Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, August 13, 1873, Page 2

THE WAWASET HORROR, Fifty Persons Burnod to Death or i Drowned. The Terrible Story of the _Disaster. . Scones at {ho Point of the Tragedy, and in Washington on {he Avrival of tho Bodics. From the Waalington Star, Aug 9. Last night about hinlf-past 11 o'clock groat ox- citoment was produced by the report that tho woll-known Potomac steamer Wawasot had Leon burnod down tho rlvor, and that most of + tho passongers on hoard had porished. At about midnigut sovoral of tho surviving passcngers of tho unfortunate Wawasot arrived in this city on the sleamor Expross, and from thom it wns loarned that sho loft Washingion on hor rogular trip to Cono Rtiver, and that all wns woll until noar her arrival at Chatterton Launding. When about to laud for passongors flamea woro soon {ssning from the hold of the vesgol, and boforo anything could Lo dons to oxtinguish them tho outire steamer was con- sumod, and nothing remaiued of hor but a broken shaft and smoke-stack to mark the place whoro she wout down, about 200 yards from shoro. ‘The number of passongoers rogiatered on bosrd is outimatod when sho loft Washington at 110, and she took on othors nt various landings on tho Potomac. Tho crew numboered twolve. Out of this number probably fifty passongors and 1o members of tuo craw perished by water and firo, o The survivors roport the sceno as heart-rond- ing in tho extreme during the burning of tho veosol. Tho air was fillod with tho plorcing shricks of women sund cbildren, whilo strong men stood aghast at tho hopelessnoss of their situntion. Most of thoso who were lost mot their deatha by water, leaping into tho river au the flames becamo uncudurable. Capt. John Wood, tho commander of the Wawasot, behaved with commendable coolness throughout, and was the lagt to leavo tho burning steamor, Tho Wawasot took firo frcm some nuknown causo. As soon aa phe was dlscovered to bo on firo, sho was Leaded for the shoro, and struck on the Virginia side about 200 yards from tho shore, tho pilot romaining in tho pilot-box until com- plotely enveloped by tho flames. There wore many colored parsons on board, and many ladies and children who wero ou route to visit thoir frionde at the differont landings on the river. “Thora wero two bonts bolonging ta tho Wawasot, but ju tho excitemeont ono of them was pitched overboard and lost, and of tho life-prosorvors with which tho boat was provided nono geemed to have beon sccured in the panic and excitement. The burning stenmor wns discovered at & Jittle aftor 11 o'clock- yestorday morning by tho stoamor Expross, Capt. James 1. Barker, who was roturning from Point Lookout to Washe ington with & party of oxcursionists, composed of the ‘* Painters’ Union " and their frionds, A short timo after, tho steamer Nalioual, which had gona Lo tho ralict of the fatul vessol, camo slonguido with the rescued passengers from the Wawasot, Tho Wawasot was built at Wilmiugton in 1563, 1863, bought by tho Potomac Ferry Company in aud wan brought to these witers, nud over bos boon muking rogular trips to Cone River. She was insurod in sevoral compauies for §25,000. Sho way considered the finest ox- cursion boat over placed upon the Potomae. A SORROWFUL BURDEN. Aboul 6:80 o'clock this morning the storn- wheel bont “ National,” Capt. Cregg, brought up ton hodics, fivo women and five children ; four colored children and one whito child, tho iatter n littlo son of Josoph Rooed, policoman ; Mrs, Muso, whoso husband lives ont the corner of Soventh and G streots southwest ; Mrs. Julin Xelly, nn nunt of policeman Lieed's, who had been Visiting Dis family and was on her return to hor Lome at Currioman. Throo of tho white women aud tho four colored in- fants wero not recoguized. On nrriving at the wharf the crowd rushed around tho bont, bat were kopt back, whilo somo wharf-hands brought thom to tho' landing, and their bodios woro ranged sido by side in the warchouse of tho Forry Company. Tho features of the children end wome of tho women presented a calm aud uutural appearanco, but in othors there wera sigus of pain. Dost of all wero nomowlat Lloudy about the face, and on_somo were spots resembling Lruises. The bodies wero Inid on some plunks in the warehouse, and the police guarded the door, Theso Lodics wora picked up at Chatlerton and carried to Stewarl's wharf, about ono and a bulf miles below, and the National took them aboard at that wharf, These wero all that had beon recovored al 9:30 Iast night, the time the Nationalleft. Capt. Reed, from Yolice hoad- quartors, arrived ai tho wharf about § o'clock’ and ot onco recognized tha littlo son of Joseph Rtecd, his nophew ; luo, Lis aunt, Mra, Kolly, About 6:30 o'elock Mr. Cobaugh and his wite zumo to the wharf, snd recognized onc of tho Jend bodies of thie women ng tho sister of his wife and hor nicce, their names Mra, Corn Walker and Miss Indiana_Willls, whoso family resido st the corner of Lighth and I streets. The sobs and lnmentations of Mrs, Cobaugh could be henrd for gome distance, and finslly she was persuaded by hier husband to be led away, Ahbout this timo several ladies from South Wasl- i n camo in and recognized tho body which My, Cobaugh had just before thought to bo thiat of her sister as that of Mys, Patty Sands, of Wentmorgland Couuty, Va., who had been visiting friends iu this city, SOENES AT THE WHARF. ‘The scones at tho Seventh streot wharf last night, as different porsons arrived wlho had lost rolutives and frionds, were truly distrossing. Among tho first to srrive was Olficer liced, of ithe Metropolitan Polico force, who had & wifo, threo children, and a nioco on board tho Wawa- set. His agony, 3 ho ron frantically around try- ing to gloan some ray _of hopo that somo of his Joved onos woro aved, was fearful to witnoss, Secing n group ahout Mr, McKonny, the bar- tondor on the Wawauot, who was giving partien- Jurs of tho tragedy, lio inquired, in hoarso, ‘Drokon tones: * Meleuny, for God's sake, can gou nottell mo somothing about my family 7" Ir. McKouny roplied faolingly, *Would to Hoaven I could givo you womo cncouragomant but it wonld be erucl to docoive you. Your fumn- ily woro all lost.” r. Reed Hhoreupon broko juto n wail of despair, wringiug bis hands and showing uteh marks of hopeless agony na to bring toars to cvery oye. .It was indoed n houselold wreck for Mr. Reed, who, ut one fell wwoop, losos Lis wifo, throo dlildron, and nicco, Tho children wore all undor 8 years of age, and thio niecs, Botty Rteed, wus o beautiful and amin- Yo young lady, about 18 yenrs of . Another distrossing kcene, following upon Mr, Tead's terrible display of agony, way prosented on tho arrival of Mr, Willinm Muso (& neighbor of 3r, Reed’s), who had a wife and two children on tho Wawaset. Hia dislross was shown inn somowhat quiotor form, but was almost more painful to witness from the convulsive workings of his faco in hiv attempts to subduoe violont ex- prowvious of grief, and from the silont tears Tunning down big face, and his alntost inarticu- Iate attompty to framo Words of inguiry, ) OTHEIL YARTICULARH, Ofticers of tho steamor Wawnsot state that mauy of tho puskongors Louud to tho difforont landings on tho river woro saved and started off through tho country, and that thero wore nob abova thirty loat, including childron; this, how- over, is quite uncertnin, ‘T'hore wera about this number of childran aboard, und very few of thom wore nuved. C(apt, Wood ulso ‘says that as Boon ag tho flames burst out ho hoaded the . stenmor ashore. Bhe wan ruoning at_great speed, aud all nt owco the engine suddenly stopped, from tho shaft falliug, and tho pnssot- gers wero under tho impression that she had wtruck tho land, aud mauy jumped ovorbonvd whore the wator was quite deep; the steamer wean still flonting townrda the shore from the im- pistug gained; it was_ soveral minutos bofore her ow struck the bottom. During this time many of the womon who had jumped ovarbonrd sank, and were all lost. “Tivery- thing movable about the decks was thrown out to tho women in the walor, but very fow had presonce of mind to aveil theme solves of theso wids. Mout of tho lifo-pro- #ervory wore in the gangway and conld not bo runched by reason of the smolio and flames, Tho wife of Ar, J. W, Reod, who was lost, was on the bow-dock, aud could no doubt lave been saved but for hor alarm and anxioty about her children. It is bolioved that shio jumped over- hoard with thom, Bliss Coruolia Hobb, » beautitul young lady, m“h“n’i on K stroot, botwoon Fonrth and Tifth, wan undor tho protection of Mr. McGuigan, and ho wont to her asalstance ; but boforo ho could “ut hor to tho sido of tho boat her olothing tool ! ro, and ho was forced to lonve hor, 8ho por- ishod fu tho flames, and -Mr, MeGuigan . swam'! auhore, Doulitless numbors wore drowned owlng to thoir -featitio ‘offortd to save thomaolvon, oo ' within o fow yards tho wator was shallow enoigh to wado in, anid tho olorlc'of tho boat, M. Whoo- lor, knved himsolf by wading, Mra. Tostor Griffin (n danghtor of Capt. R~ an, of South \Vnuhluqlon). now rosfding n loxaundria, was drawnod, a8 nlso her two chil- dron, Mar body waa brought up, but tho chil- dron aro mlanlnfi. The scone at tho idontification'] b y of thoromaine by tho mothor was ono which: brought tonra to many oyes. Mra, Toylor, n widow Indy, with hor ehild and & small valiso, jumpod overboard, and was socn to rench shoro, swiniming and floating alternato- }y.“rho othor child is bolioved to bave been ost, LATER—BTATEMENT OF CAPT. WOOD. A roportoer of the Star this morning cailed on Capt. John 1, Wood, commanding ofticor of tho burat vessol, Ho is burned around tho neckand onrs slightly, IIis acoount s substantially ag followa: Tho firo broko out at twonty- fivo minutos past 12 o'clock, botweon Thorm'a Gut nud Chatlorton, T was in tho pilot-houso ot tho timo. A firoman eamo in and told mo that tho boat was on fire bolow. I immodiately camo ont, and found the flames renched quite to tho hurricano dack along the walking bonm, T thon saw that it was impossiblo to get to tholifo- boats, which wero on after-quartors on deck, to 1ower thom, although they wero full of passen- ors, I throw water on tho wheol ropes go as to cop hor slaerage all right, and passed buckots of wator from bolow to tho hurricane deck for {ho purpose, a8 I bocams satisfled thero was no hopo of snving the vossel, aud that the only chianco to #nve tho passengora was to keap ler going, sho hondiug for the boach. The bont reachod the boach in about 12 or 18 minutes after the alarm waa givon—in loss than five min- utos after tho alarm was givon the firo was in the rear of tho pilot-houso—the engine rofused to worlk about s alf & minute beforo sho struck tho slioro, and tho boat run a lenglh beforo sho como to o dead mtop, and grounded in loss than five feot of water from tho bow. T remunined on the hurricans deck until the fiames had burned the window-curtaina in my room, and tho saloon-windows, below, were shooting forth flery darts. X thou camo down on the for- ward dock and did what I could to save tho pns- songors. A great mauy wore afraid to jump overboard. . T nesnred thom they woro safo in jumping, ns the water from the bow was not over tholr honds, and upon this assuranco ono or two mado o leap, and many othora scoing that tho wator wau shaflow followed their example; and woro snved. Tt was with diffienity I cheokod thom jumping ovor in Iargo bodics, and drown- g each other during tho oxcitement. I am entisfiod that nearly all livos lout wero lost in the storn of tho boat, tho flamea driving that way, and forcing thoe passougors to jump or be burned. Just beforo I loft the boat I howrd o Indy (Mrs, Taylor, of Aloxan. dria,) crying for help from tho roar of tho veseol. enw her hanging to tho middlo chains, and sont & boat to Lier rescuie and savod hor. I am satisfiod tho oxeitomont causod undue loss of life, and thal overy passonger waa saved who jumped overbonrd forward. A great many Jivos’ woro lost on tho lifabonta by Loing ovorcrowdod. Bofore tho bont stoppod ono of thom was crowded with colored passongors, and when she was cut loose the stern bulged out and swamped tho craft. About a dozen small chi dron wero abonrd, and I think fivo or ix lost, Tho fire caught in the hold, but it is ossiblo to tell just where. Tho bont wos ver v, almont. like tiudor, and tho flamos, whon thoy struck tho oilod machinory, sproad like;n toreh. Tho cargo was of nmiscollnneous na- ture, aud containing nothing inflammablo. ox- copt two barrols of whisky, which wore in tho for- ward hold, and wore among tholast things burned. It was entiroly lost, The passouger lst and man- ifest of tlhio vessol was lost, it c[ufi impassiblo fortho Clerk to reach tho offlce to obtuin it. At tho timo of tho accident but fow of the passen- ors were asleop, and none In the State-rooms, gumo woro lying down on sofas, . The Goorge- anna camo along, on hor way to Bsltimoro, and brought up a fow of tho passengers. Many wont down through tho country, and othors are nwait- ng other boatu to como hore, All wero well taken caro of. ‘The steamer’s valuo I estimnto at 340,000, TIIE OLERK'S STATEMENT. Mr. J. W. Wheeler, tho clork, states that aftor- leaving Alexandrin thoy took nboard a whilo man ot Livorpool Point, namod Robort Olive, bound for Longwood wharf, and this man ho thinks was lost, At Glymont they took on board Kute McPhorson aud Miss Jonnio Marbury. I'ho lattor was lost and the formor eaved. Oune colored man got on at Evannport and wag lost. Thoso lnndufi wero as follows: Ono at Gly- mont, two or three at Sandy Point, of whom Lo thinks one was a colored woman nud two child- rou; four white Indics and two or three child- dron, and one or two whito men and six colored men and women, aloo o whito boy namod Brax- ton, at Smith’s Point. Ilo algo sintes that thore woro somo adults on board nob registered, and tlat no children youngor than 9 or 10 years were ou tho ropistor-list ; thewe ara uot charged with fare, and ho thinks thoro wore about Lwelve of thew. Ho thinks thero must have been nbove thirly livos lont‘ and ig afraid thore are moro; that about 1 o'clack, after all Lad got nsliora that conld, an attompt was mado to colleot the passengera together to get a correct list of the saved, but many woro waudering about tho shoro, and some had started off through the couuntry, 8o that it is not possible to arrive at the correct number lost at precent, as it in bolioved that many roported lost uro anony those named, Mr, Wheoler states that ho was nmong tho last to leave tho boat. BTATLMENT OF THE PILOT. A reporter of the Star also called on John W. 1., Boswell, tho pilot of -tho vessel. 1lo ig burn- cd about the arms and Jegs. His statemont isas follows: I havo been n pilot on the Potomac upwards of nino years. The fireman, at 20 min- utes of 12, came to the wheol-houso aud told mo tho boat was on fire. The Captain was standing outsidoof tho pilot-honsoat tho timo. I snys, **Captain, tho bost thivg we can do is to run her ashoroe the noarest placo—Chattorton's landing.” I headed Ler for the shove, and: she struck in fiva feet of water. I staid in the pilot-house un- til the wheel ropes broko in two and the firo was coming to tho pilot-houso. I thon jumped overbonrd and awam ashors with two Jadies, whom [ gaved. I then browght out andlauded six or vight passengers. I mudoe a second trip with the boat, aud took in threo colored women, with o child, who woro hanging to tho ruddor, and landod them safoly. swam, out agsin and made " two umsue- consful attempts to roscuc Officor Need’s wifo, but sho twisted sway from mo in each instanco, I presume not knowing what she was doing tlrough excitomont. When 1 camo back to the storn of tho boat for the Jast time, threo chil- dron—two white and ono colored—were thoro, 1 tried to got at them, but the flames prevontod e, and thoy wero nlf burat, I think two of thom wore Ar. Reod's children. I thon wont astorn, and-beiled out tho- life-bont, and took nine dead bedics to Stowart's wharf, four white and fivo coloved. I remaiuod al Stowart’s whurf, and placed tho bodies on tho stonmor National, which brouglit thom to Washington, 1 camo up in the Goorgennna. I kopt tho deck hands pour- ing wator on the wheel-ropos until tho firo drove thom oft deck, The firoman told me.the firet placo bo saw tho fire way in tho forward bow. 1 don't think any but Mr, Reed's tousin, slivs Bot- tie tood, wero lont in jumpig off the low of tho boat, She jumpod bofore tho bost struck, aud was lost, STATEMENT OF RODEWT NASI. Am ongineer of the boat. Lho first intima- tion I had of tho firo waa from the tivemun; ho #nid ho had soon smoke but nmu(ght it camo from tho cook-room ; ho subsequantly discovered the fire and roported it. I tried to got in the hold to discovor tho place burning, but the emokoe was so thick I could not, I thon turned in a firo-oxtin- Eulshur; 1 wont on the forward deck aud used uckets of water. After I saw I was of no furthor servico 1 jumped ovorbosrd, and clung to & poach-box until roscucd by mywon. Mnn woro suved by cliuging to tho poach-boxes which wero thrown overboard. Tho oxcitemont was intenso, I think tho fire originated fn- tho bnek smoke-box from somo unknown cause, Tho flre- man Hflfu ho iy cortaili it originulod in the bock #moko-hox, When in tho wufor I saw o mon and small child struggling. I tried to savo tho child by plueing it on the 'poach-box, but by “some monns both got away [rom me, oud it was tho last I eaw of them, I presunio both woro drowned, The boats conld not bo unod bocwuio the firo broke out amid- ships, and tho Nlawes provented renching thom, Ouo of tho bouts was so orowded bofore boing cutuwny that gho broke upon striking the wa- tor and swamped, I think many lives could huvo been saved if tho life-bont could lnve bison roached by the paesongors after she was flually thrown overboard, BTATEMENT OF BAMUEL A, NABI, Am an apprentico enginecr ubonrd the boat. About half hour before the firo, was in the pilot houso talking to tho Captain, A fireman camo up and stated tho boat wos on fire, It was some time boforo 12 o'clock. I ran down holow aud found I could not got fn the engine-room, bo- caugo the smoke was in the gangway, I went on tho forwurd deck and commeoncod thrawing buckots of water on tho firo; romained thero until it grow so hot I conldn't stand on tho dovk, so I jumpod overbonrd, I did not swin nbore, but romainod in tho wafor to mco Unt Teould do. An old man_jumpodioft nbout the-pame timo I did, aud asked mo to lolp him, I gotatho peach-box and gavo it to him, and led him to whoro his foot conld touch bottom, I thon ynt & pecond ponch-box, and went aftor .my fathor, who was aboul exhinusted, and took himt Inco where ie conld wado ashoro. Lo Ellflt, Mr, Boswoll, and mysolf, then got o small ont to plek’ up auch prsnongora as wo could. We roscued from.the ruddor tlires colored somen and a colored ehild. I eannot givo any iden a8 4 tho origin of tho fire. I don't think anybody but Miss Rood nil o man named Mr. Cook were drownod who jumpod off tho forward part of tho ont, o ongino sloppad st bofors slio atruok, hut wau under fair hond’ of stoam, The small oats woro usoloss, DoeniED Wo Wword gote ting rondy to land passengora and had the littlo Doat down ot the sldo, with the block and tacklo attachod. Thero woro two small boata aboard tho boat. RTATEMENT OF TNE BTEWARD, Cbarlos Tolson, stoward of the Wawasot, atatos thot, Bnding it gotling. too hot for him, ho olimbod over the storn andsslid down tho ruddor- shinft, catohing hold of the.ourve in tho top part, whore ho sontod himuelf until the fire burned him out, and ho struck ont tho bost he could. Not knowing how to swim, he wont to bottom and gove a kick towards shore; that ho sank twico, whon somo ono in n bont caught hold of him and pulled bim in. During tho timo ho was on tho rudder somo aix womon caught hold of the ohain, and woro pullod off by others trylng to savo thomsolves ; that tho soroams and cries wora so pitiful that it noarly made him frantle, but ho could do nothing, Tho conls began to fall on his hoad, and tho smoke and fitmos forced him off, and whon lio got ashore ko was iusonnaible for some time. BTATEMENT OF MR. 3I'RENNY. Mr. Petor McKonny, tho bar-keoper, statos as follows: I was in tho bar, and about 11:26 o'clock hoard the cry of “Iire ;" rushed up on dock, and thon to the hurricane dock, and saw smoko and {lames loaping from the engine-room, noar tho walking-beam. Tho womon woro run- ning back towards tho stern, scroaming sud shouting, but most of tho passongors wore cool, 86 nlso tho dock-hands, At this timo tho hoso liad boon put in sorvico, and thoy did tho best thoy could, and tho firo-oxtinguishor was also turned on, but tho flamos woroe too fast, and buckots woro then taken, some of the passon- ors working as well as the crow. Tho boat waa flumlm\ for tho shoro ns soon ns tho alarm was sounded, and she was making hor way rapidly in; the flames in the moantimo enveloping the wholo aftor part of the vessel, Sho o in to within 150 yords of the shore, and mouy passengers jumped over from the bow and waded ashoro, but by this timo numbors had jumped overboard from to- wards the storn of tho boat, whoro tho water waa doopor (about 9 feot at tho storn), and worg drowned, I can youch that tho Onptain and craw, ag woll ag the pnsgongers, woro Eur}unuy sober, and I have never soon men work better, but the firo sprend very quick, and spread rap- idly, Wood aud snost of the crow romained on board until it was impossible for them to remain longor. 1 got to ehoro after 13 o'clock, mnd when I jumped overboard the steam struck mo and knocked mo seuseless, but a boat picked me up and I recovored, When wo renchied shoro somo of the pagsongers lind boou takon off by tho neighbors, who. had boon attracted by tho smoka_from the buraing boat, and wa wore all treatod kindly, the peoplo offering every asvint- anco in their power. BTATEMENT OF 7. . REED. Was & prssongor on tho boat. Got on in Wasbington for Currioman. Tho fire, I think, broke out sbout _five or ton minutes beforo 13 o'clock, After tho oxcitoment bocamo gonornl, T advisod tho passongors to_koop cool, as tho bont I knew, would ground in low water. Man; jumped overbourd before sho struck, and throw planks to thom. I dou't think a singlo poreon was drownoed off the forward dock aftor tho boat struck. Capt. Wood was tho last man that left tho Loat. don't think thore was a live passengor afloat when Capt. Wood loft tho boat. I don't think anything waus lofé undono by tho officers to save lives and tho boat. I told many of tho passengers, “ For God's sake, don't jump ovorboard; wo will bo aground in low Wator soon, and you can_wade ashoro.” 'They would not hoed 1o, but jumped excitodly into the wator, I had & cousin who jumped over- board bofore the bont stoppod, who was lost, 1t wo could have got all tho plauke ovorboard, mauy would bave been #aved. Tho shrieks of tho womon and childron woro enough to appal the stoutest heart. THE WAWASET is o total wreck. Sho lios in about tiwelve feot of water al high tide, with hor bow stuck fast on {he gravol bottom, nt about four or five feot low tide. The Wawnsot was 120 fect loug, 26 feot wido, 9 foet depth of hold, and was 828,90 tons, custom-house mensurement. 8ha was fitted up to suit both frui{,-ht and prssongors. Bho was bnilt in 1863 at Wilmington, Dol,, for the pur- os0 of running fruit from Duck Creck and Emyruu to Pluladolphia, but was_charterod by the Government and brought to this river to bo usad o8 o transport for troops. ‘I'ho Forry Company purchased her from the Governmenit, and she hind beon wsed on tho line botween this city aud Cone River for freightand paasongers. Last epring sho wes complotoly overhauled on the ways at Daltimore, n saloon cabin put on hor npper deck aft, now furnished aud nowly upholstered aud paintod throughout, making ler ono of tho most conveniont aa well as sgounch boats on the river. Capt. Wood isan oxperienced soaman, and the fnil corps of ofi- cors ond mon are old aud careful hands at stostn~ bonting. - No one can give any information as to how the fire originated, but all agreo that it sturted in tho boiler-room bolow about tho mackinery, and thut in two or threo minutes all about midships was on firg, tho flamos bursting up throngl tho decks and gabgway, thus cutting off all communica- tion botween the bow and aft partsof tho boat. In loas thau twonty-five minutes from_tho timo tho firo broke out tho stesmer was_dostroyed. As tho windows and doors wero all open, the draft wag intonso, oud the doomed boat was soon & shoot of flames. THL SCENE OF TERROR. Mr. Robert Nash, the Chict Engineer, stales hat tho scene of terror amiong the women aud children oxceoeds nuything ho ever witnossed in Tiis oxporienco of thirty years' steambont engi- neering ; that tho gituetion was such that it was uttorly impossible to do anything to eave them moro than was done; that the fear of tho women of tho flro couseil them Lo jump poll-moll into the waler. TTo thinks woveral of Lho children were burned to doath, A TIOUSEFIOLD WRECK. Tho erushing blow that wiped nearly a whole family out of existenco iu tho caso of Officor Reed, of tho Motropolitan Police, appoars to Lave been even moro swoeping in its offocts thon first roported. Mr. Roed not only losos his wife, threo children, and nioce, Dottie Reod, but 'also un auns, Miss Julin Kelloy, whoo nemo_ appears elsowhero among tho. victime, The Mrs, Reed who porislicd on the Wawasot was his second wife, to whom Lie”had boeu mar- ried only about a year, and who at tho timo of Ler den(h was nour confinement, . AN AFFECTING INCIDENT, Among tho vieluns was Mr. George Cook, grocar, Novontls Ktroet sonthwest, botwoon 1) and B. 110 had two littlo childron with him, and whilo ho was struggling in the water making o fight for lifo, howus econ holding his youngest oliild Lo tho surfaco, crying, ** Ob my God, savo my baby I 1t was supposed that the older child bad slready perished. ‘Thore was a roport that Mr, Cook wus subsoguontly roen live ou shoro, but thero hing_beon nothing received to confirn the rumor, and it i»‘pmhubln thut ho and his two ohildron all petished, 2 WHY 50 MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE LOST, 1t may scom strango List 50 luuny womon pud ohildren were npon tho Wawesot, a8 she woa not. running 8s an oxeursion Loat and | was making only hor_rogular trip to Cono Rivor and inter- mediato landinga ; but it keoms that quite & num- ber of familios ware seoking country rosorts for tho hoated and sickly torni during tho, presout month. Thero woro, thereforo, comparativaly fow malo pnesongers on bonrd, and the fomalas, without exporiencoe to guide them, aud not know- fmgg whet to do in the omorgunoy, wero cupublo of littlo moro than fyantio bitb usoloss efforts to savo the lives of thoir childron, WY TUE JOATS WENE USELESY, Tho lifo-boat, which was in tho kiern of tho ‘Wawaset, ng soon as tho firo gained headway, was orowdod by oxoited mon, women, and chil- dren, 1t wuk impousibio for tho oflicors of tho vousol to roach it and lower the same to tho wator's edgo. 1t finally broke undor the woight of thowo u it, aud bulged in the stern, and was pwampod, - Neurly all who had taken refugo in it woro lost, ‘Thore wan a second boat almost ns Iargo as the lifo-boat, which was thrown over- board hir the pmmnufiuru whilo the stoamor wns undor hoadwny, und ounly a fow woro abla ta yeach it. Somo of tho passengers jumpod from the steamor into 1Y, while othors who wera in tho wator wore drawn in by those already witlin it Inan aitompt Lo Jump into it ono pisengor ;\'m} suruck by the wheol and sustatuod slight In- urios, to a snfo THE ORTGIN OF THE FTHE, ‘This soomu Lo be & question of doubt. The Guinuln thinks it orlglated In the forward end of tho bow, but his opinfon_confliots with the statomont of othors. o thinke sparks from tho smokao-hox wore blown into the hold, and, coming in contact with tha dry wood, oaslly g pited into flames, and tho bont hoing almost aa dry g & tiuder wny soon igufled, Taking all tho ntatomonts publisked, it !a gonorally con- coded the firo broke out fn tho hold amiduhipm, and sprond with alarming rapldity. From tho timo of tho discovory of the fire, the boat wns burnt to tho main dook and wator's odge within Iens than twonly minutes,—indeod, ns the ongi- neor told o reportor df tho Slar,—'* In less timo " thau I ean give you shy statbrent.’ HEEDLESSNESS OF T PABSENGENS, Tho excitemont which existed can be judged -from tha fact that tho bont had nonrly 500 lifo preservers abonrd, aud only e woro Uned—ono Hlucud by Mr. Emorson upon o smalt child shln Inughtor), and ono which o usod himsolf, They woro both enved, Mr. Emerson folt so gratoful for lln presorvation by ita ménng, think ho toolc it | with him ‘to ‘Alexandria, and’ 8ald to sovoral frionda who congratulated - hins upon-his Iuc cucapo, that ho would koop it as long a8 Lo lived, NO DLAME ATTACHED TO THE OEFICERS OF TIE DOAT, From tho statomonts of thoro on board tho bont, It sooms that.tho ofticors stood firmly Ly their {mala and did evorything in thoir powaer to snve lives and allny excltoment, On all mdon thoir conduct hos beon commonded, aud no Dblamo for tho disastor sooms to attach ituclf to any of (how, % A FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY. Murder and Sulcide in o Junk Cellar in Poughieepato. Poughkeepste, N. ¥, (Aug, 0), Correspondence of the Kew York Tymes, Thora is much oxcitomont hero ovor a torrible (mgodg whicl ocourred ab 469 Main stroot to- day, - T'ho building was ownod by John Wonz, a junik denler, and was ocoupied by Wenz and his wife, Johanns, Eli Boyco and wife, snd Michacl McGaflin and wife, tho lattor kooping a lagor- Doer saloon in part of it, About 3 p. m. tho po- lico woro told that a fight liad ocourred in tho building, and two porsons bad boon shot, The officors entorod the building through tho rear bnsement snd passod through tho front. A dim lght shono throngh the narrow window nand foll on tho dend bodies of John Wonz_and his wifo lying on the ontrhien floor, and a Bharpe’s four-barrolod re- volver Iylng botwoon them. Mrs. Wonz was shot througli the nock and the carotia artory sovorod, and John Wenz was shot through the mouth up- ward into the hoad, A pool of blood saurrounded onch body. Intho back basement, cloko to the nrtition whioh dividos it from tho cellar, was a ablo on whiclh wau & scanty array of &!shus, plecos of brond, and ono or two cups and ssu~ cors, Undor thia table, closo to tho odge, tho floor was epaitered iwith blood, as though somo ono Lad boan woundod nt that point. Tho thoory is that John Wonz shot his wifo thoro, and she ran into the celiax and foll, scoing which o doliboratoly placed the muzzle of his pistol in hin mouth, discharged it, and foll near bor. By Coroner Wilson Hicke’ direction, tho bodies woro romoved to tho yord, anl laid upon a strotehor, Wonz had nothing on but his panta- loons and shirt, and Mrs, Wonz was drossed s in the performauce of lor ordinary house-work. Tho bodics wero carofully covorad with » shect. By this timo thoro was a rush from all parts of tho city to the econo. X Wouz and his wifo boing Gormans, many of thoir countrymen and women thronged h.m place, and disoussed tho horrible affair in all its bear- ings, Somo bluned tho Lusband, and othors Dblamed the wife. It waa n hard matter to ascer- lain the iruth tl_Eli Boyce and wife were In torrogated. Mrs. Boyce eaid: “Wo live in the third” story of Nr. Wenz's houso. Ha camo - into his _ room up-stairs, and flung himeelt down on tho lounge. Boon_aftor his wife entored tho room, and thoy hnd n apat abont moncy, A lady called to soo Mrs. Wonz just thon, sud thoy consed quar- roling, and sbo told tho lady to come up stairs, and sho did, We woro all inn tho room togothor, Tho Jady visitor eat ab one window and 1 sat at tho othor, A funoral was about passing whon Mrs, Wenz told tho Indy to sit still aud look out of the window, and slio did. Mrs. Wonz thon got up ond wont to her husband's pookets, Ho rosistod, but eho was tho strongost. Hoe broko away from her, and, golng to tho closot, imt [y pistol out, and pointing it at hor said, ‘Don't como any nigher.” Just thon my husband on- tored the room, and I told him to go back, Both Mr, and Mrs. Wonz wore vory mad sod vory much excited. While ho was pomt- ing tho pistol nat Lor sho took & three-quart pnil filled with waler and flung tho contents in her husbsnd’s faco, At this junoturo tho Iady visstor started to leavo the yoom, sud she also urged mo to go to my room, T sab still, and tho ludy visitor went ont, and MMra. Wonz followed her down-stairs,: and T thon went to my room. Bomo timo aftor little Philip ‘Wonz burst into my room and oried out, ** Oh, Mra. Boyeo, fathor and mother are both dead 1" I hoard no pistol report whatover. That's all I know about the affair. Philip Wenz_is 10 yoars of ago, and & bright littlo follow. Ha Is tho son of the doad couplo. Ho told his pititul story amid sobs and tears, Ho said ¢ “ I was homo at dinuer at 13 o’olock with mother. Fathor was thon up-stairs in tho front room on tho third floor. She didn’t soom to bo vory angry. Bho waen't mad atall. Blie goid father liad come bhome so drunk he conid hardly stand up. _This morning my fathor wos in o houso in Dridgo stroot, and thoy wanted him to got out. After I got my dinner I went up to tho base-ball ground, and camo home sgain shortly boforo 8 o'clock, whon Mr. Me- afin told ‘me to go down-stnirs and sco what my fathor and mothor were doing, I woutinto tho rear basoment, but did not seo thom, Ithen went in tho front collar, and saw my mother ly- ing on hor stomach. I thou tried 6 1ift hor up, but couldn't. I didn't then seo any blood, nor hiad 1 yob seon father, for it was so kinder dark like. "Whon_it got 8o I could eco botter, I saw blood, and I then saw fathor lying alongsido of mother, and thon I ran up and told Mr. McGaflin. A revolver lay botwoon father and mother, with tho handlo toward mothor. My father might have thyown it thoro. The rovolver bolongod to fathor. 1 saw it about two days ago up-stairs in a drawer, I gaw it Monday last, y mother bng boen wanting father to go to Now Jorsoy with mo. I hayo hoard hor sy sho would not have him in the houso. 1 havo gob threo brothors and threo sistors. My youngest eitor in 11 yoars of sge. I am 10, and the youngest in tho family. - Father and mother own inis proporty. Father claimed it bocause he #aid mothor always took monoy out of father's ocket when ho was kinder tight, My brother Yioiste and aister Mary live fo Now Jorsoy, and Ey ol}.\ur brothors and sisters except one live cro,” During tlhie giving of his atalemont the poor littlo follow was _groally _oxcited, and when your correspondent reached tho seeno, the Iad was leaning against tho fonce, near tho rear basement, crying ns though his Tittlo hoart would bronks, A1l araund him, in erowds, were jostling sh-nugm. oagor to got a glimpse of the Lorrible sight below, Ho was taken into Mr. McGafin's room, and that gnu:ll[umnn at onco took chargo of him ond cared: for him, - £ : Itis said that the couple wore married about two yoars ngo in Now Jorsey, and thet four of the children wore by Mrs, Wenz's formor huu- band, Wonz in ropresented as having beons vory intomperato mau. Mis friends sey that Mrs. Wonz_nbused him terribly ; that ‘ofton- timos ghe hrd punished him, boing much tho stronger. It is a fact that some timo ago Mra, Wenz waa partinlly insano and attompted eni- cido, when ho wa sont Lo an insaue asylum, ro- maining there, howover, but a ghort {imo 'and ccmlulg hoele oured. All concodo that thoy fro- .quently had bitter quatrels and stiifos which lod 1o tlis fatal result. > Thore is no doubt whatevor but that when Mra, Wenz loft tho room up-stairs with her lndy visltor, eho bade the Iattor Indy good-day and went into tho'roar basomont whora the dinner- tablo way standing, Thero sho must have sat down, whon Wonz camo u'!aon her suddenly and anothier quarrel ensued, during which ho’ slot hor. Stugum'ln§ and bleoding, sho reached the “front cellar and foll. Wonz, who wan intoxi- catod, followad olooly aftor, aud, sceing that ho Lied killod hor and stung with romorao, pus tho mnzzlo of tho piatol in his mouth and blew Lis ‘brains out, While tho undortakor had hodios, Lizzlo, the poungost daughtor of the dund prople, nged 11 yoars, ronched ‘tho Apot, whon she becumo quife frantie. llor uhr!olm' could bz heard s long distancs, and it was a lony whilo before sho could bo quioted. Jolm mu Johnnny Wenz wero aged ahout 50 years, —_——— A Qlergyman on the Gallows. Ban. Fronefaco (July 30) - Correspondence of the New York IWorld The Tov. Dr, Carponfor, formorly of Rrook- lyn, N, ¥., lan (iulnod au unenviable notorlety sinco tha Russol oxocution, lat Friday, This divino Ind boen in_constant attondance.oh thio nutdarer, sud bocame devotedly attachod to Lim, Cntho morning of tho oxccution, whilo tho erininal was being romoved from one coll to anathor, this preacher of the Gonpel (whethor for offa:t, nolorloty, or show will wovor be Lknown) monnted tha seaffold, and, whils' in Do- sitlon 03 tho drop, artistically placed the noosa around big ccolosinstionl neok, Junt tho biack cap ovor hit head, and meditated for noarly fivo minuton The roportora prodont soomed to Lo trustfulthnt tho rnrn would drop, aud tho rov- orond laug himwolf for thoir ospocial bonefit, Dr, Owpoitor, not yob satinflod, must, noods, aftor {la doomed maw hung mmrcudud from tho galliws beam, oxclaim, In tragly toney and soludrunatlo stylo, * Alurdor, mos} foul { tnken ohargo of tho THE TWO PORTLANDS. Particulars of. iho TRecent’ ,l!lnn;atr'ous Fires'in Orcgon and Maine, ' A Toss of About & Million Dollars at Eaoh Place, Three- Wumen Burned to Death in the Enstern Oity, 5 PORTLAND, ORE, F'rom the Portland (Ore,) Eveniny News, Aug, 3, Agaln our cityls wrappod in destroying flames ; sgain tho blighting Influonce of a great con- flagration is upon us, Tho hissing flamen throaten the dostruction of our ontiro clty, s they rapidly sprond from block to block, and stroot to stroot. Wo givo tho partioulars of ! TUE ONIGIN OF THE FIRE, 68 noarly as wo can ascertain during tho presont groat oxoltemont., At sbout a quarter pnat 4 o'clock ihis morning, as tho steamor E. N. Cooko cams up past Swan Island, the Oaptain and engineor saw black columns of smoke' arie- ing from tho olty, and, knowing that a firo was raging whilo tho inbabitants wero soundly sleoping, commonced Dlowlng long whistles, which wore kept up until they roached the atonmer Oneonto, lylng at tho Orogon Stoam Navigstion Company’s wharf. This straoge conduct - brought tho watchman on dook, who immediatoly snw ita cause, and hurriedly fol- lowed the oxample of tho Cooke. Tho whistle was kept soreaming to atiract the attontion of any porson who might be stirring at that carly bour, The Cooke had roached the American Exchango whon the FINE ALARM WAS SOUKDED, and tho Dopartment turned out in Lot hesto, and procooded to tho urnituro storo of Mossrs, Hurgron & Shindler, nenr tho cornor of First and Balmon streots, on the first floor of which it orginated, At first it wna confined to this building slone, but the gront amount of dry matorisl stored in tho workshop burned like powder. Nobly did the Dopartmont stand to their posta; nobly did thio machines continue to strain overy joint in tho flerco battlo with tho flames, Immodiatoly tho clouds of smoko and TONQUES OF FIERY FLAME licked tho walls, scorning tho efforts of the brave boys to stay -them, The drond reslity dawned upon tho frantic crowd as tho flamos roared and hisged, sproading rapidly throughout tho block, and that was, tho flamo could not be controlled. Tho hugo volumos of flamd soemed to ponotrato thocloudsof Ilenvon. ‘Tho wild, tumultuons roar- ing almoat shook tho oarth, ashalf-drossed poople, whoso bianchad chocks woro a rigld look of tor- ror, hurriodly dragged their furniture from thoir throatoned homes, * Such sights ‘as mothors weoping over their destituto familios, whose lit- tlo goods havo fallon o proy to the maddoned flond, aro hard to soe unmoved. Many poor famifios wero hurriod from thoir little omes al- moat boggara, tho torror-stricken childron oling- iag to tliolr woaping purents, As tho flames increased and spread, the stroots prosontod one of the saddest sights we hayo over witnessed. Every vehicla of convoyance to ba bad in the vieinity of tho city hurriodly EMPTIED TIHE BTORES for tho longth of nbout twelve blocks north and south, and four blocks cast and wost., Such losses we havo nover scen before, The contents of stores wero tumbled into tho streots, whoro they woro tramplod under foot by men and_ lorses. Silke, - sating,™ laces, dross goods, clothing, boots ' and shoes, crockory, furnilure, and overy imaginable articlo, ruined and dostroyed, Tho streots wera pilod with goods that could not bo saved, so rapid was the sproad, Tho course of tho confia~ ration tended toward Front stroot, althongh hrco blocks back from tho rivor now Iay a heap of emouldering ruins, Whon throo or four blocks wore burning florcely and tho firo sprond- ing rapidly, what could our engines do toward oxtinguishing it? Alns, ns hns been provod, but very little. It now bocame ovident chat the city wos in tho ntmost dangoer of total destruc- tion, and & ory for hul{; aprond mxjidly aver tho wires to Orogon City, Balom, and Atbany, Tho oporator at Orogon City was not in. By n strango chanco, an oporator on the railroad train alu{:pcd into tho oftico to tolograph to Au- rora for breakfast. No saonor had tho counec- tion beon made than Mr, Plummer, of this city, callod that station and asked tho oid of the BALEAM FIRE DEPARTMENT. In a fow momants Mr. Falling, of the railroad offico, tolographed to hold the train until the Do- artmont could get their engine placed upon n nt car that happoned to bo at tho station, Tho alarm was given in the city, and in a fow min- utes tho ontire Dopartment was on hand, Aftor tho telogram was road o thom, they smatched Capital Lingine No. 1 from her houseand hurried to tho waiting train. A# soon o8 sho Lnd boon ]flund on board, the train started from tho dopot like a shot from o cannon, Buch time has nover beon mado upon the Pacifie coast bofora. The diatanco botween tho two points is fifty-threo miles, which wns made In ono hour and eight minutes. Nnbl{ did the gallant boys from Salem Iabor in the batilo, and great was ‘tho boneflt of thoir labor. THE VANCOUVER 1OY8 were algo sent for, and rospouded immediately to tho call, also doing beautiful and tolling work. Long and onrcstly did thoy battlo agninst the destroyor, With willing hands tho) aidod tho viotims of this terriblo visitation, an for thom tho pooplo of our eity will ever main- tain a gratoful remembranco, hoping never to bo callod upon to roturn the kindnoss in the 80mO Way. As the gash and door factory of Messra. Wallior & Co. ignited, tho proprictors offered . ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS for a stream of water ton minutes, but it wasim- possiblo to furnish it, as olher buildings hnd tobo worked upgn, - It scomod as if the flames wero toyiug with tho mnssivo buildings that wora complotoly at thoir moroy. The stoamer B. N, Coolkta touderad hor soryices to tha Chiof, and was ongnged in pulting down tho wharves and buildings along tho water front, Bcows and wood-boats were londed with furniture and tawed out into the stream. Business,of all kinds Is’'suspended, and stores are closed, It ia tho goneral belief that it is tho work of an incondiary, as the storo of Hurgron & Shind- lor waos robbed Inst night, and thore had boon no fire upon the.premises. Whilo tho fire was spreading its proportions up and down tho city, anothoer. firo broko out' in & black of buildings near ot hand, which was consumod. A short time aftor anothor ono broke out in the contre of another bluck, but TUE HELLISH FIEND who was doteoted in the act of firing it was cnr- turod by Josoph Wiley, and dragged to jail, whero he sbould remain, if guilty, .until "the gound of the last rump, Hed tho crowd known the facts of tho matter, he would have boon torn limb from Hmb_nand thrown ioto tho hissing flames, tho torriblo result of his own black hoart- ed crimo. - Boveral aceidents hnve hnI)plmeL\, but in the hurry and oxcitomont the uljurad or- song woro eatried awnsy with but littlo notico, and it would be folly to inquire of spectators or firomen, s thoy know very little about such mattors during” such trylng times. Wo have, heard of but fow- ACOIDENTA of much consequonce that have happened to- dny. Ono was to Mr. Sam Lowonsteiu, who was struck on tho liu’ud'b{ 4 falliug hool, “Tho skull was crushed and the brains oozod out of the tor- rible wound, It will probably prove fatal, An- othier mnn, named Johuson, & mamber of tho Firo Dopartmeut, fell from & ludder early in tho battle, striking upon his head, bruising and mu- tilating it horribly, Tho wounds, though painful, are notdangorous. Mr, Ed. Backoustos recolvod a terrible gash on tho arm from an ax, A groat mauy othiers wero m{nrod in varions ways, but wo wero 1usblo to got particulars, Wo havo succeedod in obtaining the followin, list of tho principal lossea sustainod, but are nol entiroly corrnot, as the amount of “stooks on hand and valuo of tho buildings are only estl- mates mado by the sullorara s \_ . TIE TERRINLE PIGURES, Iurgron & Sbindler, senvsrens 80,000 Melropholls Hotel. .., 50,000 100,000 20,00 Dr, Freoland. ... vv 8,000 il & Ohampion's 11,000 Lick Houso 16,000 Kollogg Hou 16,600 Waolel: & Dory [ G, A, Posao's 4,500 . Gorbot, . 500 infl, Lowonsiein & Co 50,000 — "Ballarw 20,000 0, 8, Silvers, 20000 10,000 Q.E ) Furusworth & J. A, Btrowbridge. Baw Bykod,oioers E, Jy Nortlrup (lumber), Toan’ eatato, Brith Tiros: (UmMUOr) .., ves 8, G. Bkidmara (hutldings), W. I Laka (stook Taowera & Durchard Dr. Davonport, 0.B. Marln % 5 Bpringo Wock & Motgau. Totalicsvarrsrsesnasroranan Aud thosa aro not all. have boon sustalned i 5 780,600 groat many loasor loasen Liat Wil eoll o vaat -amount to almost 1,000,000, LATEST, At tho hour of golug to pross, tho fira s under control, and will soon bo oxtinguishod. Al tho ongings are ot work steadily,. The Poriland Firo Dopartmont flvn tho Bulom boya the honor of snviug tho Bt. Obarles Hotel, and thoraby sning lindreds of thousunds of dolinrs that would bavo anraly boon lost, {ncluding thig oftico, Tho. stable, on' the cornor of Ash and First atrootn, waa flrad thin aftornaon. Tt was oxtin- guished by Ankony, Whito, aud othors, Tho de- toctivan nre in hot purauit, 'I'wo mon woro rrostod and lodged in jail for mlmh;.g firo to n house of ill-famo on” Third stvoot, o S PORTLAND, ME, Portiand, 3ls, (Ang. 9), Dispatch to the New York Hore .. ald, The commercinl capital of Baine sooms to bo purticularly unfortunnto iu its firo rocord. While till sufforing from the effcats of tho drosd olemont that ewopt away hor richost #quaros in 1860, and ‘sympathizing with hor ata- tor oity In Orogon, which was destroyed- a fow doya ago, sho hos boon ngain visited by s con- flagration of tho most disastrous kind, A mill- {on dolare’ worth of proporty is now in ashes, and throo lives have boon sacrificod to tho fury of tho flames. At the lowest estimate Pplacod by reliablo judgos, the loss will equal, if not oxeond, one million of dolinrs, not to apoak of tho loss occasioned by the disarrangemont of tho busincss of tho stenmship lines, of which throo prominont onos aro aufferors. Tho immodiate cause of tho fire is as yot a mys- tory; but tho firat soon of o blnzo was in & balo of morchandiso in tho storohonsoof tho New York Btosmahip Company, at the ond of Galt's wharf, The bullding was 400 feot long and 90 feot wido, and was filled with srticlos of & most in- flammablo naturo, Aftor tho firo started thero was 1o posaibility of controlling it. Lying at tho pior was the stoamor Dirigo, Which had ar- rivod from Now York this morning, and was then discharging her cargo. In an fnatant, apparent- ly, aftor tho firo was discovered, the whole froight houso waa ono mogs of flamos, and, of courno, all ohanco of cscapo for the porsona on boar tho stoamslup waa cut off in thia dircetion. An alarm was immediatoly sounded, but after tho firomen arrived TIIE WEAT WAS B0 INTENSE that thoy could not reach the burning bullding. o fow moments tho stonmor- was on fire in many placos, Tho lines woro cast off, but tho tido Bot hor baok ngaiust tho wharf again, Al svonues of escapo laving beon cut off, the por- ‘sons on board, some utwonty men aud threo women, jumpod into tho wator, Boveral of thom woro budly burnod bofore thoy wore resoued, Tho “throo women porished, - ale though thoy woro -living _whon thoy woro flrst takon from the wator, It {s thought that thoy were struck by somo falling timbera whilo thoy wero in the wator. They woro Mra, Milter, utowardess, and hor daughtor, 13 years old, both of Now Vork, snd a girl 19 'yoara old namod Nollio McCarthy, bolonging to this city. This girl hod gone on board but s fuw hours Egovioun to assist tho stewardess. A man nsmed Weaka was knocked overvoard aud came near bolng drowuod, Above tho froight shed was the largo grain ele- vator bolonging to the Graad Truuk Railwny Company, valued at 150,000, which is thought to bo fullyinsured. In it were stored some 25,000 worth of grain, which is, of course, & totul lous. Diractly opposite the clevator, and separated from it ouly T8 railrond track, was o largo build- ing usod ag a United Btates bonded warchouso, TII18 WAS BOON ABLAZE, the fire running thmug’h it vory rapidly. Stored in this building wos o Jargo amount of sugar, ‘molssses, flour, and other morchandisoe, which in Lalf an hour was totally consumed. A Yong train of loaded freight cars wero stand- ing on tho track, botwoon the buildings, but thoy werodrawn out, fomoof thom boing badly burned, On tho wharf boyond the clovator wns another lorgo building, neod for storage and oficos, and this wns comglutuly destroyed, Another build- ing, filled with goods, was in the path of tho fire, and was soon In' fiames. Thia iucluded all th buildings on Galt's whart, On Franklin whar woro two unfiniehed scows, which crught fire, but wera xll.mllvy saved, In tho dock botweon Franklin and Gali's wharvos woro two now tug-bonts, which wero with tho grontest difiteulty got off into tho harbor, DESTRUCTION OF THE STEAMERS MONTREAL AND OARLOTTA, Tho next whar( onst of Galt’s belongs to the Portlaud Steam Packot Company, Lying at thig wharf was tho fino stosmer Montreal, which camg down from Boston this momning. Closo beside lior, and lashed to hor, was tho Car- lottn, belonging to the Halifax lino, ‘The Iattor was propared fo enil, with a full cargo, ot 4 o'clock. Tho lnes of theso stenmord wero cast off, but tho tide drifted them diroctly in tho path of the flames, and in & forw momonts thoy were in s blaze, The porsons on board these steamora hiad groat difliculty in sav- {ng thoir livos, aud ono_young boy, who had o large amount of money belonging to tho clork in his’ possossion, was actually obliged to paya \mnhxlmn 250 to take him off one of the burning vessels. Tho mnxgnmennt stonmor Montrenl, valued at $200,000, then floated down tho barbor in o muss of fire, Erauuuflug & splendid, although painful, sight. ' Bho finally wout ashora on Dang's Tnl: end, and the Carlotta and Dirigo went around ou tho othor sido of tho breakwater, whoro thoy 8oon burned to the wator's edge. Tho Government étostner Bluo Light, which is hero with the sciontifio expedition, went to the assiatanco of the Onrlotta, but got aground closo beeido hor, aud it was foared she would -also be dostroyed, i T'ho denso volumes of smoko whioh asconded {rom the \mmh¥ mass onveloped the harbor ns withs & pall, and Jiung over the adjoining islands. The flames from Galt's wharf now » LEATED AOURSS THE DOOE, and the immonse froight sheds of the Portland Btoam Packet Company were soon on firo. In- numorablo teame woro at work bastily hauling off_tho froight, and the utmost excitemont pro- vailed, The wind was blowing a sirong broozo, sud it ‘was foored that tho Graud Trunk froighf and passonger depots would- be destroyed, Tho building on this wharf covered every portion of it, somaof them boing turoc-storics high. Thoy wora owned by the Grand Trunk Company and wers valued at 810,000, The fiamos made quick work of them. Thore wore 1,000 cords of wood and 1,000 tone of conl in theso sheds, On the other sldo of the wharf wis o large froight shed belonging to the Halifax line, stored with valuablo freight, inoluding 100 hoga- hieads of sugar, 500 barrels of flonr, a Iarge quan- tity of prosorved enlmon, borrels of mackeral, etc.. Not moro than fifty barrels of flour wore eaved, , THE FIRE MENE SPENT IT8 FORCE, the very wide dock betwoen the pior aud the Gront Enstorn wharves provented further pro- gross, By tho most stroenuous offorts of the fire- men, tbe Grand Trunk shods were raved, Fifty cars_woro. loadod with froight and moved out of - tho dopot. At 6 o'lock the fre was subdued, oxcopt amid the conl and timbors of the wharves, ‘Threo unfortunato women hiave lost their lives in thid disastor, and a score of men hava ro- caived sovero injurics, Tho wharves will bave to bo wholly rebulit. This will of conrso greatly dbmmmiw tho busi- nons of tho atanmship companios, although thoy wlll‘ uso every oxortion to got into working order egnin, During the firo a yacht going down tho harbor capsized und the ocoupantd wore saved with difl- ouity, Tolograms wero sont to 8aco and Biddle- ford for assiytauco, but the order was aftorwardu countormanded. Large crowds of the pooror clasgon are soarching the ruins to-night, ‘y cking up small quantitios of tlour and sugar which os- enpod both fire aud wator, The Coroner s hold~ ing ndnquant on the bodies of two of tha womon to-night. 'Tho rompins of tho third has not yei been recoverod. UNAVAILING DRAVERY, Mr, 8almon, olork of the Carlotts, mado dos- porate efforty to wavo the steamor, but thoy proved of no avail, Aesisted by tho fimt aud socond onginoors and two of tho minor om- ployes, ho clung to tho ship, whilo all tho othors scamperod nway. Ar, Balmon recoived somo #ovoro burua, but hiy ln‘iurlou aro not sorious, The Herald voportor visitod the wreok of tho burning stonwmers ot & late Lour, but littlo was loft of them. Tho bodios of the victims pre- sonted n piteous aight, boing swollen and disfig. ured, although not muoh injured by fira. % 1t Iu gonorally boliovod thut tho stosmor Mo~ trenl would havo been snvod but for the grana inofficloncy of thono on bonrd. Sho swung cloat of tho wharf and tho tlamos, and tho wind was oft “ahoro, but no mail was ‘sot, and the tide driftod hor. agninst the Carlotta, No biamo ia sitachod to tho Btonmboat Gompany, o far ns T can loarn, though tha nl(lluluu 18’ fracly ox- rmaou,tbm thora wan n Inok of auintanico ok ho firat'alarm, and that considoralile cowardico *{ wus oxhibited when tho ronl dangor camo, THE MINNESOTA GRANGERS. Clrcular from tho Stato Grand Mastor, BTATE GRANOE 07 MIxNziona, , Miun,, Aug. 8, 1873, WiNON T Subordinate Grangea of Patrons of Husbandry of tha State of Minncota: . It has come to my knowlodgo that cortain Grangos {n this jurisdlotion havo llg)nmtotl dolo- gnton to, a political convontlon, bo hold at Owatonna on the 2d day of Bo&f}nmhor noxt. 1 deom anch sction not only unwio, but in diract violation of tho fundomontal law of our order, and that {t subjeots the Granges so doing to tha danger of a rovocation of thoir chartors. Tudividus! patrons aroundor no rostrictions whatover in tholr roligious or political conduot. County Counoilaaro not rocogunizod as bolonging to the Ordor, or aublect ta its laws, Wo Iny no elaim to , ony control whntovor over so-called Tarmora’ Convoutions, But Granges of Patrona of Hunbandry are prohibited by ghn 1aw which ffivon thom oxislonco from engaging In oithor ro- glous or _political notion or discuseton. Thia probibition fa imposod for the best and wiseat of purposios, 1t in our only nfeguard againat suro and speody dostruction.” Upon obedionco to thia lasr dopends our vory oxistonco ag an Order, Itis with profound .rogrot and mortification thot 1 havo witnossed this departuro from our chorished principles. Just ns succoss is within our grasp, anil ourIabora ara about to bo roward. od by an abundant prospority, aro wo to forget our misalon and barter away our boloved Ordor for o moss of political pottago? Aro wo to lose sight of tho grand objeots boforo us—tho soelal, intolloctual, and finsucial rogoneration and ol vation of our alass—which ghould mako our Ordor porpotunl—for any considoration of tem- Ennuy advantago, orof doubtful expodioncy 7 'atrons, lot us stand firm to our principles. I oall upon the offending Granges to rotraca tho faleo stops taken; to recall thofr dologates olootod to tho conventlon above named, and re« cousidor their rosolutions. I eall upon tho Grangen in this juriediction * to conform to and abida by” tho Constitution, rules, and rogula- tions of thio Order, and to rofrain from sll politi- cal action or discussion. Geonox 1. PAnsoxs, Masator, A OATID FRIOM GRAND AARTER PARSONS, To the Editor of the JFinona Republican ; In your jsaue of yostordn{ Inotico a statomont of your mrm-ter that I will discourago any dis- tinct political action npon the part of tho Grang- ors, at loast this fall, and that if such a course in dopirabloat all it 1a too oarly in tho history of tho Order now, &e. Now, I wish to correct tho improssion which this statomont will be likoly to make. Ido not boliove in cithor tha policy or tho right of [mmlcu] actlon on the part of tlio Grangoes at all, or atany time, now or horonftor, It is contrary to tho fundsmontal law of tho Order for a Grange to indulgo in po- litical disoussion or action. It is absolutely pro- hibited by {ho Constitution. Individusl Patrons mny do ns they rlunsn; there s no apooial law of tho Ordor rostraining their thoughts or thoiz actions. Thoy loso nono of their rights as citi- zona whon thoy bocome Patrons of Iusbandry. Agsin, your roporter malkos mo say, * That whon tho Grangos stop into the srena of politics thoy may expeot tooar from me,” Tho Constitution of .the Order requires tho Mastor of tho Stata Grange to goo that tho laws of tho Order are ob« served and obeyod. I simply propose to do my duty, Yours truly, Geonae I. Pansoxs, Master. WiNoXA, Aug. e A Wife Deserts ¥or Family for Her Eusband’s Brother. From the Denver (Col.) Tribune, For the paat two or throo days & man named Ambroso 8, Cunfimm bas beon running about the stroots of Donvor in a semi-frantic con- dition, and ay {pmmuy In a thorough state of in- toxication. Ho was arrastod by tho police as “drunk,” but was rolonsed on his notusl con= dition being known. Ha has beon living in & wagon in the westorn outskirts of Weat Donver, whero he was found yosterday l;zly our roporter. His story is ead, but briof, aud illustratos ono of tha seddest phases of dopraved life. Mr. Cosgrovo sold out his farm, near Carlin~ villo, 1il,, lIaat wintor,and, early In March of the prosant yoar, started with his_wife and family and marriod brothor for Southwostorn Kousas. He fittod out two tosma in Atchison, and passed down tha Arkansaa Valley, but, not belng satisfiod with tho proapects thore, camo on to Denver, whore ho arrived on the 18th of July, Whilo eucamped with hig family in the brush, he was visited Ly o party of tourisls, and was ine ducod by them to tako them in one of his toama for & fow twooks' jaunt to the mountains, 1cnvln5 hin wife in charge of ks brothe er. 0 hig roturn lsst Saturday he found his wife, his brother, and best team gono, while his twa childron had baon loft at o bosrd- ing Liongo closo by, A few lines writton by hia guilty wife woro loft with the children, oxplain~ ing lior absence. 'Tho guilty pair had taken the toam nnd about $800 in monoy, and fled, no ona knowa whithor, leaving tho griof-strickon hug- band his tiwo littlo childron and his shame. Hg s0ld his outfit_ yesterday, with the inteation of roturning to Illinois. He anys ho carcs not ta soo oither his wife or his porfidious brother again, Itis one of the worst cagea of totul do- pravity on record. e The Sioux.Pawnce Fight. Kearney Junction (dug.8) Correapondeticeof the Omalia fera To-day, about fifty Pawnes, with nbout 250 horacs, camo into town from the southwest and comped. From their appearance it was evident thoy had boon soveroly hendlod. Upon tho § o'clock frolght about 100 more arrived, with a box-car of wounded onea with thom. Thoy ro- port a sovero engagoment with the Sioux, upon tho divido southwost of Plum Creck, alout forty miles, in which they lost & large number, all their buffalo meat, a large number of squaws aud papooses, snddles, and othor things. Thoy rolato that thoy (tho Bioux) camo upon thoir da- fonceloss camp of womon and children and mas- sacrod all of thom, and then songht them out and thoy boing poorly armed, and the Sioux well srmed, thoy fought at & great disadvantage, and thoir losses woro consoqueutly great, Tho ac~ counta aro so confused and contradictory that it is impossiblo to get & truo and roliablo state- meut, and then wo all know that their idens of truth-telling aro not of tho most oxalted kind, It is alleged tho Sioux are allowod superior arme, aud tho I'awngos, on nceount of their’peaceable charactor, aronot. Ono of two things ought to Le done by the Governmont with thess Pawnees, viz. : eithor koefil thom rigidly on their rosorva- tion, and give thom plenty of food, or, whon thoy aro pormitted to~go upon the bulfalo hunting- glx‘-ouude whero tho chances are they will mncet tho Lostlle Sioux, give them gaod arms aud plonty of ammunition to moet their foes on an equal footing, ‘This ia simple justice. I am afraid that thoy will soon got it ‘through their thick skulls that it ‘don’t pay a yory large divi- dond to bo peacoablo and quiat. Destructive Storm m the Wisconsin ‘Tobacco Districte=liundreds of Acres Wsed Up by Elnil From the Janemalle(Wis,) Gazette, Aup. 11, About 8 o'clock yestorday afternoon a tornado and hail-storm broke at thio northwest corner of the town of Porter, aud awept with destructive force in a northonstorly diroction, laying wasto thoe numerous prowising flelds of tobacco in it path, The dostruction is complato, the leaves of the tobacca-plants being ground into fragmonts, mnd in many instancos tho l.h!m! uprooted by the ‘torriblo forco of ho storn, W, " Blator, whoso tobacco- crop is s total wreck, thinks tho tornado wad about four milos in width, and that it spent its foreo in tho town of Povter. ~ Union, Fulton, Centor, Plymouth, and Jancsvillo all were visit- od by gevere rain and wind storms yestordsy, Dut {he visitations wero nothing compared with the Portor disaster, ‘o tobicco was nearly rendy to out, and o botter crop never was_gath- orad in Rook County thau stood upon the Portor flolds yostordey moruing, But tho halt-hour’ storm in the aftornoon has roducod it to a con- ditfon completoly worthloss, D. Care's tobaceo .. house was blown down, aud some damage dona to graln in tho shock, Simultauncous Neath of Two Siatora, The fanily of Ar. John A. McDowell, of Wil~ mivgten, Dol, woro sadly afficted on 'Wodnos- day, Oth inst., two of his daught ud{ing at noarly tho same timo, Tho Commercial says thot they were socomplished and promijsing young girls, one buivg 19 yoars of ago aud the othor 17. Aboul Christmas timo of Iast yoar Esthor wsa attackod with tho henrt discuso, which proved fatal abont 12 o'elack on Wednes- day, Jennle, tho youngor salstor, having abous throe weekn ago boen attnokod with typhold fe- ver, with which she was sufforing at the time of hor sistor's donth, was 4o affooted by the elroum- stanco, that sho too broathod her last twenty miuntos aftor the denth of her slstor.. A fow mos mounts boforo her death bclnt; In a somi-dolirious siate, shio exclalmoed: “Give me my thingn! give me tu{nthhlgnl I goo wy wiytor golug, and iho {o Waltlog for me,"