The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-16
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
LATEST FROM WASHINGTON.
Especial telegram to the Dispatch.l
Investigation into the Cause Of the
Wawasett Disaster.

| 1nFeStaERthOn InS0 the SRuSe Oh Tile
Wawesett Disaster.
WASHINGTON, D. c., August 15.-Commo
dore Rose, Of Savannah, inspector Of hulls,
and John Z. Edgar, inspector OF boilers at
Norfolk, began the official investigation into
the causes of the Wawasett disaster to-day,
the examination being conducted in the
| rooms of the Supervising Inspector-General
of Steamboats,, in the Treasury Department.
The two first witnesses examined were
James d. Lowry, inspector of hulls at Balti-
more, and w. o. saville, inspector of boil
ers for the same district. s#-
The former testified that he examined the
Wawasett on the 4th Of last March, and con-
sidered her A No. in every respect, while
Mr.. SaYille testified that his examinations
proved that there was an abundance of life
preservers, all admirably placed. The boiler
| was thoroughly overhauled in Baltimore
last March, and Inspector Saville says he con-
sidered the Wawasett us safe as any steamer
in the District.
The statement Of Captain Woods, vino
! commanded the lost steamer, was very SINH
| lar to his previous statements of the disaster.
| He testified that he was in the pilot-house at
| the time of the alarm. "My papers, as mas"
! ter of the vessel, were destroyed by fire.
The fireman gave me the alarm. He stopped
| me and said, Captain the boat is Oh fire !
l said, Keep cool; don't raise any excite
ment.' / thought could get down into the
| hold and put it out without raising
any excitement, but in very few minutes
the flames reached the hurricane deck. l
saw there was no chance to save her, and
ordered her to be beached at Chatterton
| landing. The machinery refused to work
just before she struck. If the bow ropes of
the life-boat had not been cut am satisfied
none in that boat, which was crowded,
would have been lost. l had pilot
license when I took command of the
boat. 1t was out last July. l did not
get it renewed because I was licensed
pilot / had no United States license
as master. I was ignorant that 1t
was necessary; am registered as muster at
| the Alexandria custom-house. In case OF
| fire under the same circumstances would
pursue the course did with the Wawasett.
think the fire originated in the fireman's
room, and when the door was opened it
burst out in flames. Don't think stopping
the boat would have checked the fire. !
think if I could have stopped the boat less
lives would have been lost, but it was inl-
possible, as the engineer was driven from his
post in an instant. There was no possible way
to get to the aft part of the boat to instruct
the passengers in the use of the life-prc-
servers. No officer was in attendance upon
the small boats. The boat was not over six
or seven minutes beaching. The boat
beached in about one hundred and fifty
wards from shore. There was not over four
and half feet OF water. think she struck
on a lump, for when | left she began to
iswing around. All the attention that was
given to the passengers was forward. have
no idea us to the cause Of the fire, unless
there were matches in the tireman's room, or
some one smoking, or a lamp. Idon't think
we had over one hundred and twenty-five
passengers aboard. There were great
many children, but we kept no register Of
them. I think our certificate allowed us to
carry one hundred and fifty passengers"
| CAPTAIN Woods also said that he was under
the impression that the certificate allowed
the boat to carry one hundred and fifty pas
sengers-if only fifty were allowed it would
| T., s., tI,o, cni1 q q
between 400 and 500 life-preserTers OH
board. They weighed six pounds, and
would float the heaviest persons. The life
boat was attached to the daYits, in readiness
for use, and was thrown overheard. The
yawl boat vas cut by passenger. lie cut
the bow-!ne. The moment she was cut she
upped, and the bow falling brought the
stern up with a snatch, and jerked it right
out No one would have been lost in the
vawl had the passenger who cut the bow.
!; line left the boat alone until the steamer
beached.
The mate, engineer, pilot, several deck
hands, and others were eXamined-all test
flying to the excellent equipment of the
steamer in all the requirements of the law
No one could tell how tie fire originated, ant
: all were agreed that there were more thar
abundance of life.preservers. So that tht
origin of the fire is still profound mystery
and the appalling loss OF life, even more ter
rible than at first appeared, owingto circum
: stances that only two on the ill-Eatcd steamc
were able to avail themselves oftEe abuDdan
means of safety which it is sworn existed a
the hour of the disaster. The investigation
J will be continued tomorrow.
Extension OF the Oranges.
< Washington special to the Times says
: movement has been inauguratcd to cx;ent
the Farmers Oranges to Virginia. Tn
farming community make great compElint il
that State because the property employed il
farming has to pay onc-halt OF one per cent.
taxes, while persons and companies dealing
in money either pay no taxes OF pay only OF
their net income. 4 series of so-cailed Com
mercia Circles have been organized, whose
5 purpose it appears TO be to destroy cJmpeti-
ton in cities and towns other than those Sc
. lecteQ Dy lHeu, i'll WHICH ohe VI tiit lleHi'
bers of the Circle does ali the biddiGg for ali
the buyers. The consequence is that the
farmers complain of great oppression. Ao,
plications have been made to the officers OF
the Grange Association to extend the Oranges
to Virginia. In asmuch as tifts-eight pei
cent of the population of the State is en-
gagged in agriculture, it is considered prota
: Bile that the establishment of Oranges may