Nothing Can be Salvaged From Frederick Douglass' Time Capsule

The city of Rochester released more information Friday about the time capsule that was found while moving a Frederick Douglass statue earlier this week.

The city historian said material in the time capsule dates back to 1898, with additional items being added in 1941, but nothing can be salvaged.

City Historian Christine Ridarsky said it was not the outcome they had expected in regards to the material in the capsule.

"So you know even under the best of circumstances we would have expected some moisture damage, unfortunately, it was a very wet location, and it appears that probably the contents have been saturated with water for probably from almost the beginning,” Christine Ridarsky.

Ridarsky described the remains in the time capsule as a pile of pulp.

The historian says things in the capsule should include pamphlets by Susan B. Anthony, a map of Monroe County, a letter from Haiti talking about the donation of $1,000 to help build the Douglass statue and more.