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

1
| their accommodation.
"A great many men from the wrecked vessel
oecaue intoxicated as soon as they reached
snore ana the town was placed under a stron.
| guard OF United States marines.
Bodies soon commenced to wash ashore an(
almost every hour funeral procession could b,
seen passing along the street on the way TO III,
| cemetenes. Many bodies were horribly manglee
Dy pealng against the reef and were beyond
identification.
AWFUL DESTRUCTION.
The storm ragged furiousiy for nearly two
days, and when it finally abatei the scene o
destruction was awful On shore houses wer,
unrooieo ana blown down, and trees and fence
We're thrown across the street so that passag,
was almost blocked. The feet of warship
which, a few days before, had foated quietly II
tne pay and almost filed up the little harbor
now lay scattered along the beach wrecked ant
dismantled. Out of seventeen vessels which
were moored in the harbor only two small
schooneIs remained afioat, and these were badly
THE HARBoR
Apia harpor, where the frightftll disaster oc
CURED, Is little semi-circular bay situated or
the northern side OF the island of Upolu. The
dlstance across the entrance to the bay is three
miles. A coral reel, most of which is Visible al
low water. extends in front of the harbor but i,
broken for distance of three-quarters of a mile
ABOUT half-way between Mataulu, the point or
Inc east, and Mulinuu, the point on the west
ms break IN the reef forms gateway for ships
TO enter the harbor. The space within this rec
where ships can lie at anchor, is very small. IS
there is shoal of large dimensions in the east.
ern part OF the bay, and the western portion is
obstructed by another coral reef, which is 10.
Gated from 200 to 400 yards off the shore and ex.
tends almost from the western extremity of the
bay to point directly in front of the American
consulate, which is situated near the middle OF
the crescent-shape town.
The men-of-war which were anchored in the
narbor were necessarily very close together
The vessels nearest tie shore were the Fher
6nd the NipSip The Ehar
front of the American Consulate, about quar-.
ter of mile from the shore, and the Nipsic was
about 200 yards east os the Eber. The Adler
was lust ahead of the Nipsic, and the Olga and
Calliope were ahead OF the Eber. The Van.
dalia was beyond the Calliope mile off shore
Ihe Trenton was the last of the war ships to ar.
rive here, and being much larger than any
other man-ofwar in the bay, there was nc
loom for her near there, so she was obliged Ia
drop anchor beyond the Vandalia lust within
the outer coral reef The sailing craft were in
shallow water, west of the men-of-war
The Trenton and Vandalia had the most dan.
gerous berths in the harbor, while the position
Of the Nipsic was considered the safest.
THE STORM COMES.
For few days preceding the hurricane the
weather was cloudy, and the barometer had
been steadily falling, until it reached a point
much lower than had been known in a long
time. There was every indication that there
would be a hard blow but no one apticipated
the storm which commenced to set in Friday
the wind had increased to a gale and nearly ali
the war ships had their engines working. TO re.
leve the strain upon their anchors The crews
on most OF the sailing vessels threw out extra
ancnors ana then went ashore. Rain com.
menced to fall at midnight, and the wind in.
creased IN fury. Great waves were rolling in
from the open ocean, and the pitching of the
vessels was fearful Every man was kept al
work.
The Eber commenced to drag her anchors a,
midnight, and an hour later the Vandalia wa.
also dragging. However, by using full steam
reef and away from the other vessels
The wind blew stronger and stronger, and
rain fell in torrents. By o clock the situation
nad become alarming. Nearly every vessel in
the harbor was dragging, and there was immi.
nent danger OF collision. Panic commenced tc
break out among the men on several of the YES
sels, and they were kept at their post with the
greatest difficulty.
ON THE SHORE.
Inc howling of the wind among the trees and
houses, and the.crashing of falling roofs, had
aroused many persons from their beds, and fig.
ures were soon seen cropping about the street
looking for some spot sheltered from the tenn
pest. The tide was coming in RAPIDLY and
waves were washing all over the street, a hun.
dred feet above the high-water mark. The
spray was thrown high in the air, and beat into
windows OF houses the nearest the shore Rain
iel Ike shetland men and women who were
wandering about in the storm shielded their
faces with small pieces of board or any other
article tnat could be used as protection against
the WIND and sand. The natives seemed to re.
alize more than anyone else that the storm
would result in awful destruction.
NIGHT OF TERROR
People gathered in little groups and peered
out 1uto the darkness across the sea of foamine
waters. Fear was depicted upon every face
Men stood close together and shouted To maLe
themselves heard above the roar OF the tempest
Intense excitement was visible everywhere
Ihrough the blackness of the night could be
seen the lights of the men-of-war, and ever
above the rushing and roaring of the wind and
waves, the shouting of officers and men on
board came family across the water and struck
terror to the hearts of all who listened Ii could
De seen that the vessels were dragging, as the
lights We're moving slowly in different direc.
tons, and apparently crossing and re-crossing
each otner. Every moment it seemed as if two
or more OF the great war ships were about to
come together. and watchers on the beach
waited in breathless anxiety to hear the crash
OF collision, and see the vessels go down TO de.
struction.
SHIPS TOSSING LIKE coRKs.
A little after o'clock the first faint rays Of
dawn broke upon the scene and revealed a
spectacle not often witnessed. The position OF
the vessels was entirely changed. The wind
which was blowing from the northeast had
swept them from their former moorings and
they were all bearing down in the direction OF
the reef.
Black smoke was pouring from the tunnels
showing that desperate efforts were being made
W hCc llitDl up dSdluSt lue Wllu. DECKS were
swarming with men clingiDg to the masts OF
any other object where hold could be obtained
The hulls of the war ships were tossing about
like corks. One moment the vessels seemed to
stand almost upon their beam ends and the
next instant the sterDs would rise out of the
water and expose to view the rudders and rap
idly revolving propeDers. Then the huge proWs
would be lifted high in the air only to plunge
into the next wave and deluge the ships with a
torrent OF water. Several small sailing vessels
had gone ashore in the western part of the bay.
The Trenton and Vandalia being further out
from the shore than the other ships were almost
obscured by the binding mist. The vessels
most plainly visible were the Eber, Adler and
Nipsic. They were very close together and only
few yards off from the reef.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
The little gunboat Eber was making des-
perate struggle for life, but every moment she
was being driven nearer and nearer to the reef.
Her doom was certain. Suddenly she shot for
ward as II making last struggle to escape de-
struction. The current, however, bore her off
to the right and her Prov struck the port quar-
several feet of the Nipsics rail and one boat.
The Eber then fell back and fouled with the
Olga, but neither vessel sustained much dam
age by the collision. The two collisions, how
ever, checked the Eber's progress, and she
seemed unable to make any further effort to
save herself She swung around broadside to
the wind and drifted slowly to the reef. Awful
seas broke over the little vessel and forced her
on to destruction.
THE EBER GOES DOWN.
AT this moment great wave rolled in toward
the shore. The Eber was lifted high on its crest
and carried broadside on to the reef. She came
down with awful force, and in an instant there
was not yestige of her to be seen. She struck
fairly upon her bottom. rolled over toward the
open sea and disappeared from view. Every
timber in the gunboat must have been shattered
and half the poor wretches aboard of her
crushed to death before the waters closed above
their heads.
TOO NOBLE TO BE CALLED sAvAGEs
Hundreds of people were on the beach by this
time, and the WORK of destruction had occurred
in full view of them all. They stood moment
appalled, by the awful scene, and then cry of
horror arose from the lips of every man who
had seen nearly a hundred of his fellow crea-
lures perish in an instant. Then with one ac-
cord they all rushed to the waters edge, nearest
the point where the Eber had foundered The
natives ran into the surf far beyond the point
where white man could have lived, and stood
waiting to save any poor creature who might
rise from the water. There was no thought of
the war between Germany and Samoa. There
was no sign of enmity against the people who
had carried of their King and banished him on
lonely island thousands of miles from his
native land. The savage forgot The oppression