Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-09

many were wandering about the shore, and
some had started off through the country, so
that 1t is not possible to arrive at the correct
number lost at present, as It is believed that
many reported lost are among those named.
Mr.. Wheeler states that he was among IKE last
to leave the boat.
Statement Of the Pilot.
reporter Of THE STAR also called on John
W. L. Boswell, the pilot OF the vessel. He is
burned about the arms and legs His statement
Is as follows: / have been pilot on the Poto
mac upwards of nine years. The fireman, at
20 minutes of II, came to the wheel-house and
told me the boat was on fire. The captain was
standing outside of the pilot house at the time
says, Captain, the best thing we can do is to
run her ashore the nearest place-Chatterton's
landing" headed her for the Shore and she
struck in five feet of water. l staid in the pilot
house until the wheel ropes broke in two and
the fire was coming into the pilot house. / then
jumped overheard and swan ashore with two
ladies', whom 4 saved. then brought out and
landed six or eight passengers. made a second
trip with the boat, and took in three colored
women, with child, who were hanging
to the rudder, and landed them safely
then swan out again and made two unsuc-
cessful attempts to rescue Officer Reeds
wife, but she twisted away from me in each
instance, presume not knowing what she was
doing through excitement. When 1 came back
to the stern of the boat for the last time, three
children-two white and one colored-were
there. 1 tried to get at them, but the flames
prevented me, and they were all burnt. think
two Of them were Mr.. Reeds children. 1 then
went astern, and bailed out the life boat, and
took nine dead bodies to Stewards wharf, four
white and five colored. / remained at Stew
arts wharf, and placed the bodies on the steam
er National, which brought them to Washing
ton. came up in the Georgeanna. kept the
deck hands pouring water on the wheel rones
until the fire drove them Off deck. The fire.
man told me the first place he saw the fire was
IN the forward bow. 1 don't think any but Mr..
Reed cousin, Miss. Bette Reed, were lost in
jumping off the bow of the boat. She jumped
before the boat struck, and was lost.
Statement of Robert Nash.
Am engineer of the boat. The first intima-
ton had Of the fire was from the fireman; he
said he had seen smoke but thought it came
from the cook-room; he subsequently discovered
the fire, and reported it. tried to get in the
hold to discover the place burning, but the
smoke was so thick I could not. then turned
in afire-extmguisher;I went on the for ward deck
and used buckets of water. After L saw was
OF no further service l jumped overheard and
chung to peach box until rescued by my son.
Many were saved by clinging to the peach
boxes which were thrown overheard. The ex-
element was intense. think the fire originated
in the back smoke-box from some unknown
cause. The fireman says he is certain il origi-
mated in the back smoke-box. When in the
water saw man and small child struggling
tried to save the child by placing 1t on the
peach box, but by some means both got AWAY
from me, and it was the last l saw of them. i
presume both were drowned. The boats could
not be used because the fire broke out amid
ships, and the flames prevented reaching them.
One of the boats was so crowded before heinz
cut away that she broke upon striking the wa.
ter and swamped. 1 think many lives could
have been saved if the life boat could have
been reached by the passengers after she was
finally thrown overheard.
Statement Of Samuel A. Nash.
Am an apprentice engineer aboard the boat.
About half hour before the fire, was in the
pilot-house talking to the captain. A fireman
came up and stated the boat was on fire. 1t was
some time before twelve O'Clock. ran down
below, and found 1 could not get to the engine
room, because the smoke was in the gangwav.
1 went on the forward deck and commenced
throwing buckets Of water on the fire; remained
on the deck, so jumped overheard. 1 did not
swim ashore, but remained in the water to see
what could do. An old m an jumped Off about
the same time did, and asked me to help him.
got peach box and ga We it to him, and led
him to where his feet could touch bottom.
1 then got second peach box, and
went after my father, who was about
exhausted, and took him to a safe place,
where he could wade ashore. The pilot, Mr..
Boswell, and myself, then got a small boat to
pick up such passengers as we could. We res
cued four from the rudder three colored women
and colored child. cannot give any idea as
to the origin of the fire. 1 don't think ANYBODY
but Miss Reed and a man named Mr. Cook
we're drowned who jumped Off the forward part
Of the boat. The engine stopped Just before
she struck, but was under fair head Of steam.
The small boats were useless, because we were
getting ready to land pass cngers and had the
little boat down at the side, with the block and
tackle attached. There were two small boats
aboard the boat.
Statement Of tho Steward.
Charles Tolson, steward o the Wawaset, states
that finding it getting too not for him, he
climbed over the stern and slid down the rudder
shaft, catching hold Of the curve in the top
part, where he seated hi nself until the fire
burned him out, and he struck out the best he
could Not knowing how to swim he went to
bottom and gave kick towards shore; that he
sank twice, when some ono in a boatcaught
hold or him and pulled him in. During the time
he was on the rudder some six women caught
hold of the chain, aud were pulled off by others
trying to save themselves; that the screams and
cries were so pitiful that it nearly made him
frantic, but he could do nothing. The Goals
began to fall on his head, and the smoke and
flames forced him off, and when he got ashore
he was insensible for some time.
Statement OF Mr.. McKenny.
Mr.. Peter McKenny, the bar keeper, states
as follows-I was in the bar, ana about 1l:25
O'Clock heard the cry of "nre;" rushed up on
deck and then to the hurricane deck, and saw
smoke and flames leaping from the engine room,
near the walking beam. The women were run
ming back towards the stern, screaming and
shouting, but most of the passengers were cool,
as also the deck hands. At this time the hose
had been put in service, and they did the best
they could, and the nre extinguisher was also
turned on, but the flames were too fast, and
buckets were then taken, some Of the passen-
GERS working as we'll as the crew with the crew