Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-08-21

the machinery and that in two or three
minutes all about mid-ships was on flre,
the flames bursting up through the decks
and gangway, thus cutting of all CON-
munication between the bow and aft parts
of the boat. In less than twenty five min
utes from the time the fire broke out the
steamer was destroyed. As the windows
and doors were all open. the draft was in
tense, and the doomed boat was soon
sheet of flames.
Mr.. Robert Nash, the ChiefEngineer,
states that the scene of terror among the
women and children exceeds anything ne
ever witnessed in his experience of thirty
years steamboat engineering; that the sit
l,ation was such that it was utterly impos-
sible to do anything to save them more
than was done; that the fear OF the women
of the fire caused them to jump pell-mei
into the water He thinks several Of the
children were burned to death.
The crushing blow that wiped nearly
whole family out of existence in the case
of Officer Reed, Of the Metropolitan
Police, appears to have been even more
sweeping it its effects than first reported.
Mr. Reed not only loses his wife, three
children, and niece, Bette Reed, but also
an aunt, Miss Julia Kelley, whose name
appears elsewhere among the victims.
The Mrs Reed who persisted on the
Wawaset was his second wife, to whom
he had been married only about year.
Among the victims was Mr.. George
Cook, grocer, Seventh street southwest,
between ID and E. He had two little
children with him, and while he was
struggling in the water making fight for
life, he was seen holding his youngest
child to the surface, crying, "Oh, my God,
save my babyv' 1t was supposed that
the older child had already. persisted.
There was report that Mr.. Cook was
subsequently seen alive on shore, but
there has been nothing received to con-
firm the rumor, and 1t is probable that ne
and his two children all persisted.
1t may seem strange that SO many
women and children were upon the Wa
waset. as she was not running as an excur-
sion boat, and was making only her regu-
lar trip to Cone River and intermediate
landings; but it seems that quite num-
Der of families were seeking country re-
sorts for the heated and sickly term dur.
ing the present month. There were,
therefore, comparatively few male passen-
gers on board, and the females, without
experience to guide them, ard not know
ing what to do in the emergency, were
capable of little more than frantic but
useless efforts to save the lives of their
children.
The life-boat, which was in the stern of
the Wawaset, as soon as the fire gained
headway, was crowded by excited men,
women and children. II was impossible
for the officers of the vessel to reach it and
lower the same to the waters edge. 1t
finally broke under the weight of those
in it, and bulged in the stern and was
swamped Nearly all who had taken
refuge in it were lost There was a sec
ond boat almost as large as the life-boat,
which was thrown overheard by the pas
sengers while the steamer was under
Roadway, and onlya few were able to
reach it. Some of the passengers jumped
from the steamer into it, while others
who were i'm the water were drawn in by
those already within it. In an attempt to
Jump into it one passenger was struck
by the wheel and sustained slight in
juries.
The origin of the fire seems to be
question Of doubt The Captain thinks it
originated in the forward end Of the bow,
but his opinion conflicts with the state
ment of others He thinks sparks from
the smoke-box were blown into the hold,
and coming i'm contact with the dry wood,
easily ignited into flames, and the boat,
being almost as dry as finder, was soon
ignited. Taking all the statements pub
lished, it is generally conceded that the
fire broke out in the hold amidships, and
spread with alarming rapidity From the
time of the discovery of the fire, the boat
was burnt to the main deck and waters
edge within less than twenty minutes; in
deed, as the engineer told reporter of
the Star, Gin less time than i can give you
my statement"
The excitement which existed can be
Judged from the fact that the boat had
nearly five hundred life.preservers aboard,
and only two were used-one placed by
Mr. Emerson upon a small child this
daughter), and one which he used him.
self They were both saved. Mr. Elmer
son felt so grateful for his preservation by
its means, that he took it with HIM TO
Alexandria, and said to several friends
who congratulated him upon his lucky
escape, that he would keep it as long as
he lived.
From the statements of those on board
the boat, il seems that the officers stood
firmly by their posts, and did everything
i'm their power to save lives and allay ex-
element. On all sides their conduct has
been commended, and no blame for the
disaster seems to attach itself to any OF
them Washington Star, Aagust 0.