Year: 1873

Statement OF ssDoo" Kenney, tho Bar


keeper.


reporter at midnight had an interview with
"Doc' Kenney the barkeeper of the wawasset,
who is the only one of the passengers or
crew Of that vessel that reached Washing
ton tonight. He came up to this city
ON the steamer Express with an excursion party
from Plney Point. The latter vessel sighted the
wreck about four O'Clock this afternoon and picked
up Kenney. who had been sent out in small boat
crew Of the wawasset, were at that time all cared
for at Stewart's wharf, near the scene of the
disaster.


Kenny states that the Wawasset left here at six
Gone River, with 1T registered passengers and
quite large cargo OF freight for river landings.
Just before reaching Chatterton's Landing,
on the Virginia side OF the Potomac.
whistle of the boat had been blown as Q sigma;
of her approach to that landing, the steamer at
the time being about q third of q mile firm the
shore,


FIRE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE HOLD
and the hose was attached Immediately, but be.
fore the men could reach 1t the connagration
became general, as the fire had been burning for
some time. The fire had been smouldering,
It Is supposed, for some hours, and
upon opening the matches 1t burst forth with great





banning all attempts to subdue it. In an instant
the widest confusion prevailed on the vessel,


THE PASSENGERS BECOMING PANIC-srRICKEN
and frantic with fear very few having presence Of
steamer was, without a seconds delay, headed
for the shore on the Virginia side, and in
few minutes ran aground about two hundred
yards from the virginia side At this time the
excitement many jumped overheard. Several Of
them jumped into the water before the steamer
struck the bottom. She was provided with


BUT TWO SMALL BOATS,
and In the frenzy Of the moment one OF these boats
was thrown overheard and lest by the passengers
who, uncontrolled, were endeavoring to launch
her. Captain Wood OF the ill-iated steamer, and
his assistants are said to have used every
EFFORT to control the passengers, but without
avail and but for this disobedience OF orders
many who were lost would have been saved. The
vessel was well provided with life preservers, but
in the panic it seems that none OF the passengers
secured them, and this fact also added to the
lamentable loss OF llfe


Over forty passengers were drowned, among
whom were:-


Mrs. Reed and three children.


The wife and children OF Policeman Reed, OF this
city. and his niece, whose name has not yet been
ascertained.


Adeline Jenkins a chambermaid. and deck
hand name unknown.


Mrs. Virginia Marbury, OF Glymont


Miss BERTHE Sanders aud o child, Of Currioman,
Va.
Up to the time that the express In which the
narrator OF this statement arrived left the scene OF
the wreck but I've or six bodies had been re-
covered, ana the confusion was so great that q
further list of the Of those lost could not DC
obtained.


Among the saved was Mr.. Wise, or this city,
and J. wilkin Massey.


Kenney states that Captain Wood was the last
man to leave the steamer, and the pilot, Mr.. Bos-
wel was surrounded by the danes before he left the
pilot box which was not until after he had run
the steamer aground. The danes spread with
such rapidity that the tier ropes were on nre be-
fore the vessel struck ground All those lost were