memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第42章
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end to be ruined by such a course。 I raised the rate of exchange from three to three and a half； while others kept on at the old rate； and I labored hard to collect old debts； and strove； in making new loans； to be on the safe side。 The State and city both denied much of their public debt； in fact； repudiated it； and real estate； which the year before had been first…class security； became utterly unsalable。
The office labor and confinement； and the anxiety attending the business； aggravated my asthma to such an extent that at times it deprived me of sleep； and threatened to become chronic and serious； and I was also conscious that the first and original cause which had induced Mr。 Lucas to establish the bank in California had ceased。 I so reported to him； and that I really believed that he could use his money more safely and to better advantage in St。 Louis。 This met his prompt approval； and he instructed me gradually to draw out； preparatory to a removal to New York City。 Accordingly； early in April； 1857； I published an advertisement in the San Francisco papers； notifying our customers that； on the 1st day of May； we would discontinue business and remove East； requiring all to withdraw their accounts； and declaring that； if any remained on the that day of May； their balances would be transferred to the banking…house of Parrott & Co。 Punctually to the day； this was done； and the business of Lucas； Turner & Co。； of San Francisco； was discontinued； except the more difficult and disagreeable part of collecting their own moneys and selling the real estate； to which the firm had succeeded by purchase or foreclosure。 One of the partners； B。 R。 Nisbet； assisted by our attorney； S。 M。 Bowman； Esq。； remained behind to close up the business of the bank。
CHAPTER VI。
CALIFORNIA； NEW YORK； AND KANSAS。
1857…1859。
Having closed the bank at San Francisco on the 1st day of May； 1857； accompanied by my family I embarked in the steamer Sonora for Panama； crossed the isthmus； and sailed to New York； whence we proceeded to Lancaster； Ohio； where Mrs。 Sherman and the family stopped； and I went on to St。 Louis。 I found there that some changes had been made in the parent； house； that Mr。 Lucas had bought out his partner； Captain Symonds； and that the firm's name had been changed to that of James H。 Lucas & Co。
It had also been arranged that an office or branch was to be established in New York City； of which I was to have charge； on pretty much the same terms and conditions as in the previous San Francisco firm。
Mr。 Lucas； Major Turner； and I； agreed to meet in New York； soon after the 4th of July。 We met accordingly at the Metropolitan Hotel； selected an office； No。 12 Pall Street； purchased the necessary furniture； and engaged a teller； bookkeeper； and porter。 The new firm was to bear the same title of Lucas； Turner & Co。； with about the same partners in interest； but the nature of the business was totally different。 We opened our office on the 21st of July； 1857； and at once began to receive accounts from the West and from California； but our chief business was as the resident agents of the St。 Louis firm of James H。 Lucas & Co。 Personally I took rooms at No。 100 Prince Street； in which house were also quartered Major J。 G。 Barnard； and Lieutenant J。 B。 McPherson； United States Engineers； both of whom afterward attained great fame in the civil war。
My business relations in New York were with the Metropolitan Bank and Bank of America； and with the very wealthy and most respectable firm of Schuchhardt & Gebhard； of Nassau Street。 Every thing went along swimmingly till the 21st of August； when all Wall Street was thrown into a spasm by the failure of the Ohio Life and Trust Company； and the panic so resembled that in San Francisco； that； having nothing seemingly at stake； I felt amused。 But it soon became a serious matter even to me。 Western stocks and securities tumbled to such a figure； that all Western banks that held such securities； and had procured advances thereon； were compelled to pay up or substitute increased collaterals。 Our own house was not a borrower in New York at all； but many of our Western correspondents were； and it taxed my tune to watch their interests。 In September； the panic extended so as to threaten the safety of even some of the New York banks not connected with the West； and the alarm became general； and at last universal。
In the very midst of this panic came the news that the steamer Central America； formerly the George Law； with six hundred passengers and about sixteen hundred thousand dollars of treasure； coming from Aspinwall； had foundered at sea； off the coast of Georgia； and that about sixty of the passengers had been providentially picked up by a Swedish bark； and brought into Savannah。 The absolute loss of this treasure went to swell the confusion and panic of the day。
A few days after； I was standing in the vestibule of the Metropolitan Hotel； and heard the captain of the Swedish bark tell his singular story of the rescue of these passengers。 He was a short； sailor…like…looking man； with a strong German or Swedish accent。 He said that he was sailing from some port in Honduras for Sweden； running down the Gulf Stream off Savannah。 The weather had been heavy for some days； and； about nightfall； as he paced his deck； he observed a man…of…war hawk circle about his vessel； gradually lowering； until the bird was as it were aiming at him。 He jerked out a belaying…pin； struck at the bird； missed it； when the hawk again rose high in the air； and a second time began to descend； contract his circle； and make at him again。 The second time he hit the bird； and struck it to the deck。。。。 This strange fact made him uneasy； and he thought it betokened danger； he went to the binnacle； saw the course he was steering； and without any particular reason he ordered the steersman to alter the course one point to the east。
After this it became quite dark； and he continued to promenade the deck； and had settled into a drowsy state； when as in a dream he thought he heard voices all round his ship。 Waking up； he ran to the side of the ship； saw something struggling in the water； and heard clearly cries for help。 Instantly heaving his ship to； and lowering all his boats； he managed to pick up sixty or more persons who were floating about on skylights； doors； spare； and whatever fragments remained of the Central America。 Had he not changed the course of his vessel by reason of the mysterious conduct of that man…of…war hawk； not a soul would probably have survived the night。 It was stated by the rescued passengers； among whom was Billy Birch； that the Central America had sailed from Aspinwall with the passengers and freight which left San Francisco on the 1st of September； and encountered the gale in the Gulf Stream somewhere off Savannah； in which she sprung a leak； filled rapidly； and went down。 The passengers who were saved had clung to doors； skylights； and such floating objects as they could reach； and were thus rescued； all the rest； some five hundred in number； had gone down with the ship。
The panic grew worse and worse； and about the end of September there was a general suspension of the banks of New York； and a money crisis extended all over the country。 In New York； Lucas； Turner & Co。 had nothing at risk。 We had large cash balances in the Metropolitan Bank and in the Bank of America； all safe； and we held； for the account of the St。 Louis house； at least two hundred thousand dollars； of St。 Louis city and county bonds； and of acceptances falling due right along； none extending beyond ninety days。 I was advised from St。 Louis that money matters were extremely tight； but I did not dream of any danger in that quarter。 I knew well that Mr。 Lucas was worth two or three million dollars in the best real estate； and inferred from the large balances to their credit with me that no mere panic could shake his credit； but； early on the morning of October 7th； my cousin； James M。 Hoyt； came to me in bed； and read me a paragraph in the morning paper； to the effect that James H。 Lucas & Co。； of St。 Louis； had suspended。 I was； of course； surprised； but not sorry； for I had always contended
