New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-04
CALIFORNIA.
The Passengers by the Wrecked North-A meri-
ca-Leiter from j. Winchester.
MONTEREY. CAL, March 81. 1852


contrary to yny expectations; but after what you
nave already heard of our adventures, no doubt
you arc prepared for any additional tumble about
up the Pacific shores. Indeed, | consider myself
peculiarly fortunate in being able to write at all by
TINS mail, tor it is only by favor of Providence that
we are not at sea, bound dorm the co lst, at the
mercy OF strong no -wester, and two or three
small bits OF canvas usually attached to the dmin-
utIye masts of steamer
MY last was from Acapulco, dated about fort
night ago. On Friday afternoon, the 18th inst,
the 7. NJ. S. s. Company's steamer Panama, seven
days from Panama, quietly glided into the harbor
and saluted us and the town with gun. OF
course, among crowd of seven or eight hundred ALI
lorna emgrens all equally anxious shorten the term
OF their residence in the territories of our sister Repub.
c II became matter of intense interest to know who
should be the lucky to get on board an already
oVercrowded vessel and SO escape from the hot AMI
ieveraden atmosphere of Acapulco At first to the re-
quest OF the resident agent Of the Company to receive
number of the shpwrecked passengers of the North.
America, decided negative was given by Captain
Watkins, on the gr ound that he was full beyond his
limit Of accommodation The active sympathy of fe w
OF the Panamas passengers, mostly returning Calor
mans who generously rendered their saterooms the
ladies, backed by the persuasive influence of $50 eac
in good gold coin of the U. S. duly received by the
Agent for the pririiege of using accommodations al
ready fully paid for by parties Ia possession, those of
the N AS passengers who hal diners (about forty in
al-haf of them women and chliren) were taken on
board. Glad enough for the chance, had DISPOSE
ton to question the quality of fare the softnes of
the planks which were to be the beds of most of u.s.
The main point If, that the Panamas passengers were
obliged to submit to meal less per day, on our
account be deprived of their accommodations in other
respects-aDd zoe were made to pay for what thus
taken from item. 1t was clear share of about $1,000
in favor OF the Company-a very cheap measure of
charity to people who were silly enough TO be
moniously put ashore on sparsely settled and nhos
ptabe coast 1t panied my heart to several boat
loads of women and children, who had been waiting
for several hours in the middle of the night alongside
the steamer in fever of anxiety whether they could
be permitted to come up the steps, compelled to return
to their cherries temporary homes shore. Some of
them delicate girls and children had been brought from
beds of sickness and suffering, but they had money!
though their husbands and relatives in California to
whom they going, could have paid thousands and
would cheerfuly have done so, for the rescue from
scky cline of those they loved and of whose fate they
knew not The Company's agents and officers either
could not Afford or dared not to be- generous toward
won en- and children in dstress-and So after midnight
they returned sad and in tears to the shore.
At 2 A. NJ, on the 20th steamed out of the harbor
of Acapulco For many days the smooth and
the weather delightful Many that sick recovered
in the balmy bracDg atmosphere which met
rapidly progressed norhward and all light ofheart
at the prospect of speedy arrival at their destined
port. Two days to the northward of Cape San Lucas
the cold, stiff northers met U.S. impeding the speed of the
steamer-the coal poor and failed to generate su
cent motive power and fearing accidents from lack of
fuel the captain prudenty determined to put in at San
Diego which he did on the morning of the 9th inst
Here but forty of coal ebtainable for which
800 per tun paid the Company having no supply
of their OWN With fair weather the supply would have
been barely sufficient but the wind increased to half
gale, and at noon next day we were obliged to seek
shelter In small the eeward side of the Gaia
lima Island where remained at anchor for six hours
Though the wind somewhat abated, the rough,
and the vessel showing two feet of her copper, with
plenty of upper works. made little progress For two
days following crept slowly up under cover OF the
coast mountains which in almost perpendicular
bluffs from the waters edge. Yesterday 1t was found
that the coal was exhausted and in order to make this
port recourse was had all the loose lumber barrels,
boxes and at last the plank flooring of the lower hold,
partitions &C. By these inefficient means of generating
steam we were twelve hours In making the last forty.
five miles, and when, at 10 last night the anchor was
hove over the wheels barely rotated being necessary
to help the engine the center by physical force
Thus il is that we are in Monterey. The least fresh
ening of the wind would have compelled put about
and for safety attempted the harbor OF San Diego the
first one below us which had been four days in get
ting thus far from There is not pound OF Goals here
and Capt Watkins Is now putting on board part OF
cargo of pine umbe sawed into proper lengths for the
furnaces for which he pays double the market price
The decks are well piled with planks, and Whatever
other odds and ends of wood are obtanable and 1t 10
expected we shall have sufficient supply, by o'clock
p NJ to enable us reach San Francisco tomorrow
ending, with US shpwrecked people, ffty-seven days
passage to California, happily, it is hoped in the good
health which we now enjoy.
Your intelligence from Acapulco, as well as from San
Francisco will be at least two weeks later than can
give you There yet remained at the former place some
ak or seven hundred of the North Americas passen-
gers threefourths of whom were without means. 70
the fund previously subscribed by the passengers Oft
steamers up and down. and on shore, the sum OF be-
tween six and hundred dollars was added by the
r,s.enpers ofthe Panama There was on hand, at the
disposition of the Keller Commttee zen oay' supply VI
provisions and g. 800 In cash. at the time OF our sailing
The wants of the destitute provided for and no
danger of immediate suffering except frc-n sickness
could be apprehended. As was predicted by all who
knew him. the Vanderbilt agent at San Francisco failed
to take any adequate measures for the relief OF the hun
dreds thrown upon their own resource, in foreign
land Only sailing cessel to be sent down for them
and as at this passage up scarcely be made
q Iav fhara Ia
all will be brought away for several months to come
Meantime it is to be feared that many valuable lives Will
be sacrificed to the cupdty of the owners OF the Van
derbilt line Are they not clearly responsible In law
for indennifcaton and damages to every person who