Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-30
THE WAWASET DISASTER.
eeOsn menda tfOus of the COmmtssk,

The board appointed by the Secretary of the
Treasury to conduct the investigation into the
cause of the disaster to the steamer Wawaset
make the following recommendations The
institution of proceedings against the Potomac
Ferry company and the officers of the wawaset.
They first take up the case of the ferry COM
pany, the evidence conclusively showing that
the company employed Capt. Wood and Mate
Grayitt, neither of them having a license
as required by section fourteen of the
act of February 2sth, 1871, to provide for
the better security Of life on board of vessels
propelled in whole or in part by steam, and that
the company permitted these unlicensed Of
only duly licensed officers are allowed to per-
form. For this fragrant violation of the law.
the board earnestly recommend the imposi-
against Captain Wood and Mate e Gr s
who are made equally guilty and responsible
with the company, the section referred to
for any person to serve as a captain, chief
mate, engineer or pilot on any steamer, who
is not licensed by the inspectors; and any
dred dollars for each offence. 1t win
be seen that both the officers and the
company are liable for every trip made-the
mate for serving without license. In the case
OF Engineer Nash, reference is made to the tes-
timony of numerous witnesses who purchased
gineer. Though duly licensed. and, from all
the evidence, competent officer, the
board hnd him guilty OF negligence,
and engaging in trading at the several landings
made by the Wawaset on her trips to and from
Co Gone river, thereby endsngering the safety of
this the board revoke his license by authority
conferred by section II of the steamboat act al
ready referred to, which provides that an en-
glneer's license shall be revoked OF suspended,
upon satisfactory proof Of negligence, unskill-
f1iness, intemperance, or the willful violation
OF any provisions of the act.
The controversy as to the right of the wawa-
set to carry 90 or $50 passengers, as the com
pany claimed, is next considered. After due
consideration the board ind that the
the Georgetown custom house, limiting the
number OF passengers to fifty, must be recog
of the inspectors statement. The company is
therefore, adjudged guilty of further violation
OF the steamboat act, in taking on board a
greater number of passengers than was stated
on the certificate, for which the master and
company, or either of them, are liable to any
person sueing for the same, to forfeit the amount
of passage money, and ten dollars for each pas
senger beyond the number allowed. In review
ing the testimony, the board is painfully i'm
pressed with the lack of organiza on board
the Wawaset, which adds to the culpableness
of the company and its unlicensed officers The
latter are censured for their lack of effort
in saving the lives of the passengers and for in
efnciency in the emergency. The crew being
subject only to the rules of discipline enforced
by their superiors cannot be blamed for their
conduct, though the evidence shows there was
little effort on their part to help the passengers
In conclusion, they regret that it was impos-
sible TO ascertain the cause of the fire. and in
the absence of evidence proving that the boat
was not properly protected about the boilers.
the board do not venture an opinion
The inspectors distinctly state that the
boilers were free from contact with anv
partition, and the requirements of the
law in this respect faithfully regarded.
They trust that they have faithfully performed
the duties assigned them, and now leave the
government to enforce the law enacted to meet
just such derellction as the Potomac Ferry com
pany and the unlicensed officers of the wawaset
have been guilty.