Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-04-15
AFTER THE STORM.
Scenes at Apia Among Remains
Of the S1ipVrecked Navy.
Faulty Construction Causes the Trenton 5
Loss.
The Vessels Had Steam up But Their
Engines were not Powerful Enough to
Make Headway Against the Storm
[ Copyrighted 1889 by New York Associated

uie Town Nheft the property OF the Gefnia
trading company is located The American
were seen everywhere. The officers ha
lost their uniforms and dressed as eommo
sailors.
Admiral Kimberley was the last to leay
the American flagship Trenton. He went L
rooms provided for him in the house of a
American resident. An Associated Pres
correspondent found the Admiral fe,
hours later. He remarked: "In all m
experience on the sea have never seen
storm to equal this one. can hardly real
ize the full extent of the damage done. NJ
chief anxit ty is to get these eight hundre,
or nine hundred sailors back to nerica. |
is no use for them TO remain here"
The Admiral had little to cay of persona
nature in regard to his experience during III,
storm. He continued The fires of tn,
Trenton went out at ten O'Clock in the morn
ing. Our rudder and propeller were carriet
away at the same time. No one can resliz,
the force with which the rudder was struck
l suppose piece of wreckage fouled it
The pilot wheel whirled around with terrible
velocity and every spoke was broken. One
of the men at the wheel had his leg broken
Great volumes of water poured in on the
berth deck through the hawse pipes. The
fire room was soon flooded and the fires pul
out. The hawse pipes should have
never been placed where they were, "a piece OF
faulty construction which the governm. nj
officials had been asked to remedy several
times. If located on the deck above the
water would not have come in Consider
this indirectly caused the loss of the Tren-
ton. After the steam gave ou. US the storm
sail and sent men into the rigging and used
them as sails. The ship was handled skill
fully. 1t would have been impossible for US
to steam out of the harbor as the Calliope
did as cur engines were not pow erful enough
We had on every pound of steam we could
carry, with three anchors out and were not
able to hold up against the storm"
Confusion was present everywhere in Apis
during the first few days after the storm dis
appeared At the end of the week the quar-
tiers of the ship~ recked sailors were COM
Portable and the daily routine duty attended
to. Consul Blacklock's orders prohibiting
the sale of liquor t. the sailors had a good
effect. Very few drunken men were seen.
The town is still under marine guard in
charge of Capt. Huntington. Mataafas po
lice assisted in maintaining order. The men
from the Trenton and Vandslia have separ-
ate barracks and have erected temporary
tents for shelter, while the Nipsic men are
still living aboari the vessel. The German
survivors are quartered IN warehouse be.
longing 10 German firm.
Working parties were kept busy all the
time on The wrecks of the Trenton and Van
dalia and articles washed ashore from the
vessels piled together in a large yard. Divers
have been at work and many articles saved
that way. The safes from both vessels,
containing large amounts of money, were re-
covered. The smokestick of the Wand ALA
was removed ard will be placed on the Nip
sic. as the latter ship lost her smokestack in
coll sion with the Olga The divers examins-
ton of the Nipsic discovt red that the keel
was carried away. 1t was not ascertained
whether the Nipsic will be able to leave the
harbor or not Admiral Kimberly is most
anxious to send her to Auckland or San
Francisco for repairs. She is not likely to
leave, however, until the arrival of some
other man-of- war. The Monong ahela and
Mobican are expected to arrive he soon.
King Mataafa came down from
camp few days ago A light rain
had fallen the night before and water had
leaked into many tents occupied by sailors.
Mstsafa pointed out to Kimberly the danger
of sickness breaking out among the men on
own people. he offered to vacate all Samoan
houses in Apa and allow American sailors
the use of them. Kimberly Thanked Matsafa
warmly, and stated that it would be almost
impossible to control his men if scattered
around among the native houses. He
promised to consider the offer if the situation
became more pressing.
There is no immediate danger of the sup
1, 4
parties with whom contracts were made for
fee ding the men have plenty of provisions
on hand Steamer Lubbock will arrive from
Sydney in few days with fresh supply OBJ
tanned from there. The officers and men of
the vandalia lost nearly everything, and a
great many on the Trenton Jared but little
better. The officers are scattered all over
town and have secured such accommoda-
tions as they can find Many are living in
the native houses. There has been no local
government in Apia for many months, owing
to the wars between the natives, consequently
the sanitary condition of the town is very
poor The men are obliged to work on the
wrecks in the hot sun, and there is considers-
BILE danger of fever. Altho igh l46 men
lost their lives during the storm, there ha,
not been more than 10 bodies recovered.
Americas were buried in the cemetery con-
nected with the London mission, and the
bodies of the Germans in thr French Catho
lie cemetery, but it became impossible To
identify the bodies, and owing to the warm
climate, it was necessary to bury them where
found.
Same of the bodies were terribly mutilated
by beating for hours against the coral reefs.
h,Ax
days after the storm. 1t was positively
identified by clothing and ring which he
wore. The body was in a terrible condition
and was buried in mats where il washed
ashore. Some of the natives also found 4
body about the same time four miles up III,
coast, and from the description which they
gave it was believed to be that of Captain
Schooumaker, but the Identification was not
positive. The bodies Of Lieut. Sutton and
Pay Clerk Roach we're not recovered
American memorial services were held Sun
day, March "a, in the large yard in which
the Trenton men have their quarters. Tn.
services were very brief, conducted by Chap
lain McAllister of the Trenton. Over zoo
men from the three American men of wal
were present but none of the German officer
attended. The storm does not seem to have
far as the natives art concerned, both partie
are still encamped in the same positions they
have occupied for several months past
Ma,arfa's men hsve not given the slightes
intimation that they intended to take sdvan
,age of the unprepared condition of thu
Germans, and it was not thought that the.
we're to make any attack upon Tsmasese'
force pending the Berlin conference. Tn,
German consul DR. knappe, is still persuins
the spteful course which has always charac
aeterized his administration of Affairs here
Notwithstanding the noble work of tn
Samoans in saving the lives Of the German
during the storm. DR.. knappe posted printe
notices few days later declaring that th
Sa nosns daily steal produce from Germa
plantations and warning the public not
purchase any thirg from them.
RICHMOND