Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-08-21
ANOTHER FRIGHTFUL DISASTER.

Burning OF a Steamer ON the Potomac
Over Forty Passengers Jump Over
board and are Drowned.
The steamer Wawasset, of Washington, with
$50 passengers On board, was burned off Ac-
quia Creek, Va, on the 9Th inst. Doc Ken
ny, the bar-keeper of the boat, who arrived in
Washington the same evening, furnished the
reporter of the Associated Press with the fol-
lowing particulars of the disaster Just before
reaching Chatterton's Landing, on the Vir-
ginia side of the Potomac, about five miles be-
low Acquia Creek, and after the whistle of the
boat had been blown as a signal of her ap-
proach to that landing, the steamer at hat
time being about a third of a mile from the
shore, fire was discovered in the hold, and the
hose was attached Immediately, but before the
men could reach it the confagration became
general, as the fire had been burning for some
time. The fire had been smouldering, it is
supposed, for some hours, and, upon opening
tho matches, it burst forth with great fury,
driving away the men from the hold and COM
pletely battling all attempts to subdue it. In
an instant great confusion prevailed on the
vessel, the passengers becoming panic-stricken
and franctic with fear, very few having pres
ence of mind sufficient to take care of them
selves. The steamer was, without a moments
delay, headed for the shore on the Virginia
side, and in a few minutes run aground about
200 yards from the Virginia side. At this time
the flames had spread with fearful rapidity, and
in the excitement many jumped overheard. Sew
eral of them jumped into the water before the
steamer struck bottom. She was provided
with but two email boats, and in the frenzy of
the moment one of these boats was thrown
overheard by the passengers, who, uncontroll-
ed, were trying to launch her.
Capt. Wood, of the Inflated steamer, and
his assistants, are said to have used every eff
fort to control the passengers, but without
avail, and, but for the disobedience of his or
ders, many who were lost might have been
saved. The vessel was well provided with
life-preservers, but in the panic it seems that
none of the passengers secured them, and
this fact also added to the lamentable loss of
life.
Over forty passengers were drowned. Capt.
Wood was the last man to leave the vessel,
and the pilot, Mr.. Boswell, was surrounded by
flames before he left the pilot-box, which was
not until after he had run the steamer
aground. The flames spread with such rapid
ty that the tiller-ropes were on fire before the
vessel struck ground.
All those lost were, it is supposed, drowned,
having jumped overheard to escape the
flames.
The fire was first discovered about twenty
minutes before II o'clock, and Kenny states
that in less than ten minutes the vessel was
enveloped in flames, and now lies where it was
run aground, burned to the waters edge.
About one-haf the passengers on the Wa
wasset were women and children, many of
whom were en- route to country places along
the Potomac to spend a short time with their
friends.
The Wawasset was a side-wheel steamer,
about $50 tons, and was engaged in running
between Washington and he landings along
the Potomac. She was insured for $28, 900.
A Washington dispatch of the 18th says
The Wawasset disaster was evidently, to a
great extent, the result of criminal careless
ness. Although the certificate of the vessel
allowed her only to carry fifty passengers on
regular trips, it is admitted that one hundred
and fifty passengers were on board. There
seem to have been scanty arrangements for
the safety even of fifty persons. 1t is said
there were apparently no precautions what
ever against fire. The Treasury Department
will order a rigid investigation into the mat
ter. The latest estimate of the number of
those lost on the Wawasset is that it will
reach seventy at least. Many of these will, in
all probability. not be identified, particularly
in case of colored persons who fell victims to
the disaster.
Miss Mcpherson, passenger, describes, the
scene Of tho burning boat as most terrible to
witness. The flames burst out all around and
swept aft, driving women and children over
Into the water. She saw four little children
hanging on by their hands to the burning
steamer, and one after the other drop into the
water, the flames driving them off. The col
ored people we're perfectly wild, and no re-
monstrances on the part of the officers were