National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-08-12
THE POTOMAC DISASTER.
WHERE tbs LIFE PRgsERvEgS WERE.

rae stern Of tho wnwa-ct Where tho
Greatest Fatality Occurred - More
Bodies Rccsvercd-A struggle for Iifc
Prcscrvers -AHenisipa Scenes -Rccov-
cry or the Bsdy OF Policeman Rced'-
Daughter.
tho wawaset disaster still continues fresh in
he minds, and those who hal loved ones and
friends on board, and yet remain unhoard OF.
nave long since gwen up tho hope Of meeting
hem again alive.
Many accounts have been given OF the burn
ing Of the il-fAtei stcam,r, but all have come
Of the boat at the time OF the discovery OF the
nre.
M. WIN. x. Enmerson, who was In the after
part OF the boat, make, the following statement,
the only one thus tar pupllshei OF a passenger
In that part OF the steamer, whore tho greatest
loss Of life occurred.
As the boat nearcd Chattcrton was sitting on
the port side Of the upper deck, my back against
the framework around the smokc-stack, and
had Just taken the Alex ,n,lria 0d;ct,e OF Friday
afternoon from my pocket AMI was about to
read, WHOM I smslt something blrning.
looked down the aperture where the beam
Works and saw the spics below nlled with
tokc. I said quietly to q gentleman at my
side, "rhe boat Il on 1cc," ani then went aft to
look after my little niece, who was with Mrs.
Taylor. Tue alarm had been given at this time,
and started
TO LOOK poR Ltrs rREssRvRRs.
These found slowed in the frames OF tho coil-
ing In the ptssaaeway between tho whcol-houso
and the enxiue. They were packed no tight that
II was Aboit three minutes before I got one
loose. Daring that time tho IRE was bursting
up from the englne-holc along side, and my hat
was somewhat burned. and had to get back
Into the aft saloon on my hands and Knees.
went up by the stairway over the boiler to the
upper saloon; TOOK my little neico by tho hand
and made her alt beside me on the life-preservers
while took on my coat shoes, socks, cuts, NC.
At this time q crowd Of uolorci people had nlied
q wooden boat that hung by the davits even
with the freight deck. some one cut the bow
rope and the bow fell. hsr stern hanging In the
air. and the load fell IN the water. I could see
them grapple with each other. I believe all OF
thsm were drowned. The bow was then low
cred, aud crowd again got In tho boat hat the
steamer went forward 80 fast that the stern Of
the boat was torn out aud she sunk. and
DROWNED INN FREIGHT.
ny this tune tue nre was oesihhins 70 come hit
ana sonio VI 'ho 'Aaies urosscs causht nte' .
man vne ony "aa saw ,u .he Stern saloon'
oAcep' myscIIl Auemp'cl W nke my nIe-pre
seveb i'o'A "e' 'es ie''s,oa n,.h auu ne WA
un.ole 70 ~ -. 'neu aA.u my n,e.pteseIVots
the freight deck, where l stood on tho guard
holding my niece upon the rail until the hsa
became insupportable, and I slid into tn ryci
put my niece on the lfe-proscrver and pushe,
HNy 'rou 'ae oo"s. Aoou. "e saihs lllil
near! every nns SOU as'ern jumped over
oosu. ny ooA. s"o' '., noas way sneA" VI mc
sna Nnsh iAs' soa s"h''e VI n'r = saw u
.u~a Sons =" = oA'o ~. W. W." ',t' o''Il
"u"' w w. ou'"us Wy .'o'o y, 'nu s'er
Iau' i.ous, ny, 'on ".e'"oi my "e,u ., wn,'e =
ooo'' .' , .iine . 'no oos' wa, sun . tn'n'
"~, = o 'oai wv s'oo' ~ tSaoao" vi
sho'o ious NW aueuo VI "o' nut so' 'he'
'"''' VIII ~ as1e ',.a"'.,... .
r,',. nAn hn' y, p'Dih''
$3.50. '.'V .fo 's.' wen us sno Jug 'ohuso
~, :, ;, - ~ w" W, oosoP
a.N -. W, 49,. oy " ", ,oa"s
Nv ~. 10, 49, ~ 'noi" w rIn
- s w eoloro
w, w. We. ~ '.o'"po'o' au" uisnsure
Nv" npo'' ,s " u' ner away, u,
~" u's ' o'"vs' vs. "so''.u ou VI
steamer. Three more unknown bodIes were re
covered loths Maryland shore, aud, after a do
scription Of the clothing about their person
was taken, they were also buried.
These I'VE were the only bodies recovered ye
terday up to the leaving OF tho tug, Eleven we
found on the day before, after tho departure ,
the steamer Charlotte Vanderbilt, thus swcllii
the list OF victims sixteen more, aud making /,
total lost thus far seyenty-two,
When Mr.. Reed arrived at his fathers
found that every attention hal been given to I
remains OF his consort, AMI acting on tholr 4
vice decided to inter the body there, which "
done yesterday. The remains Of his lost Oh
were taken In charge by the undertaken on tn,
arrival at the wharf, AMI tho funeral will IN
place to-day.
AN INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE.
. The supervising inspectar of steamboats Z
the District Of Columbia Visited tho Treasu
Department yesterday morning ami examin
the pspers of the Wawasst. AMI intends 10 cor
mence an Investigation into the cause AMI orig
OF the disaster tomorrow morning. tn, cor
ncaie Of Inspection on ile In the Treasury \
partment shows that the Wayatet wa, only A
thorixed. ON her regular trims, TO carry afty M
ssnRevs, with Officers aud crew, numbering
teen, making altogether slxty-nyc persons, al
was required to have Iife.boats to accommods
ALL For excursions she was authorized TO car
more passengers whenever a special permit W
asked for and obtained, hut 1t WAS thon rcquir