The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-12
THE WAWASET DISASTER.
statement Of a selfPossessed Passenger-The
Life Preservers Packed Tight and Slowed
Away sixty-seven Bodies hecov-
cred and Disposed o.
WASHINGTON, August II, 1879.

WASHINGTON, August II, 1879.
Tine Wawaset disaster still continues fresh In the
minds ~ those who had loved ones and friends on
hoard and yet remain unheard OF, but who have
long since given up the hope OF meeting them
again alive Many accounts have been given OF
the burning Of the Inflated steamer. but all have
come from passengers who were in the forward
part ofthe boat at the time OF the discovery OF the.
Dire. Mr. william En- Emmerson, Of Alexandria.
who was in the after part OF the boat, makes the
following statement, the only one thus far pub.
iished OF a passenger in That part ofthe stesmer,
where the greatest loss OF lfe occurred, and whose
testimony will be Of the highest importance before
the Investigating Board. He furnishes the most
thrilling staten entyet made
STATEMENT of DR. WIN, &. EMMERsON,
poa side OF WAS ssag on line
frame work around the smoke stack, and had just
taken the lexsndria Gazette Of Friday afternoon
IRON my IIocket and was about to read when 4
smelt son" thing burning; looked down the aper-
ture where the beam works, and saw the space
man at my side, .'Ihe boat is on fire." and then
went ~ TO lOok after my little niece who was
gwen At tins time, and ! started to LOOK a, for
aie pressryers; These l., found de- slowed hs
tween the wheel house and the engine They were
packed SO tight that it wac about three minutes
was bursting up from the engine hole alongside
and my hat was somewhat burned and had to
snees ! went up by the stairway over the boiler
80 the upper saloon, took my little niece by the
hand and made her sit beside me on the life pre-
cufs, &c. At this time crowd OF colOred
people had filed wooden boat that hung to
the davts even with the freight deck. Some one
cut the bow rope and the DOW lel, her stern hang
ing in the cir, ana the load iell into the water.
could see them grapple with eacn other. believe
ali Of them were drowned. The bow was then
lowered, and a crowd again got In the boat but
the steamer went forward last that the stern OF
the boat torn out ana she SUNK BY tnlS Time
TIE FIRE WAS BEGINNING TO COME AFT
and some OF the ladies' dresses caught fire. A
man-the only man in the stern saloon eX-
cept myself-attempted to take my life preservers
from me, but resisted him and he was unable to
little niece IN my arms, and slid down to the freight
deck, where stood on the guard, no ding my niece
upon the rail until the neat became lnsupportable,
and slid into the river; put my niece Oh the life
lreserver and pushed away from the boat; About
tne same time nearly every LYING nn SOU nn asern
ahead OF me, and when last got a glimpse OF her
saw no human being on the ran except two little
children, who were burning up close 10y the stern
rail- j could not tell whether they were white or
rolored. At this time the boat was still. think,
nearly hafa mile from shore II reached the shore
long way ahead OF me, but got there safely with
my little niece.
BODIES RECOVERED AND BURIED.
At hafpast seven O'Clock last evening the tug
Johnson Brothers returned to this city with Mr..
Joseph Reed and the body Of his youngest daugh-
ter, aged five years, which was recovered by them
during the morning. They also picked up a colored
woman, but was so decomposed and disfgured that
1t was impossible to carry her away, and she, like
many Others was inferred ON the shore, in sight OF
the scene OF the burnt steamer. Seven more un-
known bodies were recovered on the Maryland
shore, and, after a description OF the clothing
about their persons was TAKEN they also
buried These were the only bodies recovered yes
terday up to the leaving OF the tug. Eleven were
found Oh the day before alter the departure of the
steamer Charlotte Vanderbilt, thus swelling the
list OF victims twenty more, ana making the total
lost thus lar seventy-siX.