Lyr. Add: Loss of the "Central America"
John A. Stone
Air: Carry Me Back to Old Virginny

The "Central America" painted so fine,
Went down like a thousand of brick,
And all the old tubs that are now on the line
Will follow her, two at a lick.
'Twould be very fine if the owners were aboard,
And sink where they never would rise;
'Twould any amount of amusement afford,
And cancel a million of lies.

"Twould be very fine were the owners aboard,
And sink where they never would rise;
'Twould any amount of amusement afford,
And cancel a million of lies.

These murdering villains will ne'er be forgot,
As long as America stands;
Their bones should be left in the ocean to rot,
And their souls be at Satan's commands.
They've murdered and swindled the people for years
And never will be satisfied
Till death puts an end to their earthly careers,
Then may they with demons reside.

They've murdered and swindled the people for years
And never will be satisfied
Till death puts an end to their earthly careers,
Then may they with demons reside.

P. 7, John A. Stone, "Put's Golden Songster."
This song was reprinted in Dwyer and Lingenfelter, 1965, "The Songs of the Gold Rush," pp. 36-37, with music.
Because of the loss of the steamship in a hurricane, I have copied the song although my intent was to post only songs by Stone not easily available elsewhere.

The loss near Cape Hatteras of the sidewheel steamship in the hurricane of 1857, while en route from Havana to New York, with the loss of 566 lives of 626 persons aboard, caused a shock across America. Passengers numbered 525, of whom perhaps 20 were saved. The ship was carrying the California mails, and a treasure of at least $2,000,000 in gold bars, a chest of 1857 $20 gold coins, and an unknown quantity of gold dust.
The ship, formerly the George Law, had been built by the United States Steamship Company, often accused of profiteering and poor procedures in the operation of its California division (Stone's reference to 'old tubs'). It was claimed by some, however, that the "Central America" was the staunchest of vessels.
Several other vessels were lost or damaged in the storm, but with little loss of life. The area around Wilmington, N. C., suffered much damage.

In 1988, a large amount of gold in bars and coin was salvaged from the remains of the wreck. The quantity of cold coin salvaged suggests that more than one chest was aboard.