Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-16
AFTER TIE STORM.
Sad Scenes at Apiar Services Over the
Dead

the wrecked vessels had come ashore the
evidence of the awful destruction was pre-
sented on every side. The German survi-
vors remained in that part OF the town
where the German Trading company is
located, but the Americans were to be
seen everywhere The officers had lost
their uniforms and were dressed as COM
mon sailors. Admiral Kimberly was the
last to leave the American flagship, Tren-
ton. he went at once to some rooms which
had been provided for him in the house OF
an American resident. The Associated
Press correspondent found the admiral
few hours later sitting alone on the porch
of 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.
rs 1t not awfui?" he remarked to the
correspondent. ''In all my experience on
sea have never seen storm to equal this
one. can hardly realize yet the full eX-
tent Of damage which has been done. My
chief anxiety now is to get these 500 or 900
sailors back to America, 1t Will be OF no
use for them to remain here, and l must
get them home as quickly as possible l
shall either telegraph to Washington for a
steamer to be sent from San Francisco to
TO take the men back or will charter
oocdLACI- III AuChlduO lucy uiuSO sCt
back soon in some way" The admiral WAS
asked in regard to his own experietice dur
ing the storm, but had little to say of a
personal nature.
He continued: 1.-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. No one can realize the
force with which the rudder was struck. l
suppose piece of wreckage fouled it. The
pilot wheel whirled around with terrible
velocity; every spoke in it was broken, and
one OF the men at the wheel had leg
broken. The great volumes of water
poured in upon the berth deck through
the hawse-pipes, the fire room was soon
flooded and the fires were put out. The
placed where they were. 1t
was a piece of faulty con-
struction which the government
officials had been asked to RENE
dy several times. If they had been located
on the deck above the water would not
have come in. l consider this indirectly
the cause of the loss of the Trenton. After
our steam gave out we used the storm Sail
and sent the men into the rigging and
used them as sails. The ship was handled
very skillfully. 1t would have been i'm
possible for us to steam out of the harbor
as the Calliope did, as our engines were
not powerful enough. We had on every
pound of steam thai we could carry, and
with three anchors out we were not able to
hold up against the storm. We fought
against it as long as we could do so, but
were finally driven back upon the shore'
The admiral spoke feelingly of the death
of Captain Schoonmaker and other officers
and men who Derished. The confusion
which was present everywhere in Apia
during the first few days after the storm
had disappeared at the end of the week.
he nm rtp of 81 yoG coil
had been made more comfortable, and the
daily routine was properly attended to.
Consul Blacklock's order 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 bar
racks, and have erected temporary tents
for shelter The Nipsic men are still liv-
ing aboard their vessel, and the German
survivors are quartered in warehouse be-
longing to German firm.
Working parties were kept busy all the
time on the wrecks of the Trenton and
Nandalia, and articles of every description
have been brought ashore from the vessels
aud piled togetherin large yard. Divers
have been at work and many articles were
saved in that way. The 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 smokestack in collision with
the Olga. The divers also have been max
ing an examination of the Nipsic, and dis
covered 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 Kim
berly is most anxious to get her away. and
send her either to Auckland or San Fran
cisco for repairs. if he is satisfied she can
stand the trip She is not likely to leave,
however. until the arrival of some other
men-of-war The Monongahela and Mo-
hican are expected to arrive here soon.
King Mataafa came down from his camp
few days ago. A light rain had fallen the
night before and the water had leaked in
TO many of the tents occupied b. sailors.
Mataafa pointed 10 Admiral Kimberly the
danger of sickness breaking out 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
berly thanked Mataafa warmly. but
stated to him it would be almost impossi-
bic 10 control the men il they We're scat
tered 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 sup
ply OF the provisions beng exhausted.
Several parties with whom contracts have
been made for the feeding OF men have
plenty of provisions on hand, and the
steamer Lubbock will arrive from Sydney
in few days, and a fresh supply will be
obtained from her. The officers and men
of the Nandalia lost nearly everything, and
a great many of the Trenton Jared but lit
tie better. The officers are scattered all
over town, and have secured such accom- |
modatlonS as they can ma. Many are /
living in native houses.
There has been no local government IN /
Apia for many months, owing 10 the wars |
between the natives. consequently the |
sanitary condition OF the town Is very |
poor The little streams are checked with /
vegetation, which has been allowed TO 1
grow without check, and the garbage is 1
emptied everywhere. The immediate /
quarters are kept clean as possible, and a /
great effort is being made to prevent dis
ease, but the men are obliged TO work on /
the wrecks In the hot sun, and there Is |
considerable danger OF fever. Although |
l46 men lost their lives during the storm, |
there have not been more than forty bod |
les recovered For the first day or two |
bodies of Americans were buried IN q /
cemetery connected with the London mis- |
sion, and the bodies of the Germans were /
buried in the French Catholic cemetry. but |
it soon became impossible 10 identify the |
bodies, and owing to the warm climate it !
was necessary To bury them where they |
were found. A number of rough collins |
were made, but a number of bodies were !
buried in the native mats Some of the /
bodies were terribly mutiiated by the |
beating for hours against the coral reefs. 1
Paymaster Arms body was recovered two .
DAYS after the storm. 1t was positively (
identified by the clothes and the ring /
which he wore The BODY was in ter /