National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-08-22
The Wawassct Disaster.
The story Of the Captain.


Capt. Wood, Of the burned steamer
Wawasset, makes the following state
ment,--
The fire broke out at twenty-five min
utes past twelve o'clock, between
Thorns Gut and Chatterton. ! was in
the pilot house Mt the time. A fireman
came in and told me that the boat was
on fire below Immediately came out,
and found the flames reached quite to
the hurricane deck, along the walking
beam. then saw it was impossible to
get to the lileboats, which were on after
quarters on each, to lower them,
although they were full Of passengers.
threw water on the wheel ropes, so as
to keep her Storage all right, and
passed buckets of water from below to
the hurricane deck for the purpose, as /
became satisfied there was no hope of
saving the vessel, and the only chance
to save the passengers 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 Il half minute before she
struck the shore, and the boat ran
length before she came to dead stop
and grounded in less than five feet of
water from the bow. / remained on the
hurricane deck until the flames had
burned the window curtain in my room,
and the saloon windows, below, were
shooting forth fiery darts. | then came
down on the forward deck and did w'at
! could to save the passengers. a great
many were afraid to jump overheard. |
assured them they were safe in jumping,
as the water from the bow was not over
their heads, and upon this assurance
one or two made n leap, and many 9TH
ers, seeing that the water was shallow,
followed their example and were saved.
1t was with difficulty l checked them
jumping over in large bodies and drown
ing each other during the excitement.
! am satisfied that nearly all lives lost
were lost i'll the stern of the boat, the
flames driving that way and forcing the
passengers to Jump or be burned.
Just before / left the boat heard
lady-Mrs. Taylor, of Alexandria-cry-
ing for help from the rear of the vessel.
| saw her hanging to the middle chains,
and sent boat to her rescue and saved
her. / am satisfied the excitement
caused undue loss of life, and that every
passenger was saved who jumped over
board forward. A great many lives were
lost on the lifeboats by being overcrowd-
ed. Before the boat stopped one of
them was crowded with colored passen-
gers, and when she was cut loose the
stern bulged out and swamped the craft.
About dozen small children were
aboard, and think five or six were lost
The fire caught in the hold, but it is
impossible to tell Just where.
The boat was very dry, almost like
finder, and the flames, when they struck
the oiled machinery, spread like torch.
The cargo was of a miscellaneous nature,
and contained nothing infammable ex-
cept two barrels of whisky, which were
in the forward hold and were among
the last things burned. 1t was entirely
lost. The passenger list and manifest
of the vessel were lost, it being impos-
sible for the clerk to reach the office to
obtain it. AT the time of the accident,
but few of the passengers were asleep |
and none in the state rooms. Some |
were lying down on SOFAS