The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-08-29

gold coin and bullion was recovered
from the wreck of the Pacific mail
steamship. Golden Gate. have the
story direct from one of the principal
men of The enterprise During the pc
riod which elapsed between the dis
covery of gold in California and the
establishment of transcontinental traf-
fic, the custom was to ship coin and
bullion from San Francisco to the 18th
mus of Panama. across which it was
carried to Aspinwall, now Colon, on
the Atlantic. There it would be re-
shipped TO it's destination in the Unit
ed States or Europe.
Thus in July, 1862, the side-wheel
steamship Golden Gate, was en- route
from San Francisco to Panama, carry
ing more than five hundred passen-
gers and a large amount of treasure.
While running along the west coast
Of Mexico, about two miles offshore.
she was covered to be afre. She
YVES he4ueu for the beach. and when
she struck the fire had so enwrapped
her that all on board were forced to
fling themselves into the surf There
was a viciot undertow Two hundred
az tTec, EIGHT people were lost, and
of the vessel herself, in a short time
nothing remained in sight except some
Of the tall machinery.
After the wreck became known it
was announced that there had been
million and a half dollars worth of
gold in the treasure-room Of the Col
den Gate. The underwriters sent
skilled divers to the scene to attempt
the recovery of this treasure.
The divers, after prolonged ex-
animation, reported that the vessel
had broken in two at the treasure
room, and that the gold had been
buried so deep in the sand, through
the combined action of the surf and
the undertcw, that the recovery of any
portion of it was Impossible. The I'M
derwfiters thereupon abandoned the
attempt
A number of adventurous spirits in
San Francisco, upon learning of this
report, determined TO make personal
examination of the wreck. This they
cid in August, 1862. and corroborated
the report of tho previous divers.
A second expedition went down, and
although not successful, brought back
reports that furnished encouragement
for q third, which started from San
Francisco in October, 1868.
This expedition sailed in two schoon-
ers. the r. B. Potter, a former pilot
boat of seventy tons, and the Naiad
a little craft of Thirty tons previously
used for collecting gulls' eggs fror
the Farallone Islands There wer4
ten men on each vessel, including div
ers and engineers, and there was al
the necessary apparatus
The diving apparatus was put into
shape; the. two schooners were Inoored
at q safe distance from the breakers
the air pump, with it's attendants
was placed in position on the launch;
and one Of the divers, in his snbmar.
inc suit, dropped over the side, bu
did not vanish Since the water was
but four fathoms deep and clear as
crystal, he could easily be seen as HI
walked along the bottom toward tb'
wreck. A stream Of air-bubbles rose
behind him, hnc fish and sharks fec
from him in every direction.
AS he approached the wreck anC
found shallow er water with each step
it was seen that the furious surf an'
the undertow forced him by degree
to stoop until he was crawling alonl
on all tours. When he was directl,
over the wreck he began to emplo.
the ingenious apparatus to which yh
adventurers Looked for success.
This apparatus consisted of a bras
pine. with a nozzle two and one-hal
inches in diameter, which was at
tached to five hundred feet OF hos
leading TO n steam-pump on board tn
Naiad. A continuous stream Of ws
ter, as powerful as that from a fir
engine. was to be forced through II
lose: and this, it was hored won't
roll the sard TO such a state that II
diver could grad Tally settle down in'
it and lay hold of The treasure.
AS soon as he reached the pla'
where he was to work the diver gay
The signal to start the pump.
After an hour of expectancy by tho
above, the diver signalcd to stop Il
pump. and then came to the surfaC
After being relieved of his helmet.
drew in = few breaths of fresh air Al
reported.
Everything is ell right so far b
there is a lot more work. to be do
tban we bargained for The sand b
accumulated SO that where VIC eXpe'