Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-08-11

,,ttcr mart of the Steamer where the
loss Of life Occurred-The Life Pre-
servers Burned First-AbOut Seventy
Persons EOSt-RecOvcE'y OF the Bod
icS-An Episode. &c, DC.
NR. W. E. EMERsoN's STATEMENT.
Mr.. VIM. f. Emerson, who visited the ia
zette office this morning, makes the following
unvarnished statement. 1t shows how coo
presence of mind was fully equal to the prescr-
walton of life in the awful emergency, and re-
produces with the fidelity of photograph the
horrid Incidents Of the disaster. Mr.. Emer-
sons statement is the only statement, so Tar
published, of the scene in the after-part of the
ll-fated steamer, from whence occurred nearly
all the loss Of life:
As the boat neared Chattcrton | was sitting on
the port side of the upper deck, my back
against the framework around the stnokc-stack,
and had lust taken the Alexandria Gazette Of
Thursday afternoon from my pocket and was
about to read, when smet something burning.
| looked down the aperture where the beam
works and saw the space below filled with
suoke | said, quietly, to gentleman at my
side, The boat is on fire" aud then went aft
to look after my little nelce, who was with Mrs
TAYLOR The alarm had not been given at this
time, and | started to look tor fc-prescrvers.
These [ found slowed in the frames Of the cell
ing in the paSSagcway between the whecl-housc
and The engine They were packed so tight
that it was about three minutes before | got
one lose During that time the fire was bursting
up from the engine hole alongside, and my bat
was somewhat burned, and | had to get back
Into the aft saloon on my hands and knees. |
It hn 81
upper saloon, took my little neicc by the baud
and made her sit beside NE on the life. preServers
while took off my coat, shoes, socks, cuffs, &c.
At this time a crowd of coorcd people had hcda
wooden boat that hung by the daGits even with
the freight deck. Some one cut the bow rope,
and the bow fell, her stern hanging ID the air
and the load fell in the water. | could see them
graphing with each other. | believe all Of them
were drowned. The bow was then lowered and
crowd again got in the boat, but the steamer
went forward so fast that the stern of the boat
was torn out and she sunk and drowned her
freight. BY this time. the fire was beginning
to come alt, and some of the ladies' dresses
caught fire. \ man (the only man | saw IN the
stern saloons except myself) attempted to take
my life prcServers from NE, but resisted him
and he was unable to do so. | then fixed my
life prcscrvcrs, took my little niece in my arms
and slid down to the freight deck where stood
on the guard, holding my niece upon the rail
until the heat became iusupportable, and slid
into the river, put my niece on the life pre-
server and pushed away from the boat About
the samc time nearly every living soul astcIn
jumped overheard. The boat shot a long way
ahead of me, and when last got glimpse Of
her saw no human being on the rail except
two little children, who were burning up close
by the stern rail; could not tell whether they
were white or colorcd. At this time the boat
was still, think, near half mile from the
shore 1t reached the shore long way ahead
OF me, but | got there safely with my little
Ulcrc.