The Portland daily press., 1889-04-15
The HURRICANES
How the War Ships Lost the Battle
with the Elements.
Their Engines PowerIess to Face the
Fury Of the Gale.
What the Watchers on Shore Saw
Through the Driving Rain.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 14.-The steamer
Alameda, which arrived here today from
Samoa, brought number of officers and men
belonging to the wrecked vessels Trenton
and Vandalia. The following facts regard
ing the hurricane were gained from them:
The storm began Saturday, March 10th, and
lasted until Sunday morning The German
war vessel Eber was driven upon the reefs
and broke up quickly. Only one officer and
four men were saved from her. She rolled
over into deep water after she struck, and
her heavy guns helped break her up. The
Adler was next to break from her moorings
and was rapidly borne upon the same reef
and thrown high up near the Eber. The
reef is out Of water at low tide, and the
Adler now lies high and dry on her port side.
Twenty officers and men were lost from the
Adler. Those who were able to cling to the
wreck were rescued in boats early Sunday
morning. Capt. Fritz, who was among the
rescued, was injured, as was also others.
The Nipsic was the next to go. She drifted
towards the reef, and at about O'Clock Sat
urday mornlng.the storm began at a. M
was carried past the reef, in contact with
which her rudder and:stern Epost were car
ried away. She was admirably handled by
her officers however. who succeeded in
Bleaching her on the sand. Seven men were
drowned, but their deaths were due mainly
to fear, for IL they had remained on the Nip
sic instead Of leaping into the sea they would
have been saved. The Olga collided with
the Nipsic early in the morning, and carried
away her smokestack, large portion of the
bulwarks, the whaleboat and steam launch.
RnE AnR dnaF En- Fhn a.1rs s.a1r
which prevented the furnaces from drawing
and keeping full head Of steam on, the
Nlpsic would have escaped. Thursday the
Nipsic was fl0ated and rode at anchor In the
harbor. Her propeller was too badly iDjur-
ed to be repaired In Samoa, but Admiral
Kimberly intends to fix her out with a new
rudder and seId her under sail to Auckland
or Sydney.
The Vandalia was the most unfortunate OF
all the vessels. She collided with the British
steamer Calliope and the Olga. The Cal
liope struck her heavily on the port side and
did much damage. The two vessels drifted
side by side for a short time, but the Cal
liope, having lost her anchors, put out to sea
the hurricane very slowly, but finally got out
of the harbor. She returned to port on
Tuesday, having suffered little damage. The
Vandalia's cap sain, after the collision with
the Calliope, seeing no hope of saving his
vessel, headed her for the shore,
but she was cast upon the reefs near the
stern of the Nipsic and filled rapidly and
sank. Part of the crew took to the rigging
from which they escaped to the Trenton,
which was driven alongside about eight
o'clock at night. The Vandalia lost her cap
tain. three officers and 80 seamen and ma
rines. Divers were employed who have re-
covered the Vandalias safe which contained
nearly $4,000 The Trenton slowly drifted
towards the reef and about three o'clock she
drifted down on the Olga. and the two yes
sells collided heavily. The 0lga's bow tore
large hole in the Trenton's side, and the
0lga's bow swas smashed. After the vessels
cleared from each other, the Trenton was
carried still faster toward the reef. Her an
chors held her for time, but at about 8 she
cleared the reef and was thrown on the
shore against the Vandalia. One man was
killed Saturday morning by being crushed
among the timbers after the collision. His
name was Joseph Henlett Capt. Douglass,
lately appointed pilot of the harbor, was on
the schooner Lily at the time Of the storm
She soon went to the bottom and after a
hard struggle he managed to scramble on the
Olga and was mainly instrumental by his
knowledge of the harbor and suggestions to
Captain Elhardt in bringing about the beach
ing of the Olga in a position where no lives
were likely IN he Inst