Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-04-15

tne ropes hanging over the side and Sttempted
to draw themselves up on deck Anumber sue-
ceeded in doing this, but others were so weak
tnat after hanging to the ropes q few minutes
their grasp was broken by the awful seas which
crashed sgsinst the sides OF the vessel, and they
would fall back into the current
Chief Engineer A. s. Greene wss saved hv the
nerole efforts OF the natives, as was also Cadet
II. A. Wiley.
CAPTAIN scEooSMAKER's TRAGIC DEATH,
ltwas not long after Greene and Wiley were
washed overheard thar the four officers who
were crowned were swept from the deck. Cap
tain schoonmaker was elinging 70 the rail on the
poop deck. Lieutenant Carlin was standing hy
him and was doing his best 10 hold the CAPTAIN
on, as the latter was becoming weaker every
minute. Every one on the deck saw that The,
Captain could not stand against the rush Of
water much longer. No one knew il better than
himself, and he several times remarked 10 those
about him that ne would have 10 90 soon. lien
tenant Carlin tried 10 get the Captain up in the
rigglug, but the latter said he was too weak
70 climb up and would have TO remain where
ne was as long as possible. The Captain had no
life preseryer. He had been offered one several
times but had refused ii. At last a great wave
struck the Vandalia on the port quarter and
held on to the rail with all the strength ne had
LETT, but the torrent of water was so strong that
machine gun standing near by was washed
from Its iastenings ard sent whirling across the
deck. Captain Schoonmaker was struck on the
head with the gun and either killed outright or
knocked insensible, for the wave swept him of
the deck. He sank without a struggie e and was
seen no more.
Paynaster Arms, Payclerk Roach and Lieu
tenant Sutton made desperate efforts to save
themselves but We're drowned.
SCENES OF DEATH AND SUFFERING.
During the remainder of the afternoon there
followed succession of awful scenes of desIh
and suffering, not soon to be forgotten The
storm had not abated in the least. The wind
continued 10 blow with terrible force. Waves
that seemed like mountains of water rolled in
from the ocean aud broke upon the reef and
over the ill-tated Nandalia.
The brave Samoans, urged on by their chief.
redoubled their efforts 10 rescue the drowning
men, and as consequence two natives, who got
too lar out in the surf. were carried away by the
current. perishing within the sight of all with
the men they were trying to save.
BY three O'Clock the Nandalia was resting her
whole length on the bottom, and the only part
OF her null which stood out of water was the
after part of the poop deck and the forward part
OF the forecastle. Every man was in the rig.
ging: as many as could be accommodated there
had climbed into the tops and sank down ex-
hausted upon the small platforms. Others
clung to the ratlines and yards with the desper-
alton of dying men, expecting every moment to
be their last. Every effort was made 10 rescue
the men still on board, but many of them per
ished.
THE TRENTON AND OLGA.
The terrible scenes attending the wreck of the
Nandalia had distracted attention from the
other two men-of-war which still remained
position of the Trenton and Olga became most
alarming. The Olga had dragged back and
was almost on the reef near the point where the
Eber struck. The Trenton was coming down
upon her. and collision seemed inevitable
The condition OF the flagship was most pitiable
From 10 O'Clock in the morning until in the
evening, when she grounded the Trenton held
out against the storm without steam or rudder
and her escape from total destruction on the
reef was miraculous. Skillful management of
her navigating officer, Lieutenant B. NJ G.
Brown, was all that saved the lives of every
man On board.
Admiral Kimberly, Captain FarQuhsr, and
Lieutenant Brown maneuvered the Trenton
with great skill, and POSTPONED the fatal hour
until evening. The Trenton collided with the
Olga and the latter ran upon the mud fats in the
safest part OF the harbor.
The Trenton was not able to get out into the
bay again after her collision with the Olga
She was now about 20J feet from the wreck of
the Vandalia, and was slowly drifting toward
the shoal. new danger now arose. The Tren-
ton was sure to strike the Vandala and 10
those on shore r. seemed that the huge huh cf
the flagship would crush the Vandalia TO pieces,
and throw the hundreds of men still clinging 10
the rigging into the water.
suddenly a shout was borne across the waters
The Trenton was cheering the Naudslia The
sound OF $50 voices broke upon the air and was
heard above the roar of the tempest Three
cheers for the Nanialia % was the cry that
warned the hearts OF the dying men in the rig
glng. The shout died away upon the storm and
there arose from the quiveripg masts from the
sunken ship response so feeble il was scarcely
heard upon shore. Men who felt they were
looking death in the face aroused themselves 10
effort and united in a faint cheer for the flag
snip. The sound OF music next came across the
water. The Trenton's band was playing The
star-Spapgiec Banner" The thousand men on
sea and shore had never before heard strains of
music at such time as this. An indescribable
feeling came over the 100 Americans on the
beach who listened TO the notes of the national
anthem mingled with the howl of the storm
For moment only thav cilpDr M
they broke forth with cry that rent the air and
reached the ears OF the struggling men in the
rigging OF the Nandalia.
SAVING THE vANDALIAs MEN.
The collision of the Trenton and Vandslia,
which every one thought would crush the lat
ter vessel to pieces, proved to be the salvation
OF the men in the rigging. Notwithstanding
the tremendous force OF the waves, the Trenton
dragged back slowly, and when her stern finally
struck the side of the Vandelia there was no
shock, and she gradually swung around broad
side to the sunken ship. As soor as the vessels
touched, the men in the emizzen rigging crawled
out on the yards and jumped TO the deck of tn
Trenton. The men escaped Just in time for as
the last man left the yards the mizzenrnast of
the Vandelia fell with crash on the side next
TO shore. The men in the mainmsst next es-
capped IN the same way.
Although the seas were breaking over the
Irenton's decks, and her stern was humping
hard upon the reef, she was still comparatively
safe, and all hands remained on hoard nnti1
"
aoated, they were taken ashore in boats She
was making water fast, and, after her crew left
her filled and settled to the bottom, her high
bulwarks, however, remaining well out of
water. A muster disclosed the fact that
the Nandalla had lost four officers and thirty
nine men, While the Trenton had lost but a
single man, killed by the bursting in of the
bride port in the morning.
KING MATAAFA OFFERS HIS SERVICES.
King Mataafa came down from his csmn
early in the morning, for the first time in sew
eral months. He went down on the shore and
directed the natives in their work He
then went to the American Consulate aud
offered the services of all his men to Vice Con
sui Blackjack. He expressed the greatest sor-
row on account Of the FAD disaster and feared
the American people would blame him for
being the cause of the warships coming down
to Samoa to be lost in the storm.
AMERICANS POLICE THE TOWN.
1t is difficult to imagine the great confusion
that prevailed on shore during the first day af-
ter the storm. All the blankets and mattresses
that were saved We're soaked with water, aud
nau TO be spread in the sun to dry. Many new
ones were purchased. The men were controlled
with great difficulty. Guards were placed ar
every saloon in town to prevent the men from
OBTAINING ilquor. Many disorderly sailors were
Captain Fritze, the senior German officer. was
asked to cooperate in providing police protec.
tion, but he notified the American officers that
he was afraid to trust his own men as puar5s
as the American sailors would attack them. and
ne requested the Americans to take full control
OF the town. This was accordingly done Can
tain Huntington and Lieutenant Finette sta
toned their marines all over Apia and the
American sailors We're not permitted 10 60 to
that portion of the town where the Germans
have their headquarters. AS soon as it was
possible TO do SO. wrecking parties were formed
and great amount of stores were saved from
the Trenton.
Several bodies of American sailors washed
ashore during the day and were buried in the
French Catholic Cemetery.
THE cALLIoPE'S CHURLIsH BEHAVIOR.
Sunday evening the Calliope, which had gone
TO sea the day before during the storm, was
sighted about ten miles off the island. Much
ANXIETY had been felt on her account. and there
was general feeling of relief when it was
found that she was safe. She entered the har-
Dor next morning, and everyone supposed that,
owing to the dlstr essing condition of affairs she
would be ready to offer all possible assistance
TO the American and German sailors Greatly
70 the surprise of everyone, however, Captain
Hand announced that he would take on more
coal and leave for Sydney at once 1t was ex.
pected that the Calliope would az least remain
mere ana assist the Americans in guarding the
town, and also take the mails and dispatches to
the steamship Mariposa at Tutuila. But Can
tain Hand and all of his officers seemed to be
in The greatest hurry to be off. The only reason
was sprung and she had lost her boats and
anchors. The Americans had number of
boats which they would gladly have offered
Captain Hand, and there We're probably two
dozen anchors scattered over the small harbor.
which could have been found with LITTLE
Dragging. me American officers thought that
Captain Hand conduct was very peculiar and
the English residents denounced him in very
severe terms. However. the Calliope loaded
lUO tons OF coal, and early Thursday MORNING,