Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-08-13
The Steamer Wawassett Burned.
More Than Fifty Lives Lest.
A scene of Confusion and Terror.


-.
A scene of Confusion and Terror.
WASHINGTON, Aug, 9.-The Wawasset
horror is fully confirmed. Most of the pas
sengers persisted, She left Washington on
her regular passenger trip for Cone river.
She burned off Chatterton landing where
there is no wharf the passengers and
freight for that point being discharged
by small boats. One boat had beeen low
cred when the flames burst. The vessel
is two hundred yards from the shore, and
nothing remains but n broken shaft and
the smoke stacks. The number of pas
sengers registered when she left Washing
ton was 10, but she received and dscharg-
ed passengers at various landings, of
whom there is no record.
Fifty Passengers Lost.
The loss is probably fifty passengers and
two of the crew. The cause of the fire is
unknown. AS soon as the flames were dis
covered she headed for the shore, but
struck on bar on the Virginia side.
Many ladies and children We're aboard
visiting friends sojourning at places of re-
sort down the river, also many colored
| people. Ten bodies have reached the wharf,
| five of whom are unknown. All accounts
applaud the gallantry of the Captain and
| crew.
| Statement of the Captain.
Captain John r. Woods, of the Wawas-
SET, is burned around the neck and ears
! slightly. His account is substantially as
| follows The fire broke out at twenty-five
| minutes past two o'clock, between Thorn's
| Gut and Chatterton. / was in the pilot
| house at the time. A fireman came in and
| told me that the boat was on fire below. /
Immediately came out, and found that the
flames reached quite to the hurricane deck,
along the walking beam. l then saw that
it was impossible TO get to the life boats,
which were on the after quarters on each
side, to lower them, although they were
full of passengers. I threw water OH the
| wheel-ropes, 50 az to keep her steerage all
right, and passed buckets OF water from
below TO the hurricane deck, for the same
purpose, as / became satisfied that there
| was
No Hope of saving the Vessel,
and that the only chance of saving the pas
sengers was to keep her going, she heading
for the beach. The boat reached the beach
in about twelve or thirteen minutes after
the alarm was given. In less than five
minutes after the alarm was given, the fire
was in the rear of the pilot-house. The
engine refused to work about half a min
ute before she struck the shore, and the
boat run length before she came to a dead
stop, and grounded in less than five feet of
water on the bow. l remained on the hur-
ricane deck until the flames had burnt the
window curtains in my room, and the ga
loon windows below were spouting forth
fiery darts.
Scene of Confusion.
then came down on the forward deck
and did what l could to save the passen-
gers. A great many were afraid TO jump
overheard. | assured them that they were
safe in jumping as the water from the bow
was not over their neads, and upon this as
surance one or two made leap, and many
, others seeing that the water was shallow
followed their example and were saved. Ii
was with great difficulty that | checked
J them from jumping over in large numbers
: and drowning each other during the eX
element. j am satisfied that nearly al
} the lives lost were lost on the stern of the
: boat, the flames driving that way and fore
ing the passengers to jump or be burnt
How IA Lady was Saved.
; Just before I left the boat, / heard
{ lady, Mrs. Taylor of Alexandria, crying
for help from the rear of the vessel [ saw
her hanging to the middle chains, and sen
a boat to her rescue and saved her. l an
satisfied the excitement caused undue loss
/ of life, and that every passenger was saved
who jumped overheard forward. a grea
many lives were lost on the life boats 10y
being overcrOwded Before the boat
stopped one of them was crowded will
colored passengers and when she was GU
. loose the stern bulged out and sWampeC
the craft. About dozen small children
were aboard and think five or six wer,
lost. The fire caught in the hold but it il
impossible TO tell just where. The boa
4 was very dry, almost like finder aud tn,
flames when they struck the oiled ma
. chinery spread like a torch. The cargo
was of a miscellaneous nature and contain
. ing nothing infiammabe except two barrels
of whisky, which were in the forward holo
l. and were anon; the last things burned
1t was entirely lost.
. WhaI Became of Passengers
The passenger list and manifest of til,
vessel was lost, il being impossible for tn,
, clerk to reach the office to obtain it at tn,
time of the accident.
But few of the passengers were asleeI
and left in the state room, though some
were lying down on sofas. The Georgian
' ma came along on her way from Baltimore
, and brought up few of the passengers
= and others are awaiting other boats tC
come home on. All were taken care of
The steamers value | estimate at $4,000
= The HI-Fated steamer.
WASHINGTON, August 1.-THE Super
1 vsing Inspector of steamboats, for thi
District, arrived here to day, and will, by
D order of the Secretary Of the Treasury
commence on Wednesday full investiga
ton of the recent steamboat disaster OF
a the Potomac. A thorough account of tn,