Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-19
BURNING OF THE WAWASET,
Official investigation of the Disaster
TESTIMONY Before THE TREASURY BOARD fo.DAy,

iPs W 'ut WaWSset us2ster was continued to-
day, in the rooms o. the supervising Inspector
general of steaml oats, in the Treasury depart
ne1t.
TESTIMONY OF THOMAS 4. MASSEY.
Resides in Westmoreland county, Va; was a
passenger on board the waweset; after the
boat left Liverpool point lay dow on the star
board side of the boat and fell asleep; some one
woke me up and said, " Friend, wake no the
steamboat IS afire;" looked upon it as joke;
could see no smoke; almost an irstant there
after saw the smoke and flame; went II the
hurricane deck and afterwards passed ID the
forward deck; heard some one say they were
arranging the hose to work on the ire; noticed
the mate, captain and some of the deck hands
using buckets and throw ing water on the flames;
the captain told the passengers forward after
the boat had grounded that IL was time to get
OF; Capt. Woods was the last man on board:
was on the stsrboard side of the boat, forward
OF the weeel, when the alarm was given.
Y. Did you see any one attempt to man the
A. No, sir. did not; my Impressions that
the tre originated under the for ward gangway;
tins is oriy my opinion; can't tell where It had
Q. How long after the alarm was given was
II, DO you think, before you saw the smoke and
A. can't tell-it all came together.
Q.sDid the officers do their duty?
a.. Yes; they did all they could have done.
A. Well, the pilot headed her for shore the
men used the heaviDg lines and filled the buck
ets, and the captain and mate both threw water
on the tlier ropes; the captain stood on the for
ward deck and no Tered until he couldn't "hoi-
low" any longer, to bring boats in from the
shore; don't think if the boat had been stoned
any lives would have been saved; am so con-
hrmed in tins opinion that if Capt Woods adj
stopped the boat would have killed him. and
would have thought l was doing a justifable
deed; the beat thing possible to do was done,
and that was Bleaching the boat.
q. Did you see any negligence on the part of
the officers or crew before the alarm OF firc2
A. Not the least.
Q. Were you at any time around the engine
J 1uSe?
A. Yes, before breakfast was; the bar room
is a little forward of the engine room door, on
the port side; did not see any of the officers
drink at the bar; never saw the engineer az any
time out OF the reach OF the engine; he was a
man who seemed to be very attentive to his bus
mess; the boat WIS well supplied with life pre-
servers; they were hanging up between the
decks, some in racks. some piled on shelves and
L think some on the floor; they were easy OF ac-
cess; nothing barred he passengers from get
ting them, except pre- sence of mind; don Z think
the officers had time to distribute life preser yers
among the passengers; it would have bothered
them considerably to have got round; don,
know how the life boat was fixed; there were
davits there, but don't know whether the boat
was attached thereto OF not; saw cranes there
too; think the boat was hung on them; don't
know for certain; / wont swear to il.
TESTIMONY OF CHARLES HEBRON,
Am a farmer; reside In King George county.
just before the boat got TO Chatterton, I was
standing with my daughter at the gangway to
get of; very soon the alarm was sounded and a
rush was made for the boat which was lowered
to go to the landing; got out Of the way and
went to the forward deck; was assisted to the
hurricane deck by Mr.. Wheeler; as soon as the
boat struck, l Jumped overheard and swan
ashore with my child; 1t was only few minutes
alter the alarm W; given before the boat was
smothered with smoke; saw Mr.. Wheeler hely
two colored women to the hurricane deck: sIw
none of the officers except Mr.. Wheeler until /
got ashore; saw no male passengers assist the
ladies'; didn't take notice; had all wanted II
do to save myself and child; there were a good
many passengers aft when jumped overheard;
am acquainted with the engineer; did not see
him at any time during the day over six feet
from his engine; never saw anv Of the officers in
the bar-room; did not see the engineer in or
about the bar at any time during the day; saw
life preservers in slats-plenty or them; could
reach them handy; did not see any of the officers
assist passengers, because 1 didn't see any but
Mr. Wheeler; he assisted me, and others; when
jumped into the water / swan away from the
boat, thinking 1t best to keep away from those
already in the water have idea as 10 the origin
OF the hre; the yawl boat that was lowered was
very much crowded; the passengers were very
much excited Mr.. Grayitt, the mate, attempted
TO keep back the crowd, but could not; don't
think there were more than twenty in the boat;
would hold more, but they tumbled in every
way, head first, backwards, and almost in any
shape, so they got in; when the rope broke
away In the bow, saw had no chance to get
smell anything like coal oil around the engine
house.
q: From the time the boat was put a1rift IN.
til the time you left the steamer how long was
1t TO the best OF your knowledge?
A. Well, don't think it was over three or four
minutes;havea general knowled ze OF small boats
on steamers; think If we could have had time to
have gstten the boat down a great many pas
sengers would have been saved, but in my judg-
ment, and according to my recollection, the offi-
GERS did not have the time.
IN lu he hah hnap
effort had have been made to get the passengers
forward DO you think they could have been got
A. No, sir; made as good time as any body
and the fire met me.
TESTIMONY OF r. D. BKCRLEY, CoLoRED.
Reside in Alexandria am a special agent in
the Post Office department. was passenger on
the wawaset; took passage at Alexandria to 90
to Cone river; the boat left Alexandria at H
teen minutes past seven; when got to Smiths
al Ter passing Smiths Point went to the bar
and got another drink; turned TO my left and
discovered smoke coming from over the sheath
ing on the boilers; a colored man soon after
wards ran through the boat and cried Fire,
Flrei Fire!" 1 went to the aft of the boat and
tod the ladies TO keep quiet, the fire would soon
be out; ! then went up stairs to get my satchel
and could not return the same way | went up;
| then went TO the lower deck and got box;
heard some one say "don't jump wait until the
boat stops" when the boat stopped running l,
q. Have you any idea of the origin Of the
fire?
A. Well, l am satisfied am the first one who
discovered the fire, aud the smoke issued from
the sheathiDg of the boiiers am of the opinion
the officers could not have got att; those that
were att could not get forward and those that
were forward could not get aft; don't think
the fire could have been extiDguished, the time
was go short and the flames so rapid.
Q. Are you acquainted with the engineer?
A: Not personally; paid no attention to him
At all. the m nf q tar, fha
never heard they had an article with my sigma
ture to ii.
Q. Who waited on You at the bar?
A. Well, don't know; 1 would know him,
think, IL l saw him again. witness was re-
quested to look around the room and see IL he
recognized the person who waited on him at the
bar. Witness recognized Mr.. McKenna as
having waited on him; no one else
q. Did you at any time state TO Mai. McPhail
that the engineer waited on you at any time?
A. Yes, think did.
q. Who was 1t?
A. The engineer; he served me with glass
of ale.
[Mr. Nash was requested to stand before the
witness.l
@. Is that the man?
A. think 1t is; it looks like him; wont be
too positive.
Q. How did you make the assertion to Mai.
McPhail III you are not positive.
A. When 1 went to the bar saw O gentle
man outside who waited on me and Mr., Emer-