Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-03-23
From the Alta California.

7 The splended steamer Golden City
which left this port for Panama on the 6th
ult., ran ashore on the morning of the 22d,
at Cape Lazaro, on the shore of Lower
California, and proved total loss. The
passengers all landed safely, and all but
nine We're brought to this city by the steam
er Colorado, which, on her way up, passed
so near the point that she discovered the
signals of the wrecked party. The Colora-
do could not take them aboard at the place
Of the wreck, but anchored in Santa Maria
Bay, twenty-five miles distant, and the
passengers had to walk that distance across
Il desert of sand hills, and some of them
were lost there. Provisions and water
were put ashore for those left behind.
Cape Lazaro is in latitude "a deg DOM,
and It projects due south into the Pacific
/ Ocean, the general course of the peninsula
/ being south-southeast, and north-north-
west. It's distance from San Francisco is
about I GOO miles, and from Cape ST. Lucas
/ 225 miles.
CONFUSION ON STRIKING.
| The Captain and first officer are reported
as being on deck at the time of grounding;
for moment they disappeared and quickly
| returned with all the officers tully armed.
There was immediate CONSERVATION among
the crew and passengers and the officers
! orders were for tune contrary. The first
officer called out to ''man the life boats,
and in a few seconds after the captain or
dered the first man who touched them to
be shot. The steerage passengers almost
Immediately rushed aft in the cabin. and to
the deck, provided with life preservers.
The cabin passengers We're generally less
excited and more orderly. The vessel ran
on with her port quarters, and at the mo-
ment, a passenger declares, the course to
be east be southeast She was not firmly
grounded, as some assert, for ten minutes
after striking-at least sufficiently long
enough time transpired between her first
touching ground and being firmly imbed-
ded in the sand, for the passengers to re-
turn to their staterooms and finish their
| toilets. By this time strong efforts were
unvaihngly made to get her of. The cap
tain ordered the passengers aft, and an
anchor was taken in a boat to distance of
300 yards oceanward and dropped. In the
meantime the sun beamed forth beautifully
and the fog was dissipating, while the
shore was plainly seen, not over 800 yards
distant, to the left and forward of the yes
sell The anchor failed to hold, and the
noble ship every moment was becoming
more deeply imbedded in the soft sand
THE PASSENGERS LAND SAFELY,
Orders were given to lower the boats
Much excitement was renewed among the
passengers, with frequent orders to keep
quiet, but no assurances of safety were
given. The captain was on the port wheel
house most of the time, occasionally pass
ing to the starboard post. After much
difficulty the boats were lowered and
manned by the crew and passengers, the
latter rendering every aid and obeying all
orders in their power. The sea was-ex-
cept the ''ground swell''-quite calm; and
this was less then than at any time subse-
quent, during the stay of the wrecked pas
sengers. This providentially insured their
being safely landed from the port side of
the vessel. This arduous task was per-
formed without loss, IN less than three
hours fo1a @te time the vessel grounded.
LANDING PROVISIONS AND TREASURE.
Provisions were first landed after the
passengers, consisting of hard bread, pota-
toes, few apples, and some water. Five
cattle were loosed aud pushed overheard,
which swan to land. Some sheep and
fowls were alse sent ashore. These pre-
cautions were of the first necessity, as the
coast is a barren waste of sand, with no
habitations- nearer that locality than forty
miles.
The greater part of the day was spent In
getting the treasure ashore; the amount of
bullion is not stated, but all was safely
landed by o'clock P. NJ After this was
rescued, the passengers and officers went
to work with will at the baggage, the
crew doing but little to save it. All this
was safely landed by nightfall, which in
that latitude comes quickly after sunset.
The baggage and treasure yet remain on
the beach, as the passengers could bring
but little with them n their journey to the
| Colorado. Precautions were taken to settle
the colors as signals, and they remained at
the mastheads after all had melted away
before the breakers, which beat heavier and
heavier against the fast breaking vessel.
The passengers generally worked well after
| their excitement was allayed. The Chi
nese proved to be the most efficient of the
crew, Liquors 1.-TWO cases) were seat ashore
and carried to headquarters at the time OF
landing the provisions Two of the cabin
servants, a mulatto and white man, were
seen entering the .staterooms after most of
the passengers had left, and drinking their
abandoned wines. Canvas for tents was
sent ashore during the afternoon and tent
enclosures made for the comfort of the
ladies. The p9rser, surgeon, and baggage
| master eXerted themselves to their utmost
for the comfort of the wrecked.
On the second day beef was issued, I'M
cooked. Relief was sent to those at the
signal station, which had been abandoned
by four of those first sent. The ship part
ed during the day, and liquor sufficient to
cause much drunkenness came ashore,
compelling the organization of police
| force. Order was generally maintained,
! the officers destroying the liquor whenever
! found Rockets were fired during the
night, and fires were kept up on the shore.
Matters grew more and more distressing
on the shore, especially among the women
and children, until noon OF the 24th, the
fourth day after the wreck, when deliver
ance appeared at hand.
RESCUE OF THE PASSENGERS AND CREW.
The Colorado was on her upward trip
from Panama to San Francisco on about
her usual time, At noon on Thursday
February o. when nearly abreast of ST.
Lazaro, Mr.. Wood, one Of the passengers,
noted for his vigilance in detecting objects
at sea and ashore, perceived what proved
to be Il signal flag, with the Union down,
on the mountain side OF the Cape. Captain
F'arnsworth was Immediately informed,
who took prompt steps to detect the
trouble of which he was thus warned. He
had concluded that the steamer Golden
City had passed in the night near Cape st.
Lucas, and consequently was not little
distressed to see her few moments after
the signal, close into shore, about ten
miles off to the north. Eager eyes and
good glasses soon detected that she was
ashore, and seemed to be lying near q
schooner, which was on her beam ends.
Flags were on the masts of both steamer
and supposed schooner. But a short time
suffced to show that the supposed smaller
vessel was the forepart Of the steamer
She was broken Ia two just afore her en-
gines, and the fore part had been thrown
over on the side, little in advance Of the
main wreck.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.
Captain Farnsworth, of the Colorado
seeing the impossibility of getting tn,
passengers aboard through such a surf ii
was beating almost over the wreck will
every wave), went only near enough th,
| shore to give those thereon notice of hi