BOLIVIAN TREASURE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16827, 14 December 1928, Page 7

BOLIVIAN TREASURE

EXPEDITION’S SEARCH MORE CAPITAL REQUIRED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assu.j (United Service.) (Received December 14, 10 a.in.) BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 13. Professor Edgar Sanders, chief of the British exploration syndicate searching for the Jesuit treasure in Bolivia, has sailed for England for the purpose of raising another £30,0C0 for the purpose of pumping machinery and other equipment. - ■ lie claims that the treasure undoubtedly exists, though perhaps not totalling £10,000,000 as reported. “In the course of our investigations,” he says, “we discovered 280 skeletons, presumably of peons employed in carrying treasure to the hiding place... Most, of them had evidently been poisoned, and tile others beaten to death, their bones being broken.”

Tlio expedition set out in search of a vast store of gold, silver and diamonds supposed to have been secretly buried in Bolivia, South America, by Jesuit priests prior to their expulsion in 1778. The exploration party includes mining and mechanical engineers, modern pneumatic drills, compressors and hoist's, pumps for tunnel work and two tafeup pillar tractors. It is understood that if the treasure is discovered, 25 per cent, will go to the owner of the land and) 75 per cent, to the exploration company. The Bolivian Government is . credited, with, the intention of allowing - the 'expedition |; 3free hand. . .{ -A'.? ; V

The search was inspired by a story handed down for generations. Tn the eighteenth century, when Bolivia, then known as Upper Peru, belonged to Snajti, Jesuits worked the gold mines with the aid of Indian slaves. The Spanish Government decided to prevent the priests sending the gold to Europe but, in the belief that the restriction would he removed, the Jesuits continued to work the mines and wash diamonds, accumulating a treasure worth about, £12,000.000 and secreting it in the. side of a hill. The Jesuits were deported in 1778 and the hiding place of the treasure remained undiscovered.