The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-08-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

ana sleepy. w. NJ. Met.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, u. C., August Is, 1873.
EDITOR CHIEF:
The correspondent for the public
press usually welcomes every incident
OF more than ordinary interest. Since
have been connected with the CIIIEF
as its Washington correspondent,
until the other day, I had felt disposed
to complain that no such event had
occurred in our city. The season had
been unusually quiet and all the rep
resentatives Of the various public
journals had been keeping up con-
slant grumbling because Of .unusual
deartll Of news. The. ordinary rOll-
tine Of official business, though Of i'm
poftancc to the public, can not be
made an exciting or entertaining
theme.
But though events out of the ortli-
nary line are usually made welcome,
l hope l may never again be called
upon'to chronicle the history Of such
an affair as that which occurred on
the Potomac river a few days ago. !
take no pleasure IN tile recital of such
sad Incidents.
On.the morning Of the 9Th instant
the wharf at the Foot of Seventh
street in this city presented ALVEY
and cheerful appearance. The steamer
Wawasct lay ut the pier with steam
ready to start on her regular trip to
the mouth of Cone river. An unus-
ually large number of persons were
taking passage, bound for various
points in Maryland and Virginia.
Many Of these were ladies and chill
dren, pleasure seekers, on the way to
spend brief season in the country Oh
the banks Of the Potomac, at shady,
cool retreats away from the hustle and
heat and dust Of the city. These were
accompanied to the wharf by their
friends, their fathers and husbands,
and brothers and sisters, and when the
whistle blew, giving warning that the
time had arrived for starting, and pre-
parations were made for drawing in
the plank, many were the affectionate
but cheerful good-byes that were
spoken, and rs the proud steamer
backed away from the pier many were
the dainty white handkerchiefs that
waved the last token of love and friend
ship after distance forbade the same
to be expressed in words.
We are all familiar with such scenes
and we all know that on such occa-
sions we find every body cheerful,
hopeful and happy. The Wawaset
steamed gaily down the river, bearing
her precious cargo of a hundred and
fifty human lives. The passengers
grouped themselves about the vessel
and talked of the pleasures they an
ticipated in meeting friends land in
about the cool and shady
places on some quiet farm. Little
children formed new acquaintance,
and in a short time were rompine
around in the enjoyment of pleasures
that were almost, if not quite, entirely
new to them. Such were the scenes
on board this vessel until she had
passed Aqua Creek. Many landings
had been made. Passengers had been
put off, but more had been taken on
board, so that the original number !
lad been rather augmented than di- |
ninished.
The steamer hove in sight of Chat
erton's Point, and preparations were /
icing made for sending boat ashore,
here being no pier erected there.
When suddenly there arose a cry that i
tartled every passenger, cry that
made even the stoutest hearts quail.
While the timid and inexperienced
we're palsied with alarm. That fearful.
rightful cry was" Nre," "FIRE!!a
'ther tongues took it up, aud in a
the widest CONSERVATION
PREVAILED. While some shouted louder
han ever the terrible word "FIRE.!s