#119: There's Gold in Them Thar Waves [the Electrolytic Marine Salts Company of Lubec, ME]

In 1897 "the Reverend Electrolycist" Prescott Ford Jernegan claimed he could extract gold from seawater for pennies on the dollar. It was a classic something for nothing scam... So why did so many people fall for it? https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/theres-gold-in-them-thar-waves Key sources for this episode include Carl Sifakis's Hoaxes and Scams: A Compendium of Deceptions, Ruses, and Swindles; contemporary newspaper reports; and  Carrie C. Bang's The Great Gold Swindle of Lubec, Maine. We're presenting at Intelligent Speech 2026: Companions & Rivals! Join us on Febuary 28!  Speakers will explore friendships that changed the course of events, rivalries that pushed people to greatness or to ruin and partnerships that proved stronger than armies. Roundtables on unlikely alliances and spirited debates about history's fiercest rivalries are sure to delight and intrigue. Tickets available now at https://intelligentspeechonline.com/! The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope is a secret society devoted to the idea that that which is least known is best to know. Each episode we share a strange story or amazing fact, and no topic is off limits -- if it's interesting or entertaining, we'll cover about it! Email: [email protected] Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/order-of-the-jackalope.com Discord: https://discord.gg/Mbap3UQyCB YouTube: https://youtube.com/@orderjackalope