St. Paul daily globe., 1889-04-14
The CYCLONES FURY.
The Alameda Arrives With
Particulars of the Apia
Disaster.
How the Helpless Vessels
We're Pounded to Pieces
on the Reefs.
Good Seamanship Saves the
Nipsic From Utter An
Inhalation.
Mi raeulous Escapes of Some
Of the Men on the
Wrecked Vessels

SAN FRANCISCO, April IS. - The
steamer Alameda arrived in this city at
$50 this morning bringing advices from
Apia up to March so. The steamer
stopped at the Samoan capital, and took
off many of the shipwrecked sailors.
The following facts with regard to the
hurrican are CLEANED from the ship
wrecked men: The storm commenced
at about 9 o'clock Saturday morning,
the 10Th of March, and lasted until
Sunday little after 5 O'clock
in the morning. The Eber was
driven on the shore reef. She broke
up in pieces in few minutes, only one
officer and four men being saved
Pieces of the Eber are now strewn
about the beach in all directions. When
she struck the reef she keeied over into
deep water, and probably her guns,
which were of great weight, assisted i'll
smashing up the vessel quickly. The
officers and the men Immediately went
to the American consulate, where all
assistance possible was rendered
them. Shortly afterward the Adler
also drifted on the same reef little
further westward. 1t would hardly
be credited by any person who had not
seen it that such a heavy ship as the
Adler could be lifted so high on the
reef, which is uncovered at low water.
She is now lying on her port side, high
and dry, only few feet of her side
being under water at high tide. We
have learned the exact number of the
officers and men-tWenJy-who were
from 40 A II To-,
morning
THE WORK OF RESCUE
commenced. Boats manned by parties from
shore were engaged in saving the lives OF the
officer and crew, who were out on the
wreck nearly twenty four hours. Capt. Fritz
suffered some injuries, and had TO be assisted
to the German firm Is premises, and several
others were also injured. 1t is surprising
from the force with which the vessel went
to the reef that more accidents did not oc-
cur. The shock must have been fearful,
and the Adler must have been strongly built
vessel to stand it so well. Sailors and Samo-
ans since Sunday were husily engagedi in saw
ing small arms and other property of the ship
The United States steamer Nipsic was the
next on the list of casualties II was obsery-
able from the shore that she would not be
able TO hold out. She was drifting toward
the reef. and at about o'clock she headed
for the shore and just touched the point of
the reef with her rudder, which was carried
away, together with her stern post. but by
the skillful management of the captain and
officers they succeeded in
Bleaching HER ON THE SAND.
Great credit is due for the manner in which
the Nipsic was landed, for if she had gone
on the reef larger number of lives would
undoubtedly have been lost. Ali would
have been saved had they stuck TO the
wrecked ship. Early in the morning the
Olga eollided with the Nipsic, doing the lat
ter considerable damage, carrying away her
smokestack, steam launch, and part of her
bulwarks. On account of the smoke
stack being broken off the furnaces
of steam on. Excepting for this accident
the Nipsic, which has powerful engines.
migst have rode out the gale in safety. On
Thursday morning the Nipsic was success
propeller is too much injured to be repaired
at Samoa, and her rudder is gone. We be-
lieve it is the intention of the admiral to fix q
new rudder and send the Nipsic under sail
to either Auckland or Sydney. The Vandalia
was the most unfortunate vessel of the
United States squadron. She drifted about
8 o'clock near to the CallioDe and the Olga
and came into collision with both. The
Cdlliope struck her with great force on the
port doing considerable damage. The Van
dalia still continued drifting almost in com
pany with the Caliiope but the latter vessel
ha wing lost nearly all her anchors, put full
ste am on and went steadily out to sea. She
was watched through the mist with great in
terest, and many surmises were expressed as
to whether she would get out IN safety.
THE CALLIoPE RETURNED To PORT
on Tuesday, and had suffered very little
damage except the loss of her bowSprit and
some boats. The captain of the Vandalia.
seeing no hope of saving his ship. headed her
for the shore, and in endeavoring to reach
the sandy beach unfortunately struck the
reef and filed, and sank before she could
beach. within about fifty yards from The
stern of the Nipsic. The captain, paymaster.
pay clerk, lieutenant of marines and many
men were washed overheard. The vessel
was completely submerged and all HANDS
they remained until the Trenton was
driven alongside about o'clock in the night,
when most of the officers and crew got OF the
Trenton. excepting Lieut.. Ripley, who
jumped into the sea just before the mast
gave way, and with great difficulty swan to
the shore. He then procured a whale boat,
and with the aid of the Samoans, got line
out to the wreck. The loss of life OH the
Nandalia were the commander, three officers
and thirty nine seamen and marines. Divers
have been engaged since Monday. Tuesday
the safe was recovered, which con-
tained about $4,000. The Trenton
meanwhile was gradually coming closer to
the land. She had her bridge ports broken
ill., which left an opening, and the sea came
in great quantities through this opening and
the hawse pipes, getting into the fires. This
was unfortunately fatal to the chances of
saving the admfrals ship. The engineers
were unable 10 keep up steam. All hands
were ordered to the pumps, which were kept
constantly going. About 3 o'clock the Tren-
which was then about five hundred yards
from the reef. Both ships tried to avoid
touching. but a
COLLISION WAS INEVITABLE.
The Olga now struck the Trenton on the
quarter opening a long breach and doing
other damage, and the Olga's bow was
smashed. After the vessels cleared each
other the Trenton drifted still further toward
the reef, and at one time held fairly well TO
her anchors; but at about O'Clock she
dropped down just clear of the reef and on
the Vandalia. The Trentons stern was
aground. She was broadside on the sunken
vessel, and the poor fellows who
about twelve hours got onto the Tren-
ton. being assisted y the admiral's crew
with lines and other contrivances. On Sun
day morning boats were busily engaged all
day i'll removing the men from the ship to
the shore, which was accomplished without
accident. All were removed before night.
On Monday 250 SamOans from Mataafa's
camp and the men-of-war sailors were work
ing hard all day saving property from the
Trenton. and several Samoans and sailors
were also engaged working on the
other ships ashore. No lives were
lost. The Trenton is a total wreck.
One of the men was killed early on the
among the timber after the collision. His
name was Joseph Heatlett a colored man.
The Olga. after slipping her cables and get
ting clear of the Trenton, managed TO make
headway against the sea for a short time,
and hopes were entertained that this vessel,
the last left afioat in the harbor,
WOULD BE SAVED;
but within half an hour she was run into one
of the best positions for Bleaching i'll the har-
Dor. Capt Douglas, of the schooner Lilly,
the ely-appointed pilot, was on board the
Lilly when she sunk, and who, after great