The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-01
THE SAMOAN DISASTER.
Particulars About the Wreck.
ing Of Our Ships at Apia.
Survivors Bring the Story Of the
Great Calamity.


The steamer Alameda arrived in San
Francisco bringing advices from Apia, Samoa
up to March 3d.
The steamer stopped at the Samoan capital
and took of many of the shipwrecked sailors.
Among those who came upon the Alameda
were Chief Cadet Robert Stocker and Cadets
Hibbs, Decker, Wells Cloke, Sackland, Le-
jure, Wiley and Logan, and DIR. Corders, all
of the Vandalia. Lieutenant Ripley came on
the Alameda, with thirty men, but stopped
of at Honolulu.
The hurricane which cost so many lives at
Samoa began about 2 o'clock on Saturday
morning, March 16, and lasted until Sunday
at little after 5 o'clock in the morning.
The Eber, the German vessel, was the first
few minutes, only one officer and four men
being saved. Her guns which were of great
weight, probably assisted in smashing her so
quickly.
Shortly afterward the Adler (German)
also drifted On the same reef little further
westward. She was lifted high and dry, and
is now lying on her port side high and dry,
only few feet of her side being under water
at high tide, In all twenty men were lost from
the Adler.
The United States steamer Nipsic was
the next on the list of casualties. It
was observable from the shore that she
would not be able to hold out. She was
drifting toward the reef, and at about nine
o'clock she headed for the shore and just
touched the points of the reef with her
rudder, which was carried away, together
with her stern post, but by the
skillful management Of the captain and Of
ficers they succeeded in beaching her on the
sand. Great credit is due for the manner in
which the Nipsic was handled, for if she had
gone Oh the reef q larger number of lives
would undoubtedly have been lost.
AS it is seven men were drowned, bat all
would have been saved if they had stuck to
the ship.
Early in the morning the Olga collided
with the Nipsic, doing the latter considerable
damage, carrying away her smokeStack, steam
launch, whaleboat and part of her bulwarks.
On account of the smokestack being broken
Off the furnaces would not draw to keep a
full head of steam on. Excepting for this ac-
cident the Nipsic, which had powerful en-.
gines might have rode out the gale in safety.
Or Thursday morning the Nipsic was Sue
cessfully foated out to her old anchorage.
Her propeller is too much injured to be re-
paired in Samoa, and her rudder is gone.
The Vandalia was the most unfortunate
drifted, about 8 o'clock, near to the Calliope
and the Olga came into collision with both.
The Calliope struck her with great force on the
port, doing considerable damage. The Van
dalia still continued drifting almost in COM
pary with the Calliope, but the latter vessel,
having lost nearly all her anchors, put full
steam on and went steadily out to sea.
The captain of the Vandalia, seeingno 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, payrnaster, payclerk, lieu
tenant of marines and many men were
washed overheard. The vessel was COM
pletely submerged, and all hands had to take
TO the rigging, where they remained
until the Trenton was driven alongside
about 8 o'clock in the night, when
most of the officers and crew got on the Tren-
ton, excepting Lieutenant Ripley, who jumped
into the sea just before the mast gave way, and
with great difficulty swan to the shore. Ho
then procured a whaleboat, and, with the aiG
Of Samoans, got line out to the wreck. The
mander, three officers and thirty-nine seamen
and marines.
The Trenton, meanwhile, was gradually
coming closer to the land. She had her
bridge ports broken in, which left an open
ing, and the seq 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 AdmiraPs
ship.
The engineers were unable to keep up steam.
All hands were ordered to the pumps, which
were kept constantly going all day. About 9
o'clock the Trenton had drifted down toward
the Olga, which vessel vas then about 50Oyards
from the reef. Both ships tried to avoid touch
ing, but a collision was inevitable. The
Olga's bow struck the Trenton on the quarter,
opening a large 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 one time held fairly well to her
anchors; but ut about s o'clock she
dropped down just clear of the
reef and on to the Vanddalia. The Tren-
toms stern was aground. She was broadside
on to the srnken vessel, and the poor fellows
who had been Oh the Fandalia's yard about
twelve hours got Oh to the Trenton, being rs
sisted by the Admiraps crew with lines and
other contrivanceS.
On Sunday morning boats were busily Elf
gagged all day III removing the men from the
Shin to the shore, which was accomplished
without accident. All were removed before
night. On Monday $50 Samoans from Mataafa's
camp and the men-of-vAr sailors were work
ing hard all uay 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 total
wreck. One Of the men was killed early III
the morning of Saturday by being crushed
among the timber after the collision. His
name was Joseph Hewlett. colored man.
The Olga, after slipping her cables and get
ting clear of the Trenton, managed to make
Roadway against the sea for short time,
and hopes were entertained that this vessel,
the last left ahoat in the harbor, would be
saved but within half an hour she was run
into one of the best positions for beaching in
the harbor.
The Nipsic is fitted up with the Vandalia's
funnel. Her rudder and stern post are gone,
propeller bent and twisted.
The Trenton is hard and fast on the reef.
Her bottom is full of holes and filled with
water up to her gun deck The crews have
been working ten hours daily trying to save
some of the rigging and personal effects and
stores. The Vandaia is totally lost Moth
ing can be saved from her.
Nearly every day since the wrecks Of the
German and American vessels bodies OF the
drowned are being washed up, greatly de-
composed and unrecognizable.
Only forty of our dead sailors bodies
have been found OFF Apia. Some of our
officers and men attended the German
memorial service but not q German was
present at the American services
Admiral Kimberly shows that the Trenton
could not have been saved, because tho
badly constructed hawse-holes allowed water
to pour in and flood the engineroom, putting
out the fires. He says the Trenton had all
steam on, but that her engines were not pow
erful enough to save her.
On the Tuesday following the disaster divers
recovered the safe of the Vandafa, which con-
tanned S40, 900.