The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-10

passenger on board; got on In washington for
ten minutes before twelve O'Clock. After the ex-
element became general,
ADVISED THE PASSENGERS 20 KEEP COOL,
as the boat, knew would ground in low water.
Many jumped overheard before she struck and
threw planks to them. Idon't think single person
was drowned OF the forward deck after the boat
struck. Captain Wood was the last man that LEFT the
boat Idon't think there was live passenger anOat
thing was left undone by the officers to save lives
and the boat. ] told many Of the passengers,
aground In low water soon, and you can wade
ashore" They wouldn't heed me, but jumped ex-
citedly into the water. had cousin who jumped
many would have been saved The shrieks OF
women and children were enough to appall the
ARRIVAL. OF THE NATIONAL AT WASHINGTON.
sternwsee boat National Captain Gregg Srous%s
up ten bodies, five women and five children, four
coored children and one white child, the latter
ceiving the news Of the disaster he Immediately
steamed 10 the spot and arrived at about three P.
burned to the waters edge. The crew and pas.
sengers had long since been removed to place Of
aud the dead were scattered along the river at
Stewards wharf, Childs, Liverpool and other land
tngs
THE WRECK HAD BURNED so Low
at SIX O'CLOCK that the water rushed In and IL sunk
in about ten feet Of water. Three OF the white
recognized. On arriving at the wharf the crowd
rushed around the boat but were kept back while
some wharf hands brought them TO the landing,
warehouse OF the ferry company.
APPEARANCE OF THE DEAD.
The features OF the children and some of the
women presented calm and natural appearance;
but in others there were signs of pain. Almost all
on some were spots resembling bHses.
The bodies were laid on some blanks
II a and the police the door
carried to Stewards wharf, about one and half
miles below, and the National took them aboard
EXCITEMENT IN WASHINGTON.
The scenes at the Seventh street wharf last night
YEP Que. RssS His ssan Sns :. ne ne
@ OF ms eS o.
ssoa. NJ MsSennsy s IL Ssfisn S on s'G sss
he ssed he svGs hoarse broken G
tones sMc,Ksnnsy, iOf Gods sake can you not tell
Mckinney replied feelingly:-"N ould to Heaven
could give you some encouragement. but II would
Of
wringing his hands and showing such marks Of
hopeless agony as to bring tears to every eye 1t
at one fell swoop loses his wife, three children and
niece. The children were all under eight years
Of age and the niece Bette Bet RsSd Xa9 beani
ANOTHER DISTRESSING SCENE,
following upon Mr.. Reeds terrible display Of
agony, was presented on the arrival Of Mr. William
Muse-a neighDor of Mr.. Reed's-who had q wife
was shown in . somewhat quieter FORM but was
almost more painful to witness from the cOnvulstve
Violent expressions or grief and v rom the silent
tears running down hts face, and his almost in
articuate attempts to frame words of inquiry.
No one can give any Information as to how the
fire originated but all agree that 1t started In tho
boiler room below her machinery, and that in two
or three minutes all about 'midships was on 1re,
the flames bursting up through the decks and
gangwav thus cutting or all communication be-
tween tne stern ana the a parts OF tne t poa IN
fire broke out the steamer was destroyed. AZ the
windows and doors were all open the draught was
intense, and the doomed boat was soon sheet OF
flame.
MR. SAMUEL NASH, ASSISTANT ENGINEER,
and saved his father. He does not know the name
OF the old gentleman, but describes him as short
Mr.. Robert Nash states that the scene of terror
among the women and children exceeds anything
he ever witnessed IN his experience OF thirty years.
steamboat engineering; that the situation was
such that 1t was utterly impossible 70 do anything
to save them more than was done; that the fear
| nell into the water. He thinks several OF the
children were burned to death.
Miss Cornelia Hobb: beautiful young lady re-
siding on street. between Fourth and Fifth
streets was under the protection Of Mr.. Michigan:
get her to the SIDE Of the boat her Clothing took
! fire and he was forced to leave her. She persisted
in the danes and Mr.: McGuigan swan ashore.
Raglan, Of South washington, now residing in
Alexandria, was drowned, as also her two chill
are missing The scene at the identification Of the
remains by the mother was one which brought
Mrs Taylor, widow lady, with her child, with
q small valise, Jumped overheard and was seen to
nae The other Child is believed to nave
lost
pany this morning was OF the most narrowing de-
scripton. Hundreds Of persons, Of all ages, color
sex, ana almost oil conditions in life, stepped
linen covering from over the dead, looked
to see II they could recognize In the insensi-
Friend or There %as
women and shuddeEng men, who turned away
heart sick from the sad and ghastly sight. The
features, rigid in death. disclosing the terrible
suffering that had been undergone before the eyes
were forever closed In death. 1t was sad picture,
and one long TO be remembered by those who saw
It this beautiful August morning. The river that
mem on ay and apI s ne
yesterday, when those now cold IN death started
out from the same place On their journey whose
end was fated to be death.
THE DEAD CHILDREN.
But Of all the sights that could melt the heart Of
four four coored and one White There death had made
them equal From unoer the snowy sheet pro
dS ike the tiny Of Sess helpless
S they Eat appear 9s es sssSu 81 sse
eousness beside the features Of the little ones.
How many are lost 1t Is now impossible TO say.
Boats are at ChattertOn's graphing for the dead
bodies and reports are expected hourly. The
Keyport did not bring any additional news on her
arrival at one O'Clock to-day.
Ofiicers of the steamer Wawaset state that many
OF the passengers bound to the different landings
on the river were saved and started on through
the country and that there were not above thirty
lost including children. This however, is quite
uncertain. There were about this number OF chill
dren on board, and very few OF them were saved.
AN INQUEST WAS HELD
by the authorities near the scene of the disaster
yesterday, and verdict rendered in accordance
with the facts The Jury, as will be seen, entirely
excnerated Captain Wood from all blame In the
matter and gave him certificate to that effect.
The following is the verdict OF the jury
ave, the jury OF inquest called to view the dead
bodies lost on the steamer Wawassett Oh day and
to inquire into the Of the disaster To the said
steamer, find that, not knowing the condition OF
the steamer, we cannot say as to the cause, but
from the examination we exonerate the officers OF
said boat from all blame, as all the passengers
festifx that they did their duty.