The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-15
all claim Of authority in favor of Mataaia,
and acknowledge him as King Of Samoa,
pETAILS on THR ST0RM,

group OF naMoan navigator Island
which few months ago attracted tn,
attention Of the civilized world by
fierce civil combat between two natiy,
factions and the consequent possibility
Of serious complications between thu
great powers Of the United States ant
Germany has been visited by a disaster
more appalling than all the wars evel
waged here, In attempting to affect {
solution Of the Samoan difficulty and tc
protect their respective interests on the
islands, the United States and Germany
have lost nearly l5O lives and over
three million dollars worth OF property.
The most violent and destructive hur-
riCane ever known in the South Pacific
Ocean passed over these islands on the
10th and 18th OF March, and as result
u fleet OF six war ships and ten other
vessels were ground to atoms on the
coral reefs in the harbor, or thrown on
the beach in front OF the little city OF
Apia, and l42 officers and men Of the
American and German nayies sleep for
ever under the reefs, or lie buried in
unmarked graves thousands OF miles
from their native lands,
The U. S. frigate Trenton, flagship OF
the Pacific squadron, which arrived here
from Panama March II, lies within a
stones throw OF the American consulate,
o total wreck. The great hull OF the
magnificent vessel which steamed into
the harbOr few days ago, rests on the
bottom, fast going to pieces. Thesteamer
VandaIia, which arrived from San Fran.
cisco February 80, is buried out OF sight
between the Trenton and the shore.
Her shattered fOremast and smokestGCk
rise from the water to mark the spot
where the gallant vessel struck aud lay
for twelve hours before the awful torrent
OF water which swept four officers and
thirty men from her decks and rigging.
Her commander, Captain G. NJ. SChoon.
maker was among the first who perished
in the waves. Tie other officers who
met their deaths were T aymaster Arms,
Lieutenant Sutton, OF the Marine corps,
and Pay Clerk John Roach. The U. S.
Nipsc lay forseveraI days along
side the V0ndalia with her bow high on
the beach and within five feet OF the
waters edge. The vessel, though badly
damaged, was hauled OF few days
after tho storm and is the only war ship
anOat in the harhor.
All OF the Nipslc's officers arc safe, but
she lost five men by the Bwamping Of
boat, and two others, who jumped over.
board, were drowned. The three Amer
lean men.of.war were swept ashore al-
most ut the same point.
1t was oil the little German gunboat,
Fiber, that the greatest loss OF life oC-
Cured. The Fiber had u complement OF
six officers anil seventy.six men. Five
men were ashore during the storm.
When the vessel struck the reef she sank
out OF sight, and q minute
later there was hot Il Vestig0 OF her to be
seen, and all on board were lost except
Lieutenant GOedke and four sailors.
The other five officers and sixty.six men
we're either killed when the vessel crash
ed 10 pieces, or were drowned in the
roaring torrent OF water that broke upon
The reef.
Just at the edge Of the reef, about 500
yards weRt Of the Trenton, is all that
remains OF the Adler, the flag ship Of the
German squadron in Samoan waters.
The Adler was washed on top Of the reef
and turned completely over on her side.
She has remained in that position since,
aud is almost entirely out Of water.
Nearly every man aboard was thrown
into the water when the Adler struck,
but only twenty sailors were drowned.
The German corvette Olga Is fact upon
a wind flat about quarter oi a mile east
OF the American vessel. While the
storm was raging tho Olga came into col
lision with nearly every other man'ot-
war in the harbor, and was badly dam
aged above her water line. 1t is sthought
she can be towed of. Nolives were lost
on the Olga.
The merchant vessels which were
wrecked were principally small craft,
most OF them We're thrown on tic reel
near the wreck OF the Adler. But one
or two Of them escaped with slight dam.
ace. One OF these was schooner belong
ing to the German Trading Company,
and she made ready at once 70 send to
Tuituila to meet the Oceanic steamship
steamer Manpoga, from San Francisco,
so that news Of tho disaster could be for
warded to Auckland, and from there to
Europe and America. The beach il
Ctrewn with wreCkage from one end OF
the town 10 the other.
Over 900 American and German sail
ors are quartered In Apia, and for fOw
days aftor tho storm subsided the gEeatr
est Coniusioii existed everywhere.
The natives waded fur out into the
surf, where a white man could not live,
and many a life was saved through their
efforts. Americans aud aermans were
rescued alike; no thought was given to
tho state OF war existing between the
Germanu and themselves, aud the men
who fought ihei Germans ut Vailclel a
few months before now battled with the
wayes and riskcd their own lives TO save
their enemies from watery grave.
The force OF the storm was never
euualled in this part oi the world before.
The barometer hid been falling steadily
for several days previous TO the storm
and the kind commenced TO blow Fri:
day AFTERNOON, March 10, and continued
until Sunday morning. Tho rain fell IN
torrents during the whole time, and
great clouds Of sand swept over the
town. a..
There was great confusion among the
men on several Of tho vessels early sat
urday, but tho officers did noble work
and tic men became orderly and attend
ed 10 their duties bravely. Persons on
shore were pOwGrlesG TO render asSts,
tance. Hundreds ran TO tue waters
edpo and stood in the binding storm
watching the vessels pitch into destruC'
tion against the reels. The sea broke
upon tho reef with q roaring sound aud
washed far upon tho beach, carrying
with II great quantities oil wreCkagc
The watchers on shore were submerged
time after time, and many we're injured
by floating wreCkage. Great clouds o!
sand filled tho air and cut tho face and
body like knite.
Apia hurbor, where the disaster occur
cd, "a a little stmi.CirCnlar bay, situated
on the northern side oitheisland Ubulu
Tho distance across tho entrance to The
bay iB abouttwo miles, Coral rOeI, mosO
Of which ls visible At low water, extUndi
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