Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-04-25
HOW THEY MET DEATH.
The Story of the Great Disaster in
Apia's Harbor.
The National Air Played.

The Alameda, which arrived in San
Francisco April Is, brought news of the
disaster mt Samoa IRON the Samoan and
Auckland newspapers. The hurricane be-
gan Saturday morning, March Ii, after two
days OF heavy weather. Heavy seas began
10 sweep over the reels, and at five o'clock
in the afternoon the German ship Adler
was lifted high and dry upon the reef. She
held together well. About the same time
the Eber went on the reef, her heavy guns
helping TO keel her over. Only one officer
and four men were saved.
The United States ship Nipsic was han
died well. The captain and officers planned
all along to beach her, and this was done
successfully. Seven men were drowned,
but even these would have been saved had
they stuck to the ship.
Early in the morning the Olga collided
VITA the Nipsic, dong the latter consider
able damage, carrying away her smoke
stack, steam launch, and part of her bull
warks. On account Of the smoke stack be-
ing broken Of the furnaces would not
draw TO keep full head Of steam on. Elk
cepting for this accident the Nipsic, which
has powerful engines, might have ridden
out the gale in safety On Thursday morn
ing the Nipsic was successfully hOated out
10 her old anchorage. Her propeller was
too much injured to be repaired at Samoa,
and her rudder was gone.
The Calliope and Nandalia were surging
about and collided several times. The Eng
lish boat finally slipped her mornings and
succeeded III getting out 10 sea, steaming
with full power against the hurricane.
Everyone on shore thought she could not
possibly steam out against such terrific
sea and wind, bat she steadily but slowly
fought her way out against the hurricane
AS she passed the flagship Of the Amerl-
can admiral, the American sailors gave her
three cheers. Capt Kane said on his re-
turn to Apia that the cheers gave his men
renewed energy, rs they were all broken
down.
The Vandalla lost her boats one after the
other. Her captain was trying TO beach
her when 2 greet wave cast her on the
reef. The ssas continued TO break over
her. Help was impOss. Die. Men were seen
holding on TO every conceivable part of the
ship. y falling spar struck Capt Schoon-
maker on the head and he hung on to the
rail until he was so weakened by successive
waves that one carried him over Many
officers and men were washed out of the
rigging. Meantime the Trenton drifted
down and collded with the Nandalia, and
every one who was not fortunate enough TO
get aboard tue Trenton was lost
The Trenton meanwhile had her bridge
ports broken open, letting the sea through
the opening, getting into the fires. She
collidei with the olga and smashed the
German badly.
Schooimastcr George williams of the
Nandalia says that as the Trenton finally
crushing the men in the Nandalias rigging
10 death, her sailors in the face of certain
destruction gave the Nandalia three rousing
cheers. With heavy hearts, but with
hearty wills the cheer was answered from
the Vandalia.
The people on the shore were watching,
helpless, when the sound of music came
across the wattr. IL was the Trenton's
ships band holding on in shelter of the
cabin, playing their last hymn, THE Star
Spangled Banner" The people on the
shore were paralyzed with astonishmout
but the hymn was played through and the
ship went down with her men in sight of
those on land. She filled 10 her gun decks
with water and became total wreck.
The Alameda brings nows that the pay
master of the German ship Adler was shut
W in his statcroom for IS hours after the
vessel was thrown upon the beach. When
rescued he was insane, and has since died.
The body of a German sailor was picked up
on one OF the reefs in double irons. This
shows that orders had not been given TO
release the prisoners from at least one Of
the German ships just before the Van
dalia struck the captain ordered all prison
ers released and al irons struck Off, and it
is a remarkable fact that all the prisoners
escaped with their lives. When tho Ala.
media lett Apia % bodies had been
recovered, including those OF Capt.
Shoemaker and Paymaster Alarms.
With the exception of five or
six it was impossible to identity them,
owing TO the terrible manner in which hey
were mutilatCd. Some of the bodies were
found six or eight miles down the coast,
outside the reef. About twelve of the
bodies were hurled in trenches in Come
terry, and others We're buried where found
Thirty in ured Nandalia seaman were left
at Honolulu by the Alameda, and will DC
brought here by the Umatilla. The naval
cadets refuse TO talk, as they are to give
in "a gl N - bc Of
the wrecked vessels give the only adequate
idea OF the force of the hurricane. The
German ship Adler was absolutely thrown
bottom side up, as though she had been an
ordinary whaleboat, while the Nipsic looks
as through she mad been bombarded.
The losses in the merchant shipping
were: The Godefrol bark, 362 tons total
wreck; the Lilly, schooner, from which
two live were lost, q total wreck; the
Upola, schooner, Is tons, very likely TO be-
come IA total wreck; the Fituau, cutter,
10 tons, a total wreck; the Tafua, schooner
total wreck; the Nuliunono, sketch, ashore
the Vaitelle, cutter, 10 tons, mast cut
away; the Utumapu, schooner, small dam
age, but is repaired and is going with the
mails to Tutrnlia; a little schooner belong
ing to Mr.. Meredith, about hve tons,
ashore, but not much injured. The Ebcr.
the first vessel to go ashore, lost 75 lives
The Adler lost 20 men.
Admiral Kimberly was the last TO leave
the trenton. lie Is now chiefly concerned
in getting the 800 sailors back to America
Apia is under marine guard. The people
have been extremely kind TO the sailors.
King Mataafa came down TO the admiral,
pointing out the danger of sickness break
ing out among the men in consequence of
exposure TO the rains. He offered, on be.
half of the Sumoans, to vacato all tho
houses in Apia and allow the American
sailors to have the use of them. Admiral
Kimberly thanked Mataata warmly, but
stated 10 him & would be impossible TO con-
troll the men if they were scattered around
among the native houses. He promised to
consider the offer, however, IL Tue situa-
ton became more pressing. There is no
immediate danger of the supply of provis
ions being exhausted. Several parties
with whom contracts have been made
Tor the feeding of men have plenty
of provisions on hand, and the steamer Ly
beck will arrive from Sydney in few
days and a fresh supply will be obtained
from her. The officers and men of the
Vandalia lost nearly everything, aud "a
great many on the Trenton Jared but little
better. The officers have scattered all over
the town and have secured such accommo-
dations rs can be had. Many are living in
native houses.
About 40 Of the dead have been buried in