Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1881-10-16
REMINISCENCE OF NINETEEN
YEARS AGO
A Romance In Real Life Connected with
the 1Il-fated Steamship Golden G ate.

Fl There is scarcely an old California
alive to-day who cannot recall to MIND
with feeling akin to horror, the fat
Of the steamship Golden Gate, freighte,
with 3SS human souls, most of then
Argonauts, which was burned to tn
water edge on the Dist of July, 1862, 1;
miles northwest Of Manzanillo, Will,
en- route for Panama, causing the loss O
176 lives. The majority of the male
passengers had come to California in the
flush days of 40 and 80, and were upon
that occasion, after having accumulated
comfortable completeness, bound upon
their first trip home to visit aged par.
ents, wives and children, and friends.
Among this number was Mr.. John
Chartz, now resident of Alameda
county, California, father Of Mrs. S. E..
Carlton, of Virginia City. He came to
California during the extravagant,
money-making days, actuated by SINH
lar motives that characterized all new
corners, leaving his family, consisting Of
wife and three children, in the States.
During his residence. in the Golden
State, and up to the period of which
this sketch treats, Mr. Chartz had been
lavishly smiled upon by fortune. In
the early part of July, 1862, he received
intelligence Of the death of his wife,
circumstance which at once prompted
him to go East and bring his family of
children to his new home on the western
shore, engaging passage on the doomed
ship, in connection with which he had
a sad as well as an extraordinarily rO-
mantle experience, which, up to date, |
has never found its way into print.
Any one who has ever witnessed false
alarm of fire on steamship in mid
ocean can form an idea of the conster-
nation and AFFECT horror that possessed
he passengers of the Golden Gate on
hat memorable Sunday when they be-
leld the broad sheets of fire devouring
IL that stood between them and eter-
ity. In this instance, as we'll as in all
theirs of similar character. every
oble impulse had fOrsaken natures q
sually generous, condemnable selfish
ess stalked abroad, and all were left to q
ely upon their idividual exertions for
lfety.
In the midst of this confusion, during
hich the cries of the drowning and Z
1rning rose above the din and noise IL
len prevailing, Mr.. Chartz, who was u
'out to jump overheard, was ap- g
cached by a stranger named Given, y
wealthy San Franciscan, and offered -
rye reward to save his six-months'- u
q daughter, and another man, name r.
,known, equally as expert swimmer a.
Mr.. Chartz, was also offered heavy
m by Mr.. Given to save his son, three y"
ars old. These two men, possessing a.
uls such as ennobled the Romans of Tx
!, declined the proffer of money, but =.
omised to exert their physical powers ~
preserve the lives of the little ones "
le unknown hero, who essayed to d"
We the boy, was the first to leave the 60
e OF the vessel, and both are to-day n,
sting in watery graves in the Pacific
IAN. The little girl was wrapped in
nket and securely strapped to Mr.. '"
artz's back, after which he plunged
% the water, boldly striking out for
shore, several miles distant. After
ching point about half mile from
land he encountered heavy surf,
INST which he found it very difficult
struggle. Like most opulent Cali
mans OF that period travelling to the
ties, he wore a large buckskin belt -
pouch, filled with gold, on his per- X
) and being nearly exhausted from
long swim he found that it would
necessary to abandon either his gold 4
he strangers child to enable him to n
IN shore. With degree of unset
ness and devotion to the cause of
'anity, which should challenge the ~
llratlon of the world, he, with I
t effort, detached the buckskin belt