Part 43, page 370

Transcript

The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.

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PD 164-41

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[REDACTED] based this belief on three facts. The first fact being that the money was rounded off on the corners, which would indicate a rolling motion and would indicate the flow of the river. The second fact was that the money was found in the surface layer of the upper reworked beach sand. The third fact was that the distribution of the money was in this surface layer only, and none was found to be in the post dredging sand. When reminded of the fact that the rubber bands holding the money together were still in place, but extremely brittle and crumbled upon touch, [REDACTED] stated that the condition of the rubber bands would tend to lend credence to the assumption that the money had been at the location where found a longer period of time. Even with this, he still felt the money was not at the site for more than a year. At the height found, the money was definitely de- posited more than four years after the dredging of the Columbia River in 1974. He also added that he felt certain that the money did not work its way up through the post dredging sand to the upper layer.

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[REDACTED] found during his work at the site and areas surrounding the site, that the clay lump (dredged) sand ranging from a depth of approximately four feet, 25 yards from the money site, to only two feet where the money was found. He advised that this could be caused by many reasons, but most probably caused by the different elevations of the beach sand at the time the dredging occurred.

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Regarding the fact that the money itself was remark- ably well preserved, [REDACTED] advised that sand is sterile, and in nature, is probably the best preservative of any soil. This could also be the reason that the rubber bands were still in place around the money, although they were badly deteriorated, and would also lead credence to the fact that the money had been deposited in sand the major portion of the time since it was lost. The money would not have lasted for more than a year in nature unless protected. He added that fragments of the money could have been washed anywhere down stream in the Columbia, but he doubted that any additional money found would be as well pre- served unless it had been deposited in an upper layer of sand.

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[REDACTED] displayed a U.S. Geological Survey- Topographical Map, Bridal Veil Washington - Oregon Section, which reflected a twelve mile cross section of the drainage basin for the Washougal River. It is from this area, [REDACTED] felt the money likely originated from. He stated that there was ap- proximately one stream per mile of land in this area. If a person parachuted in this basin, he would most probably come to earth on

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DB Cooper-17602

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b6 b7c