St. Paul daily globe., 1889-04-14
The CYCLONES FURY.
The Alameda Arrives With
Particulars of the Apia
Disaster.
How the Helpless Vessels
We're Pounded to Pieces
on the Reefs.
Good Seamanship Saves the
Nipsic From Utter An
initiation.
Mi raeuIous Escapes of Some
Of the Men on the
Wrecked Vessels

SAN FRANCISCO, April IS. - The
steamer Alameda arrived in this city at
$50 this morning bringing advices from
Apia up to March so. The steamer
stopped at the Samoan capital, and took
off many of the shipwrecked sailors.
The following facts with regard to the
hurrican are CLEANED from the ship
wrecked men: The storm commenced
at about 2 O'Clock Saturday morning,
the 10th of March, and lasted until
Sunday little after 5 O'clock
in the morning. The Eber was
driven on the shore reef. She broke
up in pieces in a few minutes, only one
officer and four men being saved.
Pieces of the Eber are now strewn
about the beach in all directions. When
she struck the reef she keeied over into
deep water, and probably her guns,
which were of great weight. assisted in
smashing up the vessel quickly. The
officers and the men Immediately went
to the American consulate, where all
assistance possible was rendered
them. Shortly afterward the Adler
also drifted on the same reef little
further westward. 1t would hardly
be credited by any person who had not
seen it that such heavy ship as the
Adler could be lifted so high on the
reef, which is uncovered at low water.
She is now lying on her port side, high
and dry. only few feet of her side
being under water at high tide. We
have learned the exact number of the
officers and men-twenUy-who were
lost from the Adler. Early Oh Sunday
| morning
THE WORK OF RESCUE
| commenced. Boats manned by parties from
shore were engaged i'll saving the lives OF the
| officer and crew, who were ont on the
| wreck nearly twenty four hours. Capt. Fritz
| suffered some injuries, and had to be assisted
| to the German firm S premises, and several
| others were also injured. 1t is surprising
| from the force with which the vessel went
| to the reef that more accidents did not oc-
cur. The shock must have been fearful
! and the Adler must have been strongly built
vessel to stand it SO we'll Sailors and Samo-
! ans since Sunday were hnsily engagedin saw
| ing small arms and other property of the ship.
! The United States steamer Nipsic was the
| next on the list of casualties. 1t was observ-
able from the shore that she would not be
able to hold out. She was drifting toward
| the reef and at about o'clock she headed
| for the shore and just touched the point of
| the reef with her rudder which was carried
away, together with her stern post. but by
the skillful management of the captain and
| officers they succeeded in
! BEACHING HER ON THE SAND.
Great credit is due for the manner in which
| the Nipsic was landed, for il she had gone
| on the reef larger number of lives would
| undoubtedly have been lost Ali would
have been saved had they stuck to the
| Olga collided with the Nipsic, doing the lat
| ter considerable damage, carrying away her
smokestack, steam launch, and part of her
bulWarks. S.. On account Of the smoke
| would not draw to keep a full head
of steam on. Excepting for this accident
the Nipsic, which has powerful engines.
! migbt have rode out the gale in safety. On
| fully tioated out to her old anchorage Her
| propeller is too much injured to be repaired
at Samoa, and her rudder is gone. We be-
| heve IL is the intention of the admiral to fix
new rudder and send the Nipsic under sail
to either Auckland or sydney. The Vandalia
| was the most unfortunate vessel of the
! United States squadron. She drifted about
O'Clock near TO the Calliooe and the Olga,
! and came into collision with both The
| Cdlliope struck her with great force on the
! port, doing considerable damage The Van
| dalia still continued drifting almost in com
| pany with the CallioDe, but the latter vessel
! ha wing lost nearly all her anchors, put full
| ste am on and went steadily out to sea. She
| was watched through the mist with great in
| terest, and many surmises were expressed as
to whether she would get out in safety.
|
| on Tuesday, and had suffered very little
damage except the loss of her bowsprit and
| some boats. The captain of the Vandalia
| seeing no hope of saving his ship. headed her
! for the shore, and in endeavoring to reach
| the sandy beach unfortunately struck the
reef and filed, and sank before she could
| beach. within about fifty yards from the
stern of the Nipsic. The captain, paymaster
| men were washed overheard The vessel
| was completely submerged, and all hands
had to take to the rigging, where
| they remained until the Trenton was
| when most of the officers and crew got Oh the
| Trenton, excepting Lieut.. Ripley, who
| jumped into the sea just before the mast
| gave way, and with great difficulty swan to
| the shore. He then procured whale boat,
| and with the aid of the Samoans, got line
| out to the wreck. The loss of life OH the
| Nandalia were the commander, three officers
and thrity-nine seamen and marines. Divers
have been engaged since Monday. Tuesday
the safe was recovered, which con-
| tanned about $4,000 The Trenton
| meanwhile was gradually coming closer to
| the land. She had her bridge ports broken
| in great quantities through this opening and
the hawse pipes, getting into the fires This
was unfortunately fatal to the chances of
saving the admirals ship. The engineers
| were unable 10 keep up steam. All hands
were ordered to the pumps, which were kept
constantly going. About 3 o'clock the Tren-
| ton had dritted down towards the Olga
which was then about five hundred yards
| from the reef. Both ships tried to avoid
touching, but
COLLISION WAS INEVITABLE
| The Olga now struck the Trenton on the
| quarter. opening long breach and doing
| other damage, and the Olgas bow was
| smashed After the vessels cleared each
| other the Trenton drifted still further toward
| the reef, and at one time held fairly well 10
| her anchors; but at about 8 O'Clock she
| dropped down just clear of the reef and on
| the Vandalia. The Trenton's stern was
| aground. She was broadside on the sunken
! vessel, and the poor fellows who
! about twelve hours got onto the Tren-
| ton, being assisted y the admirars crew
| with lines and other contrivances. On Sun
| day morning boats were busily engaged all
| day i'll removing the men from the ship to
! the shore, which was accomplished without
| accident. All were removed before night
| On Monday 250 Samoans from Mataafa's
! camp and the men-of-war sailors were work
| ing hard all day saving property from the
| Trenton. and several Samoans and sailors
| were also engaged working on the
! other ships ashore. No lives were
| One of the men was killed early on the
| morning of Saturday by being crushed
| among the timber after the collision. His
! name was Joseph Heatlett, colored man.
| The Olga, after slipping her cables and get
! ting clear of the Trenton, managed to make
| headway against the sea for a short time,
I and hopes were entertained that this vessel,
| the last left afoat i'll the harbor,
| WOULD BE SAVED;
/ but within half an hour she was run into one
| of the best positions for Bleaching in the har
| Dor. Capt Douglas of the schooner Lilly,
the lately appointed pilot, was on board the
/ Lilly when she sunk, and who, after great