Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1873-08-09
Terrible Disaster on the Potomac.

A PASSENGER STEAMER BuRNED-ovER 40 LIVES
Losr-THE STEAMER AwILMINaroN-BUILr BOAT.
The steamer Wd'oaset. plying on the Potomac
river between Washington and Curriomari, was
burned during her trip, yesterday. There were
III registered passengers on board, of whom
more than 40 are missing who are supposed to
have been either burned or drowned.
The Wd1aset is a Wilmington-built steamer,
having been constructed by Pusoy. Jones Co,
prior to the war for Captain Taggert, of Phila-
delphia. When first built she was employed in
the transportation of passengers between Phila-
delphia and Collins Beach, as we'll as other
points down the bay. During the war she was
sold to the Government for transport. She
was a side-wheel steamer OF about $50 tons, aud
was insured for s29 900.
A Washington dispatch furnishes the particu-
lars.
Just before reaching Chatterton's Landing
on the Virginia side of the Potomac, about five
miles below Acquia Creek, aud after the whistle
of the boat had been blown az signal OF her
approach to that landing, the steamer at th o
time being about third OF mile from the
shore, fire was discovered in the hold, and the
hose was attached Immediately, but before the
men could reach it, the coDtiagration became
general, as tho fire had been burning for some
time. The fire had been smouldering, it is sup
posed, for some hours, and upon opening the
matches il burst forth with great fury, driving
the man from the hold and completely baf1ln g
all attempts to snbdne 1t. In less than an in-
stAnt
THE Widest CONFUSION
prevailed on the vessel, the passengers becom-
ing panic-stricken and frantic with fear,very few
having presence OF mind snihclent 70
take care of themselves. The steamer was,
without second delay headed for the shore on
the Virginia side. and in few minutes run
aground, about two hundred yards from the Vlr,
ginia shore. By this time the hames had spread
- o.,A 10 fhA al I'M nINf
mony jumped overheard, several OF them jump
ing into tho water before the steamer struck the
bottom She was provided with but two small
boats, and in the frenzy of the moment, one oil
these was thrown overheard and lost by the pas
sengers, who, uncontrolled, WeIe ehueaForhb "
launch her.
Captsin Wood, of the Inflated steamer, and
his assistants are said to have used every enoTl
to control the passengers, but without avail, anc
but for this disObedience OF orders, many VINO
we're lost would have been saved. The vesse
was we'll provided with life preservers but in the
panic it seems that none of the passengers Sc
cure them, and this fact also added to the la
mentabe less OF life.
OVER FORTY PASSENGERS WERE DROWNED,
among whom were Mrs. Reed and three children
| the wife and children Of Policeman Reed, o.
Washington, and his niece, name not yet ascer
| tanned Adeline jenkins, ehambermald. and
| deck hand, name unknown; Mrs. Virginia Mar
bury of Glymont; Miss BERTHE Sanders and
| child, Of Curriomari, Va.
Kenney states that Captain Wood was the las
man to leave the steamer, and the pilot, Mr.
Boswell, was surrounded by the flames before
| he left the pilot box, which was not until aftel
| he had run the steamer aground The tiame
/ spread with such rapidity that the tiller rope
i were on fire before the vessel struck the ground
/ All of those lost, it s supposed, were drowned
| having jumped overheard to escape the flames
| The fire was first discovered about twenty min
| utes before eleven clock, and Kenney state
| that in less than ten minutes the vessel was en-
| yeloped in flames, and now lies where she wal
| run aground, burned to the waters edge.