The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-04-14
rhars upin the fare OF = terrls,ae SIn
steamed cut Of the harbar arsd pes

cheTs upin the face OF > terrible vim
steamed cut ct EAFe hzrSer ard rsxss
sea
The merchant Tessess which wer
Wrecked were primes p2lEy small sssas
One or I've escaped Mia saighs azra
age tine of these was = schooner ass
longing 20 2lserEnan trading orr r.sr,x
and she Was made ready At ssrsea !.
send 10 TuitsiIa 10 meet the fseasri,
steamship Coznpauy's sfeaase- Mari
Es0eA- from San Francisco. % TIA
news OF sfse disaster could lse foryra~yls.l
g Auckland and from there eafless 4
Earcse and America.
The beach Is ssrewn vita wres.zas~,
from one end of the town 10 the osasr
Over st0 American and German Sasanr.
are qu4Fteresi IN Apia. and for q few
uays after the storm the greatest ex,rs
tasina Was present eserywhere- 4
large numher OF mes on the yans1al;s
anu several on the other vessels ,xerf
badly injured BIZ falling from the rir.
gIng anu being thrown about the xseek
ny the terrible seas. and il was neces.
sAry 10 provide temporary hospital
TOT Their care. a great many men
from the wrecked vessels hecame IN,
foxse2ted rs soon as they reached
shore. and the town Was placed uus3eg
= strong gRard OF United states ma
rfnes.
Bodies soon commenced 10 wash
ashore. and alnaoSsev hour funerals
could ae seen passing along the streets
On the way 70 the cemeserv. Many
hc<sies We're horribly naangied by heat,
sssg asszarssi the reef and we're beyond
Eaae iorce III the STERN was never
sqFlaIsti IN this rarf al the world he.
lore. The barometer had been fall.
ing steadily for several davs
previous 70 the storm. Ti1e wi.sd
commenced 70 blow on Friday
afternoon, March 18th. and eon-
| tSnued until Sunday morning.
kaIn ssii IN torrents during the whole
lime, and great clouds of sand swept
over The town. Hundreds OF peonie
stood on the beach and watched the
/ h2rbor- The vessels had on a fun head
o. sreaia ard three or four anchors
CUT Inc Yards and toprnaSts were
esown. and every pTecaufion was taken
20 insure the safety of tie ships, but
the wind constantly shifted from
northeast 10 northwest and tie force
was SO great that the vessels dragged
Their anchors all over the harbor.
drlfted from olse side of the bav ii
the other and came into collision a
dozen times Awful seas broke over
/ the decks. and torrents os wa,er
rushed down the hatchways and MR.
ont the fires.
The natives walled cut far into the
surf, where white man could not
live. and many life a as saye4i through
their efforts. The Americans atla
Germans were treated alike. No
thought was given ~ the state of war
existing between Germany and theua-
selves.
The storm ragged furioasly for nearly
two days, and when the wind finally
! algated the scene OF destruction was
awful. On shore houses were un-
rooted and blown down, and trees and
fences were thrown across the streets.
50 that passage was almost blocked.
The feet OF war ships, which
few days before had
tloated quietly in the bay and almost
filed the little harhor. lay along the
beach, wrecked. Out of II vessels
which were moored in the harbor.
only two small schooners remained,
ana they were badly damaged. The
survivors of the disaster seemed
dazed. They had seen friends swept
away from their grasp and 20 down
10 death. Long exposure had rem
dered them totally exhausted. Very
few had tasted Euod for SO hours.
Many had elung to the rigging with
out particle OF clothing. The houses
% ApIa we're tnrown open, and both
native and foreign residents did ali in
their power to accommodate the ship
wrecked sailors.
For several days previous to the
storm the barometer had been steadily
falling. and there was every indication
that there wonld be hard blow, hut
no urse anticipated the sterfn. which
commenced 10 set In FRIDAY afternoon.
March IL. BY Ii o'clock al night the
wind had increased 10 a gale. and
nearly all the warsbips had their en-
gines working To relieve the strain
upon the anchors. The crews ON most
OF the sailing vessels threw ont extra
anchors and then went ashore. Rain
commenced to fall at mid
night and the wind increased in
fury. Great waves were rolling
in from the open ocean, and
the pitching of the vessels was fearful.
By ) o'clock the situation had become
alarming. Nearly every vessel in the
harbor was dragging. A panic conn
menced TO break out among the men
on shore. The bowling OF the wind
among the trees and houses and the
crashing of falling roofs had aroused
many persons from their beds. Men
and women who were wandering about
in the storm shielded their faces with
small pieces OF board, or any other
article that could be used as a pro-
lection against the wind and sand.
The natives seemed 10 realize more
than anyone else that the storm would
result in awful destruction. Through
the blackness of the night could ne
seen the lights OF the mcn-of-war and
even above the rushing and roaring of
the wind and waves. tho shouting Of
the officers and men on board came
| family across the water and struck
terror TO the hearts o. all
who listened. Every moment ii
seemed as il two or more of the great
warships we're about - come toge her.
A little after 5 o'clock the first faint
rays OF the dawn brose on the scene
aud revealed a spectacle not often Wit
messed. The positions al the vessels
xere entirely changed. The wind,
which was blowing from the north
cast. had SWEPT them from their
/ former noosinps and they we're al
| bearing down in the direction Ct the
reef. Black snoke was pouring irous
/ their furnaces. showing thzt desperate
efforts we're being nase To keep them
up against the wind. One moueBt
| the vessels seemed 20 stand upon ttaelr
t beam ends. and the next instant the
stefns would rise out OF the water and
expose TO view the rtdaera anG sap-
/ illy-revolving propellers. Then the
huge prows woaia be lifted higa IN
/ the air. only 10 plunge into the next
wave ana delage the shtgss Hith a tor
| Fent oi water.
The little gunboat Eber was making
a desperate struggle Tor life, be; every
moment she Was being drasn nearer
and nearer 20 the reef. Her doam
1 was certain. Suddenly shc sssef tor-
ward as If making a last struggle TO
esssape destruction. The current.
/ however. tore her OF to be right and
Ter rfow struck gAe port quarter of
the Nip IT, In a moment i great
wave rolled towards the shore,
( The El,er vas lifted high on
1 if~ crest and carried brOadslde on the
I reef. She eauae down With awiui
4 force and in an instant there vas not
t q vs.stiee OF her 10 be seen. che struck
sauareiy on Der bottom, rolled over
towares the open sea and disappeared
from view Every timber in tAe gun
/ boat must have been shattered
and haif the poor. men aboard
OF her crushed 20 death. Hundreds
/. of people were on the beach by this
time. The natives ran into tse surf
far beyoad poinf where a hsfe man