The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-09
APPALLING CALAMITY
TEN BODIES so FAR RECOVERED
CAPTAINS ACCOUNT
THE VERY LATEST PARTICULARS

WASHINGTON, August 9.-~The
Wawasett horror is fully confirmed.
She left Washington yesterday morning on
her regular passenger trip for Cone river.
and was burned off Chatterton landing.
where there is no wharf, passengers and
freight for that point having to be discharg-
ed by small boats. One boat had been
lowered when the flames burst forth, the
| vessel at the time being two hundred Yards
| from the shore.
The number Of passengers registered
when the steamer left Washington was
| one hundred and ten, but she received and
discharged passengers at various landings,
of whom there is no record.
The crew consisted of twelve. The
probable loss is fifty passengers and two Of
the crew. The cause Of the fire is un.
known. AS soon as the flames were dis
| covered the steamer was headed for the
| shore, but she struck on a bar on the
Virginia side. Ten bodies have been recov
cred, five of whom are unknown.
All accounts applaud the gallantry of the
captain and crew.
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
Captain John R. Woods, commander OF
the Wawasett, is burned about the neck
and ears slightly. His account of the dis
aster is substantially as follows:
The fire broke out at 25 minutes past u
o'clock, between Thorngut and Chatter
ton. | was in the pilot house at the time.
A fireman came and told me the boat was
on fire below. Immediately came out and
found the flames reached quite to the
hurrican deck, along the walklng-beam. l
saw that 1t was impossible to get to the
life boats, which were on the other quar-
ters, on each side of the steamer, to lower
them although they were full of passen-
gers. | threw water on the wheel
ropes so as to keep her steerage
| all right, and passed buckets
of water to the hurricane deck for
the same purpose, as | became satisfied
there was no hope for the vessel, and that
the only hope Of saving the passengers was
to keep her going and beach her. The
steamer reached the beach in about twelve
or thirteen minutes after the alarm was
given.
In less than five minutes after the first
alarm the fire was in the rear of the
pilot house. The engine refused to work
about one-half minute before she struck
the shore, and the boat ran a length be-
fore she came to dead stop, and grounded
in less than five feet of water at the bow.
l remained on the hurricane deck until the
| flames had burned the curtains of the win
dows in my room, and the saloon windows
below were shooting forth fiery darts. /
then came, down on the forward deck and
did what | could to save the passengers.
A great many were afraid to Jump over
board, but assured them they were safe
in so doing, as the water at the bow was
not over their heads, aud upon this assur-
ance one or two made the leap, and many
| others seeing the water was shallow
enough, followed their example and were
saved. 1t was with difficulty checked them
from jumping over in large bodies and drown
ing each other in the excitement. | am sat
isfied that all the lives lost were lost IN the
stern Of the boat. the flames driving that
way and forcing the passengers to jump OF
be burned.
just before | left the boat | heard 9
lady, Mrs. Taylor, of Alexandria, crying
for help from the rear Of the vessel. | saw
her hanging to the middle chains, and sent
q boat to her rescue and saved her. | am
| satisfied the excitement caused undue loss
OF life, and that every passenger was saved
who jumped overheard forward. Many
lives were lost in the life boats by being
over-crowded. One of them was crowded
with colored passengers, and when she was
cut loose the stern bulged out and swamped
the craft. There were about dozen
small children aboard, and think FIVE OF
| six were lost.
The wood work of the steamer was very
| dry, almost like tinder, and when the
flames struck the oiled machinery they
spread at fearfully rapid rate.
The cargo was of a miscellaneous nature
and contained nothing inhammable except
two barrels of whiskey, which being il
the hold forward were among the last
things burned. The whole cargo was en-.
tirely lost.
The passenger list and manifest of the
vessel were lost, it being impossible for the
clerk to reach the office to obtain them
At the time of the accident but few of the
passengers were asleep and none in the
state-rooms. Some were lying down on
the sofas.
The steamer Georgiana, from Baltimore,
came along on her way up the river and
took aboard few of the passengers. Many
went down through the country, and Others
are waiting other boats to come home. All
were well taken care of The steamers
value | estimate at $4,000.
|