West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-04-25
THE SAMOAN DISASTER
Particulars About the Wreck
ling of Our Ships at Apia.
Survivors Bring the Story of the
Great Calamity.

The steamer stopped at the Samoan capital
and took of many OF the shipwrecked sailors.
Among those who came upon the Alameda
were Chief Cadet Robert Stocker and Cadets
Hibbs, Decker, Wells, Cloko sackiand. I.e.
jure, Wiley and logan, and DIR. Cordcrs. all
OF the Nandnlia. Lieutenant Ripley came ON
tho Alameda, with thirty men, but stopped
OF at Honolulu
The hurricane which cost SO many lives at
samoa began about : o'clock ON Saturday
morning, March 10, and lasted until Sunday
at little after o'clock in the morning.
The Eber the German vessel was the first
TO bc wrecked. She broke up in pieces I'm a
few minutes, only ono officer and four men
being saved. Her guns, which were of great
weight probably assisted in smashing her 80
quickly.
Shortly afterward the Adler tGorman,
also drifted on the same reef little further
westward. She was lifted high and dry, and
Is now lying ON her port side high and dry,
only few feet of her side being under water
at high tide. In all twenty men were lost from
the Adler.
The United States steamer Nipsic WINS
the next on the list of casualties. III
was observable from tho shore that she
would not be able to hold out. She was
drifting toward the reef, and at about nino
o'clock she headed for the shore and lust
touched the points of the reef with her
rudder, which was carried away together
Win her stern post but 10y the
skillful management of tho captain aud of-
fcers they succeeded in beaching her ON tho
sand. Great credit is duo for the manner I'm
which the Nipsic was handled for IL she had
gone on the reef larger number of lives
would undoubtedly have been lost.
As II is seven men were drowned bnt all
would have been saved II they had stuck 10
the ship,
Early in the morning the Olga collided
with the Nipsic, doing the latter considerable
damage, carrying away her smokestack steam
launch, whaleboat and part Of her bulwarlSs
On account of the smokestack being broken
on the furnaces would not draw TO keen
full head OF steam on. Excepting for this ac-
cident tho Nipsic, which had powerful en-
gines' might have rode out the gale in safety
On thursday morning the Nipsic was sue
ceSsfully noated out 60 her old nnchora0e
Her propeller Is too much injured TO be re-
paired IN Samoa, and her rudder is gone.
The Nandala was the most unfortunate
vessel OF tho United States Squadron. She
dritted, about o'clock, near 20 the Callione
and the Olga came into collision with both
The Calliope struck her with great force ON the
port doing considerable damage The Vnn-
dalia still continued drifting almost in COM
pany win the Caliiope, but the latter vessel
having lost nearly all her anchors mt full
steam ON and went steadily out TO sea.
Inc captain OF tho VandHlia, seeing no hone
OF saving his ship, headed her for the shore
and in endenyoring 10 reach the sandy beach
unfortunately struck the reef, and filled and
sank before she could beach within about
fifty yards from the stern OF the Nipsic'
The captain, paymaster, payclerk, lieu.
tenant OF marines and many men vero
washed overheard. The vessel was com
pietely submerged, and all hands had to take
until the Trenton was driven aIoneside
about o'clock in the night when
most OF the officers and crew got ON the Tren-
ton, excepting Lieutenant Ripley, who Jumped
into the sea Just before tho mast gave way, and
with great difficulty swan 20 the shore Ue
then procured a whaleboat, and. with the aid
OF Samoans, got line out 10 the wreck The
loss OF life in the Vandalia were the com
mander, three officers and thirty-nine senmen
and marines
The Trenton, meanwhile, was gradually
coming closer 20 tho land She had her
bridge ports broken in which left an oDon-
ing, and the sea came In great quantities
through this opening and the hags.e pipes
getting into the fires. This was unfortunately
ship.
The engineers were unable 20 keep up steam.
All hands were ordered 30 the pumps which
were kept constantly going all day. About .
O'Clock the TrentOn had drifted down toward
me Olga, which vessel was thon about 800 yards
from the reef. Both ships tried to avoid touch
ing, but n collision was inevitable. Tho
Olga's bow struck the Trenton on the quarter
opening largo breach and doing other
damage, and the Olga's bow was smashed.
p, after the vessels cleared each other the
Trenton drifted still further toward the reef
and one time held fairly well 10 her
anchors; but Mt about o'clock she
dropped down just clear OF tho
reef and ON 20 the Vandalin. The Tren-
tons stern was aground. She was broadside
on 20 tho sunken vessel and the Door felloyys
who had been on the Vandalin's ward about
twelve hours got on TO the Trenton, being as
sisted by the Admirafs crew with lines and
other contrivances.
On Sunday morning boats were buhly en-
gagged OIL day In removing the men from the
ship TO tho shore, which was accomplished
without accident. An were removed before
night. On Monday go Snmoans from Mataafois
camp and the men-of-war sailors were work
ing hard al day saving propsrtv from fba
Trenton, and several samoans and sailors
ashore. -
No lives were lost. Tho Trenton Is a total
wreck. Ono Of the mon was killed early In
tho morning OF Saturday by being crnShed
among the timber after the collision. Ills
nnmo was Joseph Hewlett q colored map.
Tho Olga, after slipping her cable. and oet-
ling clear Of the Trenton managed 10 make
head"ay against the sca for n short time.
and hopes were entertained that this vessel
tho last LETT nhoat I'm the liarior. wouId be
saved, but within half ON hour she was run
INTO one 0f thc best podiions for beaching in
tho hnrbor
Tho Nipsic IS fitted up with the Vandalia's
Tunnel Her rudder aud stern post arc g0ne.
propeller bent and twisted
,, Ihe Trenton is hard and fast ON tho reef
her bottom i8 fun Of holes and filed with
water up ~ her gun deck The crews have
been working Cen hours daily trying ~ save
some Of The rigging and personal effe sfq and
stores The Nnndalia is totally lost Moth.
ing can be saved from her.
Nearly every doy since the wrecks Of fhe
termau and American vessels bodies Of fbe
drowned are being washed az, greatly de-
conpoHed and unacceptable
Only forty of our dead sailors bodies
nave been found on Apia Some Of ouT
officers and men attended fbe gernoo,
memorial service, but not n German wa,
present 90 tho american services
ADMIRAL Kimberly shows that tho Trentos
could not h0vo been saved because fh
badly constructed haW3e. holes allowed yvataf
70 pour in and food the cngfne-r0oul. puffinf
out tho hres. Tie SAYS the Trenton had III
steam on, but that her engines were not now
orful enough 70 save her.
On the Tuesday following the disaster DIVER
recovered the safe Of the Vondaiia, which cor.
teined go 600
a rdmor Is current in Apia that the Al
mifni and Consuis are cndcavorino 10 az.
range matters between Mataafo and Tom.
nsose 50 as % induce them to return 10 their
homes until after tho samoan conference.
There were some diegr1ccfui scenes At Apia.
Do appears after the terrible disaster la fha
harbor on March i0
some of the men rescued from the Ameri.
can ana German War-vcssele got drunk and
thero was good deal Of feeling against tho
ierman sailors on tho part of oar men.
SePlan ffitk thc Fonior 0ernan nfloer.