Description
The UNION (built 1849; side wheel paddle steamer) cargo manifests (SAFR 13551, HDC 6) consists of three documents dated April
20, 1931, April 20, 1851 and June 27, 1851.
Background
Vessel History: The UNION was a side wheel paddle steamer built in 1849 by Birely & Sons, Philadelphia, for Richard Lopes,
owner. It was a wooden vessel of 593 tons, measuring 180' x 26' x 13'. The UNION left New York for San Francisco on 10/31/1850,
and arrived in April 1851. The ship was taken over by Peoples Line (aka Independent Line), and was intended to serve between
San Francisco and Panama. On July 1, 1851, she sailed San Francisco for Panama with 250 passengers and $300,000 in specie.
On July 5th, after reportedly heavy celebrations by the crew, the ship grounded at Rosario, near San Diego. All passengers,
luggage and specie were safely landed on shore, and were picked up two weeks later (on July 19th, 1851). The ship was not
refloated, and eventually broke up in the surf.