In paragraph 10 of "Unearthing the Arabia," the author includes the information about property owner Norman Sortor to highlight the challenges faced by the team trying to excavate the Arabia steamboat. Two details from the article to support this are:
"The legalities and negotiations surrounding the excavation were also difficult." - This sentence indicates that there were legal and bureaucratic obstacles that the team had to overcome before they could begin the excavation. By mentioning Norman Sortor, the author is highlighting one of the many complications involved in the process.
"He had agreed to let the Hawleys dig on his land, but after they started excavating, Sortor changed his mind and wanted to be paid for the use of his land." - This detail shows that even after the team had secured permission to dig on Sortor's land, he changed his mind and demanded compensation. This sudden change in attitude likely caused further delays and complications for the excavation team, which the author is highlighting as an example of the challenges they faced.