Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1892-11-03

the engine-room of the Washington Steam
boat Company's steamer Wakefield resulted
to-day in the death of three men and the in
jury Of several others. The men killed
were Firemen Alexander Tolson and James
Johnson and bootblack named William
Clark, ali cblored. The injured are Assis-
tant Engineer Ernest L. Germond and Deck
Hands William Motlett and William Cor.
ney, both colored. The accident occurred
about II o'clock, as the steamer was ap-
preaching Maryland Point, about fifty miles
from here. She was loaded with freight
and passengers from the lower Potomac
landings and was bound for this city.
The vessel was running at full speed,
with full head of steam on, and was just
changing her course with the bend the
river makes at Maryland Point, when the
steam chimney exploded with a loud re.
port, and the next instant the engine-room
and the lower deck were both filed with
the steam that rushed in dense volume
from the assure rent by the explosion. So
sudden was the accident that exactly what
happened in the few minutes of excitement
that followed is hardly known by those
who witnessed it. Assistant Engineer Ger
mond, however, and the two deck hands,
Willian Motlett and William Carney, who
were in the enginc-room, were caught in
the rushing steam and severely scalded,
but managed to escape to the forward deck.
The firemen were imprisoned in the fire.
room and must have been instantly suffo-
Gated. Both were found lying in front Of
their boilers, the position of their bodies
showing that neither had had time to make
any effort to escape. The colored man VIM.
Clark was either knocked overheard by the
force Of the explosion or in his terror he
jumped into the water and was drowned
before assistance could reach him.
Among the passengers there was mo-
ment Of excitement Immediately after the
accident, but as the steam exhausted itself
and the engines stopped working their fears
subsidized. Indeed, upon the main deck Of
the vessel the full seriousness Of the catas-
trophe was not realized, and it was not un-
til some time afterward that the passengers
knew il had resulted in loss of life.
When the accident occurred the captain
Of the vessel, Thomas g. Ross, was in the
pilot-house. He rushed at once TO tie
lower deck, where, with the assistance of
Chief Mate J. p. Phillips, he summoned the
members of the crew and at once put out
anchors. Owing TO the density of the
steam il was then impossible to tell how
badly the vessel was damaged. 1t was at
once ascertaired, however, that the entire
crew, with the exception Of the two fire.
men, were all right.
Regarding the fate of the firemen there
could be no doubt, and for them nothing
could be done. When the steam cleared
away their bodies were removed to the deck,
and an examination was made to ascertain
the extent of the accident Then it was
found that the steam chimney, which is
located over the boilers and next TO the
smokestack, had blown out. Beyond the
rent in this chimney the vessel was not
damaged. She was absolutely helpless,
however. and a signal of distress was hoist.
cd. II was responded TO by the buoy ten
der Holly, which at once came 10 the Wake
fields assistance The three injured men
and twelve passengers were taken on board
the Holly and conveyed TO Quantico, Vir-
ginia. From this point the steamboat CON-
pany in this city was notified of the acct
dent by telegraph and at once sent special
train to bring the injured TO Washington.
The steamer Arrowsmith was also sent
down the river to get the freight and pas
sengers ofthe disabled steamer, and tug
was sent TO tow the Wakefield TO Alexan.
dria.
The Wakefield Ii q comparatively new
boat She was built about six years ago
by the Pussy Jones Company, of Whining
ton, Del, for the Washington Steamboat
Company, and has been running up and
down the Potomac ever since. She was
regarded as avery safe boat, aad the officers
of the steamboat company in this city are
at loss TO account for the accident. The
two colored men killed by the explosion
had been employed on the Wakefield ever
since she was put on her present route.
Tolson was about forty years of age and
had Q family residiog at Lower Cedar
Point. James johnson was younger and
was unmarried. Clark was cripple, and
was employed on the boatas bootblack.-
Sun.