The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-04-18
Particulars Of the Great Samoan Storm
at Length Obtained.
Fifteen Valuable Vessels Destroyed
and Many Lives Lost.
Description of the HsrbOr Of Apis
Where it Occurred.
The Town Of Boston, Colorado, in the
Possession of Outlaws.


Samoan or Navigator islands which a
few months ago attracted the atteu-
ton of the civilized world by a fierce
civil combat between native factions
and the consequent possibility of SER
ious complications between the great
powers of the United States and Ger
many has been visited by a disaster
more appalling than all OF the wars
ever waged there. In attempting to eff
feet a solution of the Samoan difficulty
and to protect their respective inter-
eSts on the islands the United States
and Germany have lost nearly 100
lives and 90, 000, 900 worth of property.
The most violent and destructive hur-
ricane ever known in the South Pacific
ocean passed over these Islands on the
18th and 18th of March and as d result
fleet OF six war ships and ten other
vessels were ground To atoms on the
coral reefs in the harbor or
thrown on the beech from of the lit
tie city of Apia and l42 officers and men
of the American and German navy per-
ished forever under the reefs or lie
buried in unmarked graves thousands
of miles from their native lands. The
United States frigate Trenton, flagship
of the Pacific squadron, which arrived
in a stones throw OF the American con-
sulate, a total wreck. The great hull
of the magnificent vessel which steam
ed into the harbor q few weeks ago
rests on the bottom fast going to pieces.
The United States steamer Vandalia
which arrived from San Francisco, Feb
ruary %, is buried out of sight between
) the Trenton and the shore. Her shat
tered foremost and smoke stack rise
Nl.a.w for nnrlr N h
the gallant vessel struck and lay for
twelve hours before the awful torrent
of water which swept four officers and
Chirty-hine men from her decks and
rigging. Her commander, Captain g..
M. SchOonmaker, was among the
first who persisted in the
waves. The other officers who met
their deaths were Paymaster Frank II.
Arms, Lieutenant Frank Sutton, of
the marine corps, and pay clerk, John
Roach. The United States steamer
NIpsic lay for several days alon gside
the Vandalia with her bow high on the
beach and within five feet of the
waters edge. The vessel, though bad
ly damaged, was hauled off few days
after the storm and is the only wal
ship afioat in the harbor. Several OF
the officers and crew are hy-
ing aboard. All of the Nipsic's
officers are safe, but she lost five men
by the swapping of boat and two
others who jumped overheard were
also drowned. The three American
men of war were swept ashore almost
at the same point. 1t was on the little
German gunboat Eber that the great
est loss of life occurred. The EbeT
had complement or six officers and
ashore during the storm and when thu
vessel struck the reef she sank com
pletely out of sight and moment late
there was not a veStige o.
her to be seen and al
ON board were lost except one officer
Lieutenant Goedeke. and four sailors
the other five officers and sixty-siX mel
were either Instantly killed when TIN
vessel crashed to pieces or were drown
ed i'm the roaring torrent of water tina
broke upon the reef. a small part q
the Eber's PROV was afterwards wash
ed ashore near AN American vessel
This and few pieces of broken wreck
are near the point where she strucl
are the only portions of her that hav
ever been seen since the moment sh
went down. just on the edge of tn
reef about 500 yards west of the TreI
ton is all that remains of the Adler til
flagship of the German squadron i
Samoan waters. The Adler was wasl
ed on top of the reef and turned CON
pletely over on her side. She has re
manned in that position since and is a
most entirely out of water. Nearl
every man aboard was throw
into the water when the Adle
struck, but only twenty sailor
we're drowned and all her officers weT
saved. The German corvette Olga
fast upon a wind fiat, about quartz
of mile east of the American vessels
While the storm was raging and tn
vessels fighting for their lives the dig
{ came into collision with nearly ever
other man-of-war in the harbor an
was badly damaged above her waite
line. 1t is thought that she can
lowed off. No lives were lost on tn
Olga. The only other man-of-war i
the harbOr was the British corVeti
Calliope, which arrived here in FebrI
AIRY. and relieved the Royalist. HC
machinery was very powerful and 81
was capableOf steamlng at the rate
sixteen knots an hour but she naTrowl
escaped going ashore at the sam
place with the Adler, but just as 81
was about to strike the reef she let 8
her anchor and in the face of a terrib
wind steamed out of the harbor an
put to sea.
The merchant vessels which we
wrecked were principally small Graf
and nearly all OF them were thrown {
the reef near the wreck of the Adle
but one or two of them escaped wit
slight damage. One of these was
schooner belonging to the German ira
ing company and she was made reaC
to send to Tutuila tn meet the Ocean
sa from San Francisco so that the neN
of the disaster conld be forwarded
Auckland and from there cabled
Europe and America.
The beach is strewn with wrecka
from one end of the town to the othI
Over 900 American and German saiIC
are quartered in Apia and for f,
days after the storm subsid
the greatest confusion exist
everywhere. a large numl
~ of men on the Vandalia an several
other vessels were badly injured
falling from the rigging and bel
thrown about the decks by the terri
seas and it was necessary to provide
temporary hospital for their accomn
dation. A great many men from [
wrecked vessels became intoxicated
soon as they reached shore.
The force of the storm was ne
equalled In this part of the world
fore. The barometer had been fall
steadily for several days previous to
storm and the wind commenced to b
Friday afternoon, March ID, and c
tinued until Sunday morning.
rain fell in torrents during the WI
time and great clouds of sand sw
over the town. Hundreds of pee
stood on the beach and watched
awful spectacle in the harI
The vessels all had
head of s6eam on and three
four anchors out. Their yards
topmasts were down aud G
precaution were taken to insure
safety of the ships, but the wind
stantly shifted from northeast to no
west. The force was so great that
a vessels dragged the anchors all
from one side OF the bay TO the o
and came into collision dozen til
Tremendous seas brok cover the d