liberal politics that are ruining this country! Perhaps you
should read some of the Communist Manefesto! You may find that Thesis,
Anti-thesis, solution, should not be a viable option in this country.
You haven't even looked at the Patriot Act! Our loss of Liberty is
astounding. Lets give governments more power! Sure! Golden Circle Research Society
Hillbilly Bob (center) explains Bible Tree KGC codes and symbols to Floyd Mann and Robert King. Photo courtesy Whyte Eagle, Carrie Shinob ezboard forum.
Lonnie Williamson, John London and Hillbilly Bob at Camp Richard, displaying geophysical surveying equipment used in their work. Photo by Daniel Woods, geophysicist and partner.
Golden
Circle Research Society's Eighth Annual Meeting held in the Ouachitas The GCR campout got
underway with a "get acquainted" chili supper on Friday
evening (24th) and concluded around 10:30 Tuesday morning (28th) click here for entire minutes of meeting Subscription Winners
A Little Help From Our Friends I will be traveling to the Caribbean soon and have not been able to find out if I’ll have any airport security issues bringing my detector with me. Also…anyone out there have any hints or comments on detecting around the Caribbean islands? Please e-mail @ chief550@mchsi.com. Do you have any treasure sites in
the Lake Texoma (Oklahoma) area? Stumped on a treasure related question? Is your non-profit group hosting an upcoming event? Get the word out to readers around the world. Email the information to: |
