Ocean time capsule: woman deciphers 150-year-old message found on New Jersey shore

Amy Smith Murphy, 49, who designs greeting cards, was walking along the shore in New Jersey, USA, when an unusual object washed up on the beach. It turned out to be a very old message in a bottle.

This was reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

She took this sealed green bottle back to her house and opened it with a corkscrew, after which her niece took out an old yellowed leaf with a toothpick.

The discovery of the ancient bottle in the ocean was a real eye-opener for Amy, who spent two days deciphering the inscription on it. She was able to make out the words, "Yacht Neptune, Atlantic City, New Jersey. August 6, 1876".

Read also: Workers discover a mysterious "time capsule" under a 100-year-old tree

This bottle, which had been drifting on the seas for 148 years, was found only 15 miles from the place where it was once thrown overboard. Amy became interested in the history of her find and discovered that a similar piece from Barr & Brother Philadelphia, dating back to 1900, was on a collector's website. Similar items were produced in the 1870s.

Amy's interest was piqued when she learned that the note was written on the back of a business card from W.G. & J Klemm, a well-known Philadelphia company that existed in the nineteenth century.

Amy wondered, "Who was on that ship and where was it going? Was it a pleasure trip, or was it a business trip?"

During her further research, she came across an obituary for Captain Samuel Gale from 1874, which indicated that he was the owner of the Neptune, a well-known day cruise yacht that attracted numerous travelers.

Amy speculated, "It seems that the mystery of the captain attracted people. I wonder how much information we can gather about this bottle and how it relates to Philadelphia and South Jersey," she shared with Murphy.

Earlier, we told you that builders unearthed a 2000-year-old garden of a sadistic Roman emperor in Italy.

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