Evening star., 1937-07-11
FAMOUS EXCURSION RESORTS
Popular Picnic Places of 90 Years Ago Around Washington
Were Great Pleasure Areas and Attracted Families
in Large N,1mbers-Steamboat HISTORY Here.

boat, Immediately ordered the vessel
headed for the shore. where she struck
on the Virginia side about 200 yards
from the waters edge. The captain
and the pilot displayed the traditional
heroism Of their offices and remained
at their posts until the end, the cap
tain being the last to leave the vessel,
and the pilot did not precede him un-
til the pilot box was completely en-
veloped by the flames.
The accident occurred about II
O'Clock am, from some unknown
cause and the vessel was entirely de-
stroyed in brief while, the fire hav-
ing gained such headway before be-
ing discovered that any attempt to put
1t out would have availed nothing.
A report Of the accident says: THE
air was filled with piercing shrieks Of
women and children, while strong men
stood aghast at the hopelessness OF
their situation" Most of those who
were lost met their deaths by water,
leaping into the river as the heat be-
came unbearable.
A MONG those on the boat on this
fatal occasion were many women
with large number of children who
were en- route to visit their friends at
the different river landings. There
were also many colored people on
board, who suffered equally in the
great misfortune so long to be re-
membered.
or the two lifeboats on the vessel,
We find that one was pitched into the
river by inexperienced hands and
nearly all OF those within were thrown
out and drowned. Indeed. this is an
old story that we still read about in
present-day marine disasters. The ap-
palling loss of life always has been,
and no doubt always will be, due to
lack Of drill and discipline among
the crew. AS to the life preservers
with which the boat was provided,
they were found to be in excellent con-
dition, although in the excitement of
the moment none was secured, and
those saved were mainly good SWIM
mers or those who floated into shall
low water with the aid OF the ships
furnishings, thrown overheard for that
purpose. The loss of life was consid-
cradle, one OF the greatest losses occur.
ring to the family of Police Officer
Reed, who lost his wife, three chill
dren and a niece.
Mount Vernon Springs, Occoquan
and Glymont were the most popular
excursion resorts during the 70s and
early 80s, but these soon gave way to
Marshall Hall and River View. At
first the Mary Washington took excur-
sionists to the latter place-and within
the memory of many this was the
most beloved boat that ever ploVed
through the waters of the Potomac.
And this recalls to the writer the fol-
lowing lines penned by him some time
ago in connection with a description
of old-time events:
when we went In Summer-oh, how
mem'ry clings!
To Fort Foot or to Glymont or Mount
Vernon Springs.
In the Mary Washington, nat bot
toned boat
1n one foot Of water they say she
could float)
Up Occoquan Creek, with the bottom
in sight.
She churned up the mud to our child
ish delight"
THE Mary Washington was of an
unusual design. She was a large.
dat- bottom vessel, with a hull like
box with pointed ends-the only YES
sci Of her kind, it is recorded. that
ever piled the Potomac. She was
built in 1874 at Occoquan Greek. Va.
by syndicate OF farmers headed by
Col. Edward Daniel of Gunston, Va
The idea of the builders was to con-
struct light-draft boat with which
they could navigate the small streams