Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 205, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1915 — MESSAGE IN AN OLD HOUSE [ARTICLE]

MESSAGE IN AN OLD HOUSE

Dry Job Plastering in California y/ith Vintage of 1857, Says Note in Bottle. Auburn, Cal. —A message from the days of gold was. found by workmen tearing down the old residence of Senator W. B. Lardner In this city. The message, written on part of a leaf from the Congressional Record of 1858 was in a wine bottle, and hp.d been placed between the walls of the house. It read as follows: “This house was plastered by James Mcßurney, and It was a damned dry job. Bullock wouldn’t give us anywhisky. JAMES M’BURNEY.” It was dated May 28, 1859. The .bottle contained a label reading as follows: “California Wine from Los Angeles. White Wine. Vintage of 1857. Geo. T. Thatcher & Co., San Francisco.” The reference in the message to Bullock was meant for the contractor who built the house, it is supposed. The house was a fine one in its day, and was well made, the plastering being specially well done, which may be accounted for by the fact that it was so “dry.”