The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-08-09
SHOCKING CALAMITY.
A Potomac Steamer Burned.
Fifty Lives Reported Lost.

WASHINGTON, Aug. s. The stea mer Wa
wasset of Washington, with q large number of
passengers on board. was burned off Acquia
Creek this evening. Report says that fifty
persons were lost Particulars expected soon.
Second Despatch.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va, Aug. S.-The steam
err Wewasset, running on the Potomac river be-
tween Washington and Curriman, took fire
about II O'Clock to-day at Chatalon landing
and was destroyed. She had about $50 passen-
gers on board, and between 40 and 50 lives were
lost Six bodies had been found up to O'clock
three white ladies, one child and two colored
children, Miss Virginia Washburne af Glymont,
Miss BERTHE Saunders and a child from Curri-
man are among the dead. The others have
not been recognized. Geo. w. Cook of War
renton, Va, is among the missing. Captain
Wood did not leave the steamer until forced to
do so by the flames. The fire was first discov-
er"d in the eng inc room.
The reporter of the Associated Press had an
interview with "Doc" Keuney, the bar-keeper
of the Wawasset, who is the only one of the
passengers or crew Of that vessel that reached
Washington tonight. He came up to this city
on the steamer Express, with an excursion
party from Piney Point. The latter vessel
sighted the wreck about o'clock this after
noon and picked up Kenney, who had been
sent out in small boat to come up to Wash
ingtOn. The passengers and crew of the Waw-
asset at that time all cared for at Stewards
wharf, near the scene of the disaster Kenney
states that the Wawasset left here at o'clock
this morning, on her regular weekly trip to
Cone River, with III registered passengers and
quite large cargo of freight for river landings.
Just before reaching Chatterton's landing on
the Virginia side of the Potomac, about five
miles below Acquia Creek, and after the whs
tie of the boat had been blown as signal of
her approach to that landing, the steamer at
the time being about a third of a mile from the
shore, fire was discovered in the hold and the
hose was attached Immediately. but before the
men could reacn it the conhagration became
general.
The fire had been smouldering it is supposed
for some hours, and upon opening the matches
it burst forth with great fury, driving the men
from the hold, and completely battling ri at
tempts to subdue it. In an instant the widest
confusion prevailed on the vessel, the passen-
gers becoming panic stricken and frantic with
fear, very few having the presence OF mind SUI
ficent to take care of themselves.
The steamer was without seconds delay
headed for the shore, on the Virginia side, and
IN few minutes ran aground about 200 yards
flames lad spread with fearful rapidity, and in
the excitement many jumped into the water.
Several jumped overheard before the steamer
struck bottom. She was provided with but two
small boats and in the frenzy OF the moment
one of these boats was thrown overheard and
lost. Capt Wood, of the i'll fated steamer,a and
his assistants are said to have used every effort
TO control the passengers but without avail.
The vessel wrs well provided with life preserv-
ers, but in the panic 1t seems that none OF the
passengers secured them. and this fact also
added to the lamentable loss of life Over 40
passengers were crowded. Up to the time the
Express in which the narrator of this state
ment arrived, left the scene of the wreck, but
five or SIX bodies had beeu recovered, and the
confusion was so great that furtner ilSt OF
names of the lost could not be ascertained,
Kenney states that Captain Wood was the
last man to leave the steamer, and the pilot,
Mr. Rowell, was surrounded by flames before
he left the pilot-bOx which was not until after
he had run the steamer aground. The flames
spread with such rapdity that the tiller ropes
weae on fire before the vessel otruck the
ground
All those lost were, it is supposed, drowned,
having jumped overheard to escape the flames,
The fire was first discovered about twenty min
utes before eleven o'clock, and Kenney states
that in less than ten minutes the vessel was en-
veloped in flames and now lies where she was
run aground, burned to the waters edge.
Chatterton's point is just opposite to Mary
land point, and the survivors OF the disaster
nave been made as comfortable as possible at
Stewards, and near that place, where they will
remain till about 8 o'clock this Saturday morn
ing, at which time the steamer Georgian will
take them on board, expecting to reach this
city about o'clock, p. m.
About One-half the passengers on the Wa
wasset were women and children many of whom
We're en- route to country places along the Po-
tomac, to spend short time pleasuring with
their friends There was quite number of
colored people among the passengers. The Wa
wasset is a side-wheel steamer of about $50 tons
and was engaged in running between Washing
ton and landings alonr the Potomac. She was
insured for S2S0,000. When she left here this
morning 1t was supposed that she was in per-
feet order, and the origin of the fire is at pres
ent unknown.