The morning times., 1895-11-10

war experiences here she went north and
returned about three years ago as the
property OF the Mount Vernon and Mar
shall Hall Steamboat Company.
bet ween Washington ana Aqua Greek,
and was commanded by the well-knUwn
fresh water mariner, Capt. Frank Hol-
lingshead. She came around again four
or five years ago as the property of Capt.
Randall, to relieve the Mary Washington.
The George Leary has had one of the
most varied careers On the river. She was
launched at Brooklyn, y. Y. in 1864, and has
been under the command of Capts. White,
Tulle, BeaCham, Davis, and Baldwin. She
worked for the Upper Potomac Steamboat
Company and for the Bay Line out OF
Baltimore. For long time she raj in up-
position to the Inland and Seaboard Coast
ing Company, and after many ups and downs
became the property Jf the National Steam
boat Company.
The Potomac fleet has been fortunate
in the matter OF fatalities, though a num-
Der OF the ships have met an untmely
fate. The most fearful disaster In Potomac
history was the burning OF the Wahwasset,
in August, 1878, by which between thirty
five and forty people were lost. OF those
burned or drU wned, number were from
Washington, the Wahwas having left
Washington on the morning of the day she
burned. j. W. Reed, the tobaccUnist, at
the corner of Ninth and d streets north
west, lost his wife and three children
his whole family-in the catastrophe.
BURNING OF THE wAHwASSET.
The Wahwasset was approaching Mary
land Point when flames leaped from
point anidships. She was well freighted
with passengers and merchandise. Capt.
JOHN Wood was in the pilot house when the
dread alarm was sounded. The crew went
to quarters and some of the male pas
sengers lent hand, but it was impossible
to stay the progress of the flames. Panic
seized the passengers and terror reigned
Meantime tue Wahwasset had been headed
for Chatterton Beach, Va, and was thrown
against the shore, her men standing by
their posts till the end. When she
struck most of those on board
took to the water and large number were
drowned. The disaster caused profound
grief and excitement at Washington and
Alexandria. The pGrser, j. W. Wheeler,
lost about all he had in the fire, and go-
ing to Norfolk went aboard the Lady OF
the Lake. This boat a few days there
after was burned TO the waters edge, Wheel
er for the second time losing his effects.
The disaster next in terror was the
foundering of the Express in the bay,
somewhere off the mouth of the river, on
october %, 1878. The Express, under
command of Capt. Barker, was bound for
the Eastern Shore OF Maryland. she en-
countered a terrific blow and went to
pieces, it being said that her engine and
boiler dropped through her and another
version being that she eapsized and that
her boilers fell through her upper decks.
Six or eight people werelost. No fatalities
attended the burning of the Lady of the
Lake, City of Alexandria, Armenia or Colt,
but when the CorcoraD took fire at her
wharf on Sept 8, 1891, a bootblack, who
was sleeping on her, was drowned.
The sinking of the Crystal Wave is
counted of local moment. She had been
bought by the River View management, and
was en- route to Washington, under Capt.
Martin. At dawn, and when off the
Delaware breakwater, the lookout sounded
the alarm that craft was bearing down
on the port side. Effort was promptly
made to avoid thestranger, but toolate.
CUT HER IN TWO.
A dark hull loomed up through the mist
and cut almost through the Crystal Wave.
The stranger then recoiled and sank with
out her identity being discovered. The
Wave continued to settle, when a collier
hove in sight and took off her crew, land
ing them at Norfolk.
Among the local craft that should be