The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1889-04-11

Admiral Kimberly Confirms the Sad News Of the
Terrible Disater ut Samoa. w.


Admiral Kimberly Confirms the Sad . " Of the
Terrible Disater at Samoa.
WASHINGTON, March, 30.-The following
cable message was received at the navy de-
partment this morning: 4
Auckland March 30.-Secretary of the
Navy, Washington: Hurricane at Apii,
March Is. Every vessel in the harbor went
on shore except the English .man.of-war
Calliope, which got to sea. The Trenton
and Vandalia ore total losses. The Nipsic
was beached. Her rubber is gone, but she
may be saved. The chance ore all against
it. Will send her to Auckland if possible.
The Vandalia lost four officers and thirty
nine men. The Nipsic lost seven men.
All were saved from Trenton. The Trenton
and Vandalia crews are ashore. The Nj psic's
on board. All stores possible were saved.
The German ships Adler and Eber are total
losses. Thu Olga was beached, but may be
saved. The German losses are n~inety.six.
1t is important to send 800 men home at
once. Shall | char ter a steamers? Can char
ter in Auckland. Lieut.. Wilson will remain
In Auckland to obey your orders. Fuller
acc counts by mail. KIMBERLY. 80
THE LOST OFFICERS.
As soon o. the confirmation of the news OF
the wreck of the war ships in Apia harbor
was received by Secretary Tracy, he sent
kilograms to the relatives Of the dead ofic-
ers Of the Vandalia informing them OF the
sad affair. The dispatch concerning Capt.
Shoemaker was sent to his widow at
Kingston, N. Y, where his brother, Judge
SHOEMAKER, Of the interstate commerce
commission, also resides. Capt. Schoon-
maker entered the navy from New York as
acting midshipman, Sept. %, 1854. He was
made midshipman in June, 1859, and sue
cessiyely passed through the grades of pass
ell midshipmnn, master, lieutenant COM
mander and captain. He was promoted to
the last named position o n Oct. z, 1886.
and on Oct, 5, 1883, was placed in command
OF the Vandalia. Lieutenant of Marines
Francis +. sutton was appointed to the
naval academy from New York in 1877. He
graduated six in a class of So, and after o
cruise returned to the academy for examina-
ton for promotion and passed second. On
his own application he was appointed Sec
ond lieutenant Of marines being the first
graduate of Annapolis to enter the marine
force. He was promoted to first lieutenant
March 8, 1888, and has been stationed at
Mare Island. He had just been detailed to
command the marine guard of the MOhican,
but the Vandalia sailing suddenly for Samoa.
before the arrival of her commanding marine
officer, Lieut.. sutton took his place, ex-
pCSAIuS ~ ioA ia WILL IL oHiCd On
the cruise. His father is O resident of
Rome, N. Y At the navy department. Lieut..
Sutton is regarded as having been one of the
brightest and most intelligent officers of the
marine corps: and his loss is greatly de-
plored. Paymaster Arms was appointed
from Connecticut in 1864, and he has been
on duty on the Vandalia since May, 1887.
His family reside at the Crawford house, New
London. Paymaster's clerk, John Roche,
was appointed from lion, N. Y. He was
twenty-eight years of age n q man of
athletic build. His nearest relative il J.
Jeffrey Boche, who is a poet and assistant
editor Of the Boston Pilot.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
LONDON, March 81. Further particulars
of the disastrous storm at Apla have just
been received. The hurricane burst upon
the harbor suddenly. TheGerman man-ocwar
Eber was the first vessel to drag her anchor.
She became unmanageable and was driven
helplessly on the reef which runs around the
harbor. She struck broadside on. The
shock caused her to lurch and to stagger back,
and she sank in O moment in deep water.
Most of her men were under matches, and
scarcely O soul of them escaped. The German
war ship Adler was the next to succumb. She
was lifted bodily by q gigantic wave and cast
OH her beam ends on the reef. A terrible
struggle for life ensued among the officers
and sailors aboard. Many plunged into the
raging surf and struck out, som reaching
the shorten 50 ETY.. Others chung to the rig
ging only two gained the shore. The cap
tain of the Adler and several other officers
were saved. Meantime the u. s. s. Nipsic
had been dragging her anchors and drifting
toward the shore. The captain. how yer,
managed to keep control and ran her on a
sand bank. Boats were Immediately lowe red
and the whole company were saved, with the
ovnonficn ~ civ N 1Nhoco woro Il m tupa5
by the capsizing of q boat. The U.
S. s.. Vandalia was carried before the gale
right upon the reef. She struck with q ter
rible shock, hurting the captain against O
gatling gun and he fell stunned. Before
he could re cover q great wave swept
away into the sea. The vessel sank fifty
yards from the Nipsic, and several of tile
officers and men went down with her. Others
persisted while making desperate efforts to
swim to the shore. Some Of the ships com
pany tried to save themselves by clinging to
the rigging, but heavy and swift running
waves dashed over them, and one
by one they were swept away. By this time
night had set in. Many natives and Euro
peans had gathered on the shore, all anxious
to render assistance to the unfortunate crews,
but owing to tho darkness they were wholly
unable to be of service. soon after the Van
dnlia had sunk the American war ship Tren-
ton broke from her anchorage and was driv-
en- upon the wreck of the Vandalia, whence
she drifted to the shore. The bottom of the
Trenton was completely stove and her hold
was half full of water. As morning broke
the German man-ofwar Olga, which had
hitherto withstood the gale, although much
battered by the heavy seas that constantly
broke upon her, became ~unmanageable and
was driven upon the beach, where she lay in
o tolerably favorably position. Thefollow-
ing is a record OF the officers and men lost:
Eber-The captain and all other officers
except one, and seventy six men.
Vandalia-The captain, four officers and
forty men.
Nipsic-Seven men,
Adler-Altogether fifteen persons.
Mataafa sent a number of his men to the
assistance of the wrecked ships, They rem
dered splendid aid in trying to float the
Olga.