Butte record., 1855-09-22
From the San Francisco Herald |
Letter Gram n Passenger.

|
i of the breaking out of the disease
Horrible state Of acknowledgements
| of Col. Waksr-PJobability of his
belng elected President of Nicaragua
| Protection of private interests, ETC., etc
On BOARD STEAMER UNCLE SAM,
| September IA, 1856.
I EDITOR OF THE HERALD Happy
should | be were it gossip only which |
write you, at nearly the end of this un-
fortunate passage from New York to
California. | will first notice that some
old Sacramento residents have returned
Mrs. G. P. Huntington, Mr.. French,
of the Tribune; family of Mr.. Redding.
of the Journal; DR., c. Morrill,, pioneer
druggist and one of the '49 settlers, to
Fgether with his family also, Major Esta-
brook and family, of Wilson's Exchange,
San Francisco, and others.
We left New York on the 20th Aug,
in the Northern Light, one of the best
steamships in the California lines, with
about FIVE hundred steerage passengers
and one hundred and fifty cabin. We
had a pleasant run of eight and half
days to San Juan del Norte, being well
pleased with the arrangements of Capt.
Tinklepaugh. Passengers all well.
On the evening of ihc lst September
we were received on board the Uncle
Sam, at San Juan del Sud, alth augh We
did not sail until the next morning.
Thus we were little more than four
days occupied in ransitu from the time
we let the steamship on the Atlantic
till we set sail again on the Pacific side
Soon after leaving San Juan del Sud the
steerage passengers commenced dying,
and it was announced that the cholera
was on board. After two or three days
the CONSERVATION was great in conse-
quence of the rapid increase of the dis
ease--ten or fifteen dying daily. On
the morning of the 9th, we arrived at
Acapulco, and found difficulty in coaling,
as the officers of the port were unwilling
the natives should work, on account of
cholera being on board We succeeded,
however, and again put to sea in the
afternoon. After leaving Acapulco for
two OF three davs the ravages IF the
cholera were truly frighIful. 1t required
most of the time of the crew to sew up
and throw overheard the victims. The
disease was extremely virulcnt, confined
mostly to the steerage, though several of
the hands of the ship and cabin passen-
gers are among the victims Whole
families have been swept off, and many
orphans and widows made, to be thrust
upon the shores of California destitute
and friendless. At one time the severity
OF the disease was such, aud the panic
so great, that fears were entertained that
the ship might be nearly depopulated.
Fear much favored the disease, and in
most cases remedies had little effect
The e1ertions Of Dr. Fitch, the surgeon,
appeared to be unremittng, as were also
those of DR.. Moses, a passenger, who
devoted his whole time to the sick
After being FIVE days out fr, m Acapulco
the disease much subsided not, however,
I'LL most of those attacked had perished
l will state, upon the best information |
possess, that about one hundred and
seventy-fve have fallen victims to this
fatal disease.
Now for the causes of much misfor-
tune. In the first place there were too
many steerage passengers, many more
than codld IN any proper manner be ac-
commodated. They were mostly Irish
and other foreign people, many of filthy
habits, s,-they drank considerable during
the voyagc,ard were necessarily crowded
into hot and unventilated portions of the
ship and boats. They were thrown ashore
in tropical climate for one dav at Cas-
tillo Rapids, and also night and day at
Virgin Bay and San Juan del Sud where
all the necessaries of life were dear, and
where the shade was hardly sufficient to
protect them from the hot sun. During
the whole time these passengers were IN
transatu, their meals were irregular their
food unusual, and they were exposed to
hot sun and night air They unduly in.
dulged in bad liquors and fruits of the
country, SO that when taken on board
the Uncle Sam, many of Them must
have been in bad condition. The cholera
1t is said bad subsidized from Nicaragua
until day or two before we arrived,
when it was imported again with some Of
Col. Walkers native soldiers from Hon
duras. The day we arrived at San Juan
1t is said that six of those soldiers died
of this disease. Thus was our over
loaded steerage freighted with ready VIC
tins for this wandering pcstience which
continues to travel the earth, devastating
and still unsatiated.
Col. Walker, after leaving San Juan,
returned in his brig with a reinforce
ment, and took it When we left, he
was holding the place with about one
hundred Americans and two hundred and
two hundred and fifty natives, and it is
said had force of four hundred and fifiy
men nearly arrived from Honduras. The
Colonel was recruiting bis forces and
preparing to attack Rivas, where he in>
tends establishing his government. The
Americans under his command are con-
tented, and they, as well as the natives.
have the greatest confidence in bis ability
to lead them to success in the affair be
has undertaken 1t is believed that Col
Walker at n" very distant day will be