The weekly union record., 1865-07-01
Los of the Steamship Golden Rule
Perilous Escape of 600 People.
The Panama Chronicle of June 1Hh gives
the particulars Of the loss Of the Golden Rule

Ihe Paaama Chr0alcle Of June llth gives
the particulars of The less Of the Golden Rule
as follows: M
/ The vessel made her first start from New
+ York on the 10th of Nav. for the VOYAGE 10
+ Greytown, Nicaragua On her passage down
I the bay al explosion Of ere Of fhe fues so
seriously Injured al engineer that The ship vas
stopped and the MAJ sen, on shore for proper
treatment. She next came iato collision with
a Terry boat, thereby damaging paddle wheel,
/ causing another detention for repairs. Ca The
I'D she iaslly got TO sea- At3:40 ~.
3oth of May. = thick morning. and during
heavy rain, she struck on reef that runs
out from the island Of Roneador. The scene
F on beard was at once pitiable, for the poor
1 passengers knew not al what moment they
would be struggling in the water. At damn
+ the chief officer was dispatched in boat for
! the Inhabited island OF Old Providence to
/ seek relief As the day cleared up the land
was seen By one of the passengers and the an
1 nouncement was hailed with immense joy. The
ships boats were all manned by the crew and
some volunteers, and all the passengers, $50.
were safely put on shore.
Al half past O'Clock P. N. on the % inst.
boat under the command Of an officer was
/ dispatched to Greytowu and at the same time
+ NtcS4 oS.4o VI. 1ttuASiS StaiASI 4bl - plI-
+ wall in one of the quarter boats" manned
+ by three Of the crew and two steerage passen-
gers. under the command of second officer
/ David Reid. The Golden Rule was q new
ship. not quite two years DID, aud 5000 tons
/ burden.
/ The same paper of June 12,h says:
/ The United States steamers Huntsville and
State of Georgia arrived at Aspinwail on the
lth inst. with the passengers of the Golden
Rule. These people speak highly in praise of
the kind treatment they received on the ships
of war, bat curse fearfnlly the captain of the
Golden Rule. They state that on the 29th of
June there was quite jubilee on board, eele-
brating the captains birthday. There was
fine lot OF Cyprian beauties on their way to
stock some house of i'll fame in California, aud
after the champagne, etc, had titilated the
participants, the captain and other officers
fraternized with the Cyprians in unbridled and
promiscuous disorder. The orgie was unlimit-
ed, and save the second officer, and perhaps
one or two besides, all the others appear to
have lost their prudence and their wits. There
There was not the usual look out for danger,
and the ship was left TO the mercy of Provi.
dence and the guidance Of chance. About 90
or 80 minutes before the ship struck, the
second officer, who was on watch, went and
knocked at the captains cabin and told him
that the ship was out Of her course. The
captain. who had an Illicit companion with
him, waxed wroth at being disturbed and re-
piled, Y on be id. the ship is all right, let
her go along" The second officer however.
fearing trouble. went down to the engineer and
directed him to sacken speed The noise of
the Roncador, which is the Spanish for sroar
err was then heard, but too late for preven-
tion.
When the landing Of the people commenced,
permission was asked Of the captain TO open
the baggage room so that the passengers might
save what they could. He gave another snrly
and most Proane answer TO this request \
very few persons saved few things which
they had near at hand The provisions landed
were nothing else than hard biscuits. On this
and on pint of water each, per day, scaniy
sustenance was made. The water was collect
ed from the crevices of the rocks. and some
was procured by means Of the ships condenser,
which was landed The suffering from expo.
sure was intense as the appearance Of the peo-
pie plainly indicates
When the Huntsville and State of Georgia
hove in sight, the joy OF these poor castaways
was frantic. Cheers followed cheers in wild
aud jubilant fury. The huts that were being
built were KIN cked over in half mad glee. and
tears of exullation coursCd down cheeks that
were already scared by tears OF grief.
The passengers state that their reception Oh
the ships OF war was the kudest and best
that could be wished, Hot coffee was first
served out, which was most acceptable to the
lamIshing and feeble Stomachs. >Nexf an ex-
cellent meal was set before them, which was
heartily relishcd. Afterwards an abundance
OF good water, cooled with the ice that MIR
jackson had SO graciousIy provided was made
accessible to all who were athirst. The officers
and men OF both ships were constant in their
atteptons to relieve the wants OF the passen
gers and to make the passage from Roncador
to Aspinwall as comfortable as circumstances
would allow
+ Too much praise cannot be given 10 the
gallant men under Commanders Pre5le and
Deyins for their kipdness. The rescued people
are unceasiug in their thanks. and their graft
tude seems to know no bounds. But of cap
tain Dennis of the Golden Rule, everything
evil is said. The vocabulary of vic names
has been exhausted in bis condemnation, and
no doubt the papers of San Francisco viii be
filed with pictures of his his character As it
Is unfair to condemn a man unbeaTd we will
refrain from ndorsing all that has been told to
Us: but if he be as bad as be is represented,
God alone can help him in his defense.
When the passengers reached this city on
the l1tb, their forlorn condition excited the
compassion of the bysiauders. There were
handsome ladyllke looking women, in soiIed
and bedraggled dresses, aBd their faces showed
the fiery schorching effects of torrid sun. d.
NJ Ccrwlne Mr.. Sternbnrg and others hastily
collected all the small clothing they coald fnd
IN town, and distributed them among the halt
naked little sufferers Had time permitted,
much more would have been done for these
objects Of charity. but they were sent on board
by The representative Of the company almost
the moment they caue across from Aspinwall.
There is no doubt, however, that Captain
Merry, Of the steamer America, will do every
thing possible to soften the misery of the pas
sengerS who are now under his charge. The
America sailed hence during the night OF the
llth for San Juaa del Sur. Nicaragua and
San Francisco.
IT is rumored that the following changes