Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-04-15
SAMOA'S HORROR.
Graphic Description Of the
Recent Disaster.
A FEARFUL FIGHT FOR LIFE
an Unequal Battle With the Hosts Of
the Storm King.
DEATH OF CAPTAIN SCHOOEMAKER.
The Samoan Islanders Risk Their
Lives to Save Both Friends and
Foes-Condition of the
Nipsic.


Francisco at o'clock Saturday morning from
Australia, having touched at Apia, in the Sa-
moan group, on her way up. By her was re-
ceived full advices OF the terrible disaster bv
which the American and German war ships
were destroyed in the hurricane of the 10th and
18th of March. Telegraphic reports OF the de.
struction wrought by the cyclone have already
been published, but the Alameda brings ad-
ditlonal details. The Alameda had on board
l22 cabin passengers, 80 naval officers and men.
and 81 steerage passengers. Captain Morse ar.
rived OF Tutuila on March 29th, at 1880 p. NJ.
and found the American schooner Equator.
with ten cadets from the American wrecked
men-of-war, awaiting his arrival. He sailed for
Apla at 2:oo P. NJ on the following morning, ar
irving off Apia at 4 P. NJ of the same dav.
Thirty sick and wounded sailors, under charge
OF Lewis Ripley and DR.. Cordiero making a
total OF ~, were on board, and with the German
mails he left at $50 P. NJ. The names of the
cadets are as follows: Robert Stocker. F. w.
Hibbs, B. C. Decker, B. W. Wells, W. S. Clarke.
George W. Logan, W. A. Wiley, Robert Jackson
L. 81. Stafford and ]. A. Legeune
Upto the sailing of the Alameda only twenty
five bodies of the drowned men had been re-
covered, and the survivors were in a pitiful
state of destitution.
The most complete and graphic description of
the terrible disaster is that from the non of
John P. Dunning, who was sent to the islands
some three months ago as the representative of
the Western Associated Press. From his letter
the following account is taken:
THE STORY IN BRIEF.
Inc most violent and destructive hurricane
ever known in the South Pacific passed over the
Islands on the 10th and 18th of March, and. as n
result, fleet OF six war ships and ten other yes
seis were ground to atoms on the coral reefs in
the haroor' or thrown on the beach in front of
the little city OF a Apia, while l42 officers and
men OF the American and German nayies sleeD
forever under the reefs or lie buried i'm mn
marked graves thousands of miles from their
native lands.
The United States frigate Trenton. flagshin of
the Pacifc squadron, which arrived here from
Panama March llth, lies within a stone 's.tbroyy
Oh tne American Consulate, total wreck. The
great nun OF the magnificent vessel which
steamed into the harbor a few weeks ago reefs
on the bottom, fast going to pieces The United
Sates steamship Nandalia, which arrived from
san francesca February 23d, is buried out of
sIghC between the Trenton and the shore: her
shattered foremast and smokestack rise from
the water to mark the spot where the gallant
vessel struck and lay for twelve hours before
tne awiul torrent OF water swept four officers
ana thirfy-nine men from her decks and rig
glng. Her Commander. Captain G. NJ. Schoon-
maker, was among the first who perished I'm the
waves The other officers who met their deaths
were Paymaster Frank H Arms. Lieutensnt
Frank E. Sutton of the Marine Corps. and paw
clerk John Roach.
The 2, S steamer Nipsic lay for several DAYS
alongside the Nandalia, with her bow right on
the beach and within few feet of the Waters
edge. The vessel, though badly damaged, was
hauled of few days after the storm. and is the
only war ship ahoat in the harbor Her otiicers
and crew are living aboard. All of the Nipsic
oncers are safe, but she lost five raen by the
swamping of boat, and two others, who
jumped overheard were drowned
Inc three American men-of-war were swept
ashore almost at the same point
The stars and stripes and the flag of Rear
Admiral l.. A. Kimberly still float above the
scene OF destruction from the miZZen-topmast of
the Trenton. -'' 0-
TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.
1t was on the little German gun5oat Eber that
the greatest loss of life occurred. The Eber had
a complement of six officers and seyentv.siy
men. Five men were ashore during the storm,
when the vessel struck the reef she sank com
pletely out of sight, and a moment later not a
sestige OF ner was to be seen. Every man on
Doaru was lost except one officer Lieutenant
Gaedeke, and four sailors. The other five off
GERS ana sixty-six men were either killed in
stahtiy When the vessel crushed TO pieces or
.na, weIe crowned IN the roaring torrent OF water
Inat proke upon the reef. A small part of the
Eoer Prov was afterwards washed ashore near
the American vessels. This and few pieces of
pioken wreckage, near the point where she
struck are the only portions of her that have
been seen since the moment she went down
Just on the edge of the reef about 500 wards
west OF the Trenton. is all that remains of the
Soe, Adler, the flagship of the German squadron in
samoan waters. The Adler was washed on the
top OF the reef and turned completely over on
ner slde. she has remained in that position
slnce and is almost entirely out of water
weary Mearly every man on board was thrown into the
CT IL l,,t.~
saved. "@AS
The German corvette Olga is fast upon a mud
na .a. apout quarter OF mile east of the Ameri-
eau cdu vessels. while the storm was raging and
the vessels fighting for their lives. the Olga
came into collision with nearly every other
man man oi-war IN the harbor. and was badly dam
ever, that she can be towed off. M lives wara
lost on the Olga. IShe has since been gotten off
ana mas arrived at Sy6ney1 The only other
mai war IN the harbor was the British cor
yette Calliope. which arrived here in February
and relieved the Royalist Her machinery was
very powerful and she was capable of steamjnr
az the rate OF sixteen knots an hour. She mar.
'D;s,y roWiy escaped gong ashore ut the same place
with the Adler, but just as she was about To
strike the reef she let go her anchors. and i'm
the lace of the terrible wind steamed out of the
harbor and put to sea.
The merchant vessels which were wrected
were principally small craft. Nearly all Of them
were thrown on the reef near the wreck of the
Adler, but one or two escaped with slight dam
age. one OF these was schooner belonging to
tue uerman trading Company, and she was
made ready at once TO send to Tutuila to meet
e tne oceanic Steamship Company's steamer
Mariposa, from San Francisco, so that news of
lhe uisaster could be forwarded to Auckland.
and from there cabled to Eurone and amar;ca'
Inc beach is strewn with wreckage from one
end of the town to the other
AFTER THE STORM.
Over nine hundrad Arrar;o,,, - 9,
sailors are quartered in Apia, and for a few days
after the storm subsided the greatest Confusion
was present everywhere.
A large number of men on the Vandalia and
several on the other vessels were badly Injured
by falling from the rigging and being thrown