The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-04-18

ana torrents of water rushed down
the hatchways and put out the fires.
There was great confusion among the
men on the vessels early Saturday
morning, but the officers did noble
work, and the men became orderly and
attended to their duties braYely in the
face Of danger. Persons on shore we're
powerless to render assistance to the
ships and hundreds ran to the waters
edge and stood in the binding
storm watching the great vessels pitch
about on the waves, or drift on to to-
tai destruction against the reefs The
sea broke upon the reef with roaring
sound and washed far up on the beach
carrying with it great quantities of
Wreckage. The watchers on shore
were submerged time after time. and
many were injured by the floating
Wreckage. Great clouds of sand tilled
the air and cut face and body like
knife. Every one was drenched with
the rain but stood shivering in the
storm prepared to render whatever as
sistance might be possible.
The natives waded far out into the
surf where white man could not live,
and many a life was saved through
their efforts. Americans and Germans
were treated alike, no thought was
given to the state of the war excite
ment between the Germans and them
Germans at Vailele few months be-
fore, now battled with the waves and
risked their own lives to save their en-
emleS from waterY grave.
The storm ragged furiously for nearly
two days and when the wind finally
abated, the scene of destruction was
awful. On the shore houses were I'M
rooted and blown down, and trees and
fences were thrown across the streets
On hnf nIvr
Out of seventeen vessels which were
mOored in the harbor, only two small
| schooners remained afioat and these
| were badly damaged. The survivors
| OF the disaster seemed daZed. They
had seen friends and comrades swept
away from their grasp and go down TO
death and had expected to follow them
as every wave broke over their i'll fated
vessels. Long exposure had rendered
them weak and exhausted. Very few
| had tasted food for thirty-six hours.
Many had chung to the rigging without
a particle OF clothing and all bore
marks of terrible suffering. The
houses of Apia were thrown open and
both native and foreign residents did
all in their power to accommodate the
ship-wrecked sailors.
Apia harboR-Yhere tue frightful dis
aster occurred is little semi-circulaI
bay situated on the northern side of the
island of Upalu. The distance across
the entrance to the bay is about three
miles, a coral reef most of which IS Wis
IDLE at low water, extends in front OF
the harbor but is broken for distance
of three-SiXths of a mile about half way
between Matalu point on the east and
Mulinus point on the west. This break
in the reef forms gateway for ships
to enter the barber. The space within
this reef where ships can lie at anchor
is very small as there is shoal OF
of the bay and the western por
ton is INSTRUCTED by another
coral reef which is located from 200 tt
400 yards off shore and extends almost
! from the eastern extremity of the bay
to a point directly in front of the
American consulate, which is situated
near the middle of the crescent shaped
town. 1t was on the inner reef thai
most of the vessels were wrecked a
the wind blew into tn,
, harbor from the open sea ant
! forced them back against it
The water in the open space between
the outer reef on the north and TIT
, inner reef and shoals on the west
south and east is very deep. but thu
space Is not capable of accommodating
, with safety the number of large vessels
/
the storm commenced. There is II
) holding ground at the bottom of tn
bay and it has been no uncommon
thing for vessels to drag their anchor
whenever a stiff breeze would sprinI
> up. Another great disadvantage whicl
3 the harbor possesses IS the rapid cur
: rents which shoot about in several di
r rections, the velocity of which wa
T greatly increased by the immense vol
\ | 81 nrNfv inf IN 70 ho-
, from several rivers; the principal on
f: of these currents rushed along the shor
\ past the point where the American yes
e sells struck. One hundred yards fuI
!. Their west it was met by a rOarin
[ torrent of water pouring out of tn
f mouth of the Vaisigano river. Th
i consequence wSs that a whirlpool wa
|. formed at the mouth of the river an
: a dozen men who were tossed over
k board from the Vandalia were swep
e down TO this point only TO be whirle
@ around in the water for moment an
g then be forced out into the hay. Th
- men-of-war which were anchored j
q the harbor were necessarily yer
N close together. The vessels neares
l. the shore were the Eber and Nipsic-
l. The Eber was directly in front of til
= American consulate about a quarter {
l. a mile from the shore and the Nipsi
v was about 200 yards east of the Ebel
n The Adler was ahead of the Nipsic an
n the Olga and Calliope were ahead {
q the Eber. The Vandalia was beyon
a the Calliope, mile off shore.
Is The Trenton was the last of the Wa
r ships to arrive here, and being niue
). larger than any of the other memo
e war i'll the bay there was no room fl
"a her near shore, so she was obliged
v drop anchor beyond the Eandalia jul
a / lneaO lfWlnr
,r were in shallow water west of the mel
'e of-war. The Trenton and Vandalia ha
le the most dangerous berths in the ha
N hor, while the position of the Nips
10 was considered the safest.
l. For few Gays preceding the hurI
er cane the weather was cloudy and Il
re barometer had been steadily falling bl
of no one anticipated the storm whiC
ly commenced to set in Friday SfternOO
le March Is. BY IL O'Clock that uigl
10 the wind had Increased to a gale AT
90 nearly all the war ships had their e
lie gines working to relieve the stra
Id upon their anchors. The crews on mo
of the sailing vessels threw out ext
re anchors and then went ashore. IL
Is rain commenced to fall at midnight al
IN the wind increased in fury-gre
II. waves were rolling in from the OPT
tn ocean and the pitching of the vessC
a was fearful. Every man was kept
d. work. The Eber commenced to drS
1y her anchors at midnight and an no
&c later the Vandalia's was also dra
10 ging; however, by using full stea
VS. power they both succeeded in keepi
to well off the reef and away from
to other vessels. The wind blew strong
and stronger and the rain fell in Il
&c rents. BY O'Clock the situation Ii
er. become alarming. nearly ever vessel
ITS the harbor was dragging their ancho
ew and there was immenent danger o.
ed collision. A panic began to break G
ed among the men on several of the v
per sells and they were kept at their pc
on with great difficulty. On the shore
by bowling of the wind among the tr,
ng and houses and the crash of fall
BILE roofs had aroused many persans fir
3 a their beds, and figures were seen gro