The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-15
Admiral Kimberly Eulogizes the Conduct Of
Officers and Men-BOdies Recovered and
Buried in Cemeteries Near the Town.
Interesting Information Concerning the
Political Condition of the Islands.
German Consul Knappe's Proposition fora Dual
Government Receives No Consideration
at the Hands of King Mataafa.
AFTER THE DISASTER.
Admiral Kimberly Talks of the Calamity and
Eulogizes Officers and Men.


Eulogixes Officers and Men.
Copyright 1889. by the Western Associated Press.l
APIA, Samoa, March so, via San Fran
cisco, April 14.-After the storm of March
16 had subsidized, and after the officers and
crews of the wrecked vessels came ashore.
the evidence of the awful destruction was
presented on every side. The German sur
vivors remained in that part of the town
where the property of the German trading
company is located, but the Americans
were to be seen everywhere. The officers
had lost their uniforms and were dressed
as common sailors. Admiral Kimberly was
the last to leave the American flagship
Trenton. He went at once to some rooms
which had been prepared for him in an
American residence. The Associated Press
correspondent found the Admiral. few
hours later, sitting alone on the porch OF
a small house facing the harbor. There
was an expression of great anxiety
on his face as he sat watching
the wrecks of the American men-of-war.
'Is it not awfulf" he remarked
to the correspondent. "In all my expert
ence on the sea, have never seen q storm
to equal this one. can hardly realize yet
the full extent of damage which has been
done. My chief anxiety now is to get these
500 or 900 sailors back to America. It would
be Of no use for them to remain here, and
must get them home as quickly as possible.
/ shall either telegraph to Washington for
q steamer to be sent froms San Francisco to
take the men back, or 1 will charter
steamer in Auckland. They must get back
soon in some way"
The Admiral was asked in regard to his
own experience during the storm, but had
little to say of a personal nature. He con-
tinued: "The fires of the Trenton went
out at 10 o'clock in the morning. and our
rudder and propeller were carried away at
the same time. No one can realize the
force with which the rudder was struck. l
suppose piece of wreckage fOuled 1T. The
pilot wheel whirled around with terrible
velocity. every spoke in it was broken. and
broken. The great volumes of water
poured in upon the berth-deck through the
hawse pipes, the ire-r00m was soon Hooded
and the fires were put out. The
been placed where they were. 1t was
a piece of faulty construction which
the government, of course had been asked
TO remedy several times. If they had Been
located on the deck above, wafer water tE Would
indirectly the cause of the loss of the Tren-
ton. After our steam gave out we used the
storm sail, and sent the men into the II G.
ging and used them as sails. The ship was
handled skillfully. 1t would have been
impossible for us to steam out of the har-
Dor as the CalliOpe did. as our engines were
not powerful enough. We had on every
pound of steam we could carry, and, with
three anchors out we were not able to hold
az %hA cfN rvh& or
it as long as we could do so, but were final
ly driven back upon shore"
The Admiral spoke feelingly of the death
of Captain SchoOnmaker and other officers
and men who persisted.
The confusion which was present every
where In Apia during the first few days
after the storm had disappeared at the end
of the week. The quarters of the ship
wrecked sailors had been made more COM
properly attended to. Consul Blacklock's
orders prohibiting the sale of liquor to
sailors had good effect, and very few
drunken men were to be seen. The town is
still under marine guard in charge of
Captain Huntington, and Mataafa's police
have also assisted in maintaining order.
The men from the Trenton and Vandalia
have separate barracks, and have erected
temporary tents for shelter. The Nipsic
men are still living aboard their vessel, and
the German survivors are quartered in a
warehouse belonging to q German firm.
Working parties were kept busy all the
time on the wrecks of the Trenton and
Vandalia, and articles of every description
were brought ashore from the vessels and
piled together in a large yard. Divers have
been at work, and many articles were
saved in that way. Safes from both
vessels containing large amounts of
money were recovered. The smokestack
| of the Vandalia has been removed, and it
| will be placed on the Nipsic, as the latter
| ship lost her smoke-stack in collision with
| the Olga. The divers also have been max
| ing an examination of the Nipsic, and have
| discovered that her keel had been carried
away. 1t has not yet been ascertained
| whether the Nipsic will be able to leave
the harbor or not. Admiral Kimberly is
| most anxious to get her away and send her
repairs, if he is satisfied she can stand the
| trip. She is not likely to leave, however.
| until the arrival of some other m en- n-of-war,
| The Monongahela and Mohican are expected
| to arrive here soon.
King Mataafa came down from his camp
| a few days ago. light rain had fallen
| the night before and water had leaked into
many of the tents occupied by the sailors.
| Mataafa pointed out to Admiral Kimberly
| the danger of sickness breaking ont among
/ the men on account of this exposure, and,
| on behalf of his own people, he offered TO
| vacate all the Samoan houses in Apia and
| allow the American sailors to have
the use of them. Admiral Kim
4 DcIly tDdHkcu Nndtddld WdIDly, DUU Stateu
! to him it would be almost impossible ia
control the men if they were scattered
| around among the native houses. He
/ promised to consider the offer, however. if
the situation became more pressing. There
| is no immediate danger of the supply OF
| provisions being exhausted. Several par
| ties with whom contracts have been made
for the feeding of the men have plenty of
| provisions on hand, and the steamer Lu-
| beck will arrive from sydney in few days
and fresh supply will be obtained from
| her.
The officers and men of the Vandalia lost
nearly verything, and q great many on
! the Trenton Jared but little better The
officers are scattered all over town, and
have secured such accommodations as they
can find. Many are living in native houses
| There has been no local government In
| Apia for many months, owing to the wars
between the natives, consequently the san.
| itary condition of the town is very poor
The little streams are choked with vegeta,
tion, which has been allowed to grow with
out check. and the garbage is emptied
everywhere. The immediate quarters ol
the men are kept clean as possible. and a
great effort is being made TO prevent dis
ease, but the men are obliged TO work or
the wrecks in the hot sun, and there Is con
siderable danger of fever.
Although 146 men lost their lives durinl
the storm. there have not been more thar
forty bodies recovered. For the first day
or two, bodies of Americans were buried III
cemetery connected with the Londor
Mission. and the bodies of the German
were buried III the French Catholic Gene