The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-08-23 00:00:00

THE STEAMBOAT DISASTER ON THE
POTOMAC.

Detailed accounts of the recent catastrophe on the
Potomac are given in the New York journals. One of
the survivors, a man named Kenney, states that the
Wawassat left Washington at nine o'clock on the
morning of the 18th, on her regular weekly trip to
Cane river, with 117 paseengers and • large cargo of
freight for river landing. Just before reaching Chatter
ton landing, on the Virginia side of-the Potomac, about
five miles below Mute Creek, and after the whistle of the
boat had been blown as a signal of her approach to the
landing, the steamer at the time being about a third of
a mile from the bh ore, tiro was discovered in the hold.
The hose was attached immediately, but before the
men c add reach it the conflagration became general,
an the fire had been burning tor some time. It had
hen kmouldering, it is supposed, for some hours, and
on the hatches being opened it burst forth with great
lure, driving the men from the hold, and completely
baffling all attempts to subdue it. In an instant the
wildest confusion prevailed on the vessel, the passengers
he .owitig panic:stile:ken attil frantic with fear, very
few having presence of mind sufficient ti take care of
thrmselves. The strainer, with' dut a sermal's delay
wee headed for the shore, and Virginia side, and in a
few minutes run aground about one hundred yes&
from the Virginia bank. At thin time the if sines had
spread with fearful rapidity, and in the excitement
many jumped overboard. Several of them jumped
into the water before the steamer struck b Atom. She
was provided with but two small boats, and in the
frenzy of the moment one of these boats was thrown
overboard and lost by the idaesengers, who, uncontrolled,
were endeavouring to launch her. Captain Wood, of
the ill fated steamer, and his assistants, are said to
have used every effort to control the passengers, but
without avail ; anti but for the disobedience of 9rdera
many who were loat would have been saved. The
vessel WEIA well provided with life-preeervers, but in
the panic, it seems, none of the passengers secured
them, and this also addled to the lamentable loss of life.
Over forty paesengers were drowned.
Kenney states that Captain Wood was the last man
to leave the steamer, and the pilot, Mr. Boswell, was
eurrounded by Hamra before he left the pilot-box,
which was not until he had rim the steamer airman I.
The names spread with such rapidity that the tiller
ropes were on tire before the vessel struck ground. All
those Met were, it is supposed], drowned, having
jumped overboard to escape the flames. The tire was
first (Her 'tiered about forty minutes past ten o'clock,
and Kenny states that in lees than ten minutes the
vessel wise enveloped in flames, and now lies where she
was run aground, burned to the water's, edge. About
one-half the passengers on board the Wauwasett were
women and cunt Iren, many of whom were en route to
the c iuntry places along the Potomac to spend &short
time pleasuring with their friends. There were quite a
number of coloured people among the passengers.