The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-01
WRECKED At SAMOA,
Destruction Of American and
German Meu-of-War ii
AN APPALLING DISASTER
And u Terrible Loss of Life-U, s.
Ships Trenton and yandaIIa
Totally DIsablod-LiSt of the
Americans who PerIshed.

LONDON, March Sl,-Further particu'
lars Of the disastrous storm at Apla have
iust been received, The hurricane burst
mon the harbor suddenly, The Ger
man man,oi.war Fiber was the first yes
sel to drag her anchor, She became
upnanagCablo and was driven helplessly
on the reef, which runs around the har'
bor. She struck broadside at six o'clock
in the morning, The shock caused her
10 Iurch and to staRger back, and she
sank in moment in deep water, Most
Of her men were under matches and
scarcely soul Of them escaped.
The German war ship Adler was the
next to succpmb, She was lifted bodily
bya gigantic wave and cast on her beam
ends on the reef, A terrible struggle
for life cnsued among the officers and
sailors. Many plunged into the raging
surt and struck out, some reaching the
shore in safety, Others Clung TO the
rigging until the masts fell. oithose in
the rigging only two gained the shore,
The captain OF the Adler and several
otber officers were saved. Meantime
the United States Steamer Nipsic had
hesp dragging her anchors and drifting
toward tile shore. The captain, how.
aver, managed to keep control and ran
her on a sand bank. Boats were i'm.
medIately lowered and tho whole com.
Dany were saved with the exception Of
sIx men. These were drowned by the
Capsiziug Of a boat.
The Vandalia was carried before the
uIe right upon the reel, She struck
Nth a terrible shock, hurllng the cap.
taIn against n gatling gun and lie fell
S,nuned Before he could recover q
great wave swept the deck aud washed
Tim and others away into the sea. The
vessel sank fifty yards from the Nipsic,
and several Of the officers and men went
down with her. 0tlers perished while
making desperate efforts to swim TO the
shOre, Some OF the ships companies
TIED to save themselves by clinging to
rigging but heavy and swift running
waves dashed over them and ono by one
they were swept away. BY this time
night had set in.
SIany natives and Europeans had
gathered on the shore all anxious to
fender assistance to the unfortunate
crews, but owing to the darkness they
we're wholly unable to be OF service.
Soon after tho vandalia had sunk the,
American war ship Trenton broke from
6er anchorage and was driven upon the
wreck OF the yandalia, whence she
dil,ed to the shore. The bottom OF the
Trenton was completely stove and her
hold was half full OF water.
As morning broke the German man
ol.war Olga, which had hitherto with,
stood the gale, although much battered
by the heavy seas constantly broke
upon her, became unmanageable and
,Ess driven upon the beach, where she
Ily In a tolerable favorable position.
Tie following Is q record OF the officers
and men lost.
EgrR-ThG Captain and all other off,
GERS, except one, and 70 men.
YASDALlA-The Captain, four officers
aud 40 men.
Nlpslc-Seyen men.
% ADLER-Altogether 10 persons,
Mataafa sent a number Of his men to
the assistance Of the wrecked ships.
They rendered splendid aid in trying to
float the Olga.