The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-11
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
Of the Wawasett Horror

Cozsfirmaiion OF the WawasetG Horror.
WAsHSGToN, August 9.--The Wawasett
horror Is fully confirmed. She LETT wash
inston yesterday morning CD her regular
passenger "trip for Cone river, and was
burned of Cbatterton landing, where fhefe
isuo wharf, passengers and freight Tor that
nOint having to be discharged by small
hoats. 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 llo,
but she received aud discharged passengers
ut various landings, OF whom there Is no
record.
The crew consisted Of twelve. sThe prob
sbIe loss is fifty passengers aud two OF the
crew. The cause OF the lire IS unknown.
AS soon as the flames were discovered, the
steamer was headed for the shore, but she
struck bar on the Virginia side. Ten
bodies have been recovered, 1--WE OF whom
are unknown.
All accounts applaud the gallantry Of the
captain and crew.
SIS, TIE cArTArN's STATEMENT.
CAPTAIN John r. Woods, commander OF
the Wawasett, is burned about the neck
aud ears slightly. His account OF the dlsas-
ter is substantially as follows:
The fire broke out at % minutes past IL
O'Clock, between Thorn Gutand ChaSterton.
] was in the piot-housc at the time. a hfe-
man came and told me the boat was on hre
below. Immediately came out, and found
the flames reached quite to the hurricane
deck along the walking-beam. saw that
IL was impossible to get to the life-boats,
which were OH the after quarters on each
side of the steamer, to lower them. although
they were full Of passengers. threw water
on the wheeLropes so as to keep her steer
age all right, and passed buckets OF water
from below to the hurricane deck for the
same purpose as | became satisfied there
was no hope for tue 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 II or 10 minutes
after the alarm was given.
In less than five minutes after the hrst
alarm the fire was in the rear OF the pilot
house. The engine refused to work about
halfa minute before she struck the shore,
and the boat ran length before she came 10
dead stop, and grounded in less than five
feet of water ut the bow.
I remained on the hurricane deck until
the flames had burned the curtains of the
window in my room. and the saloon VIM
dows below were shooting forth hery darts.
] then came down on the forward deck, anu
did what could to save the passengers. A
great many were afraid to jump overheard,
but assured them they were safe in SO
doing. as the water ut the bow was not over
their heads, and upon this assurance 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 drowning each other in
the excitement. am satisfied that all the
lives lost were lost in the stern of the boat,
the flames driving that way and forcing the
passengers to jump or be burned.
just before left the boat I heard lady,
Mrs. Taylor, OF Alexandria, crying for help
from the rear Of the vessel. saw her hang-
ing to the middle chains, and sent boat TO
her rescue and saved her. l am satisfied the
excitement caused undue loss OF life, ana
that every passenger was saved who jumped
overheard forward. Many lives were lost
in the life-boats by being oyercroWded. One
of them was crowded with colorea passen"
gers. and when she was cut loose the stern
bulged out and swamped the craft. There
were about dozen small children ABOARD,
and think five or six were lost.
The woodwork of the steamer was very
dry, almost like finder, and when the flames
struck the oiled machinery they spread at
fearfully rapid rate.
The cargo was of a miscellaneous nature,
and contained nothing inflammable except
two barrels of WhiSkey, which, being III the
hold forward, were among the last things
burned. The whole cargo was entirely 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 pas
sensers 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 tue country, and Others
are awaiting other boats to come home. All
were well taken care Of. The steamers value
estimate at 100000.
[Second Dtspatcl.]
WASHINGTON, August 9.-Another steamer
arrived here at o'clock this evening, bring.
inc I'D three bodies of those who persisted
on the Wawasett. They were Miss Bette
Reed, 4 child of Mr.. Joseph Reed. and a
rolored child whose parents reside on Madi-
son street.
Twelve bodies were washed ashore to-day,
uine OF them being colorcd women and ,
three of them children, who were not identi-
fed. They were all buried on the shore
after full descriptive list Of each body had
been made for future Identification. Per-
sons were engaged in graphing to-day about
the wreck, but only one body was fshcd up,
that of Il colored woman, who could not be
identified.
Another steamer goes down tomorrow to
resume the work OF graphing for the bo-
dies. So far twenty-one bodies have been
recovered, aud it is thought that there are at
Inact o;ubfnnr, t,p,nty who have bppn 1