The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-04-18
The Samoan Disaster.

The Samoan Disaster.
The recent hurricane that swept the
coast of Samoa, and crushed and tore to
pieces the war ships Of America and Ger
many, is fully and deliberately described
by the agent of the associated press and
published in the leading dailies of Sun
day. 1t was the most terrific cyclone that
was ever known to strike ships in port.
and Its destruction was more complete
than it was thought could be effected by
such agency in so short time. Although
the United States ship Trenton was in
distress and hopelessly stranded on The
coral reef. the gallant sailor boys. cheered
the English ship Calliol e, as it emerged
in partial safety from the terrible mae
strom, and put out to sea. In the pr es-
ence of death themselves with I'll cir
proud ship disabled and helpless, they were
inspired by that feeling which make, the
world akin" as they saw their recent RI
walls safely blowing the turbulent waves
out 0fthe danger. Cheer after cheer went
uptfrom the gallant tars on tie Trenton.
which NIT hearty response from the
English sailors. Another instance of evan
more dramatic ana pathetic. interest is
chrOnicled by the press correspondent, il
lustrati ig the courage of the officers and
their devotion to the emblem3 of their
coun.ry's honor and grandeur.
The Trenton lost her rudder and pro
Pc Ter about ten O'Clock by foulilg
with floating wreckage. Shortly after
ward water poured In through the hawser
pi PES. extinguishin G all the fires. From
TO in the morning until 6 o. clock Saturday
afternoon. when she grounded, the Tren
ton held out against the storm without
steam or rudder. The skillful manage
meat0 of her .vigating officer, Lieut.. II.
NJ. Brown. was all that saved the lives of
fetal report paid high tribute to. the
skill of Lient. Brown. In the middle of
the afternoon when the force of the storm
was bearing the Trenton broacside i'll
toward the reef and it seemed as if she
was lost. Lieut.. Brown ordered every man
into the port rigging, so that compact
mass OF humanity conld be used as sails
and the weight Of the vessel at the same
time be kept ON the sid3 next to the
storm. The novel experiment was all that
save the Trenton from destruction at that
moment. for the wind struck against the
men in the rigging and forced the vessel
out into the bay again. Soon. however,
she drifted back toward the Olga, which
hal held up against the storm better
than any vessel in the harbor, and col
lision and complete wreck seemed to be
inevitable. At this critical moment the
at ATS and stripes were seen flying from The
staff of the Trenton. as if the gallant
ship know she was doomed. and was deter
mine to 60 down with her tlagiying. The
collision occurred the Olga's bowsprit ant
figu. ahead were carried away, the heavy
tlmbers of the Trenton's quarters wert
shivered and the American flag was car
ried away and fell on the deck of the Olga
Capt. Won Erhad at once ran the Dig;
aground on the mud flats in the eastern
part OF tina harbor without loss of life ant
she was subsequently fioated and pro
ceeded TO Sydney. N. S. W., to repair tht
slight damages sustained. The Trenton
and for time it seemed certain sh'
would crush into that vessel and send tt
the bottom the sailors who were yet cling
ing to the rigging. AS she approached
the Vandalia the crew of the Trenton
gave three cheers for the Vandalia" thai
rose above the fury of the gale, and IA fee
BILE cheer for the Trenton came back from
the Vandalia. The Trenton's band theI
struck up 1.-The Star.Spangled Banner.
and the Americans on the shore answer e(
the patriotic air with wild shouts of n
cOuragement. When the Trtnton's stem
finally struck the side of the Vandaii
there was no shock and she gradual.
swung around broadside to the snnkel
ship. AS soon as the ships touched TIL,
men on the Vandalia escaped to the Trt II
ton, those in the miZZen-rigging just il
time. for as the last one left the yards tht
mizzenmast of the Vandala fell. Sun
day morning, though the water was Still
very rough. the men were gotten ashore
with the help of the natives, whose eff
fortscwere directed by King Mataafa, whit
came down from his camp for the frs
time in several months. BY noon Their
were nearly 500 American sailors on Thu
streets of Apia, besides several hundred
more from the German ships. The sailor
All, -, Hn9,
sui Blackjack issued a peremptory notice
to all saloon keepers forbidding them t.
sell or furnish liquor to the American
sailors.
President Harrison's mail numbers
from 500 10 900 letters each day. Eacl