Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-18

propeller had its effect, and the yesse
moved up slowly against the great waves
She made headway at first inch by inch
bnt gradually increased her speed until il
became evident that she could clear the
harbor. AS she passed abreast of the
Trenton great shout went up from four
hundred men on the flagship, and three
hearty cheers were given for the Calliope
which were returned with will.
The English vessel passed safely out
of the harbor and steamed far out to sea-
returning after the storm had abated
She sustained little injury outside of the
loss of her boats. When the excitemer4
on the Vandalia, which followed the col
lIsion with the Calliope, had subsidized a
little, it was found necessary to act quick
ly to save the ship. Lieut.. Carlin,
executive officer, was practically
in charge of the vessel, as
Capt. Schoonmaker had been taro Vt
across the cabin the night before and
severely injured-his head being badly
cut and one ear almost torn away. Not
withstanding his injuries, he faced the
storm and stood by his first officer until
finally swept of to his death, but he was
in such a weakened condition that he was
able to do but little toward directing the
movements Of the ship. The hig hest praise
| Is given Lieut.. Carlin who had been on duty
since the morning before and lad not
tasted food in all that time. Though weak
and exhausted, he kept his position be-
| side Capt. Schoonmaker and Lieut. Will
son, navigating officer. The Vandalia
was now fast bearing down upon the
reef alongside Of the wreck Of the Eber,
and hundreds of people on the shore
expected every minute to see
her strike. She was soon seen, however,
to move away from the reef apd make
slight Roadway toward the point where
the Nipsic lay. Capt. Schoonmaker and
Lieut.. Carlin saw it was useless to make
further attempt TO save the ship, and as
the engines were not powerful enough to
steam out to sea as the Calliope had done
they determined to beach the vessel. wo
of her anchor chains were slip ped, and
full head of steam put on. She came on
until her bows struck on soft sand about
forty yards from the stern of the Nipsic.
The Vandalia swung around hroadside TO
the beach and it was seen that her officers
and crew were in great danger. In half
an hour tie vessel was seen to be filing
with water and settling down. Lying as
she did, almost broadside too, seas broke
over her f1rious!y, and water poured
down the matches. By noon the
whole gun deck was under
water and from that time on the coudi-
ton of the men was most pitie6le. Tor
rents of water that swept over the rail
knocked them from their feet and threw
them violently against the sides, several
being severely injured. Most of the men
sought refuge in the rigging and but few
officers remained upon the poop deck.
Nearly every one on board had cast away
most of his clothing aud some were en-
tlrely mixed. few had provided them
selves with life preservers, but
these could not be obtained for all, so
rapidly did the vessel fill. Men on shore
were powerless TO render assistance. No
boat could have lived moment in the
surf, and it was impossible to get line
across to the steamer, as there was no
firing apparatus Oh sho1e. Lieutenant
Sherman and Ensigns Purcell and Jones
attached small cord to the
hawser, and three natives ventured
out into the surf in an attempt
to reach the Vandalia. They entered
the water quarter of a mile above the
spot where the steamer lay, and waded
out as far as they could, and then struck
out into the current with the cord tied to
their bodies. Expert swimmers as they
were, they were unable TO overcome the
force of the current, which rushed down
like cataract between the Vandaiia and
the shore, and men were running upon
the beach without being able to get with
in fifty yards of the Vandalia. Their
chief urged them to try again, and several
other attempts were made, but With the
same result.
Finding that it was impossible to reach
the vessel, there was nothing to do but
remain near the shore and wait for an
opportunity TO render any assistance that
might be possible. 1t was evident tbs
many of the men would not be able to
stand the force of the waves much longer
and many natives waded in and
stood in the edge of the current waiting
to grasp anyone who should float near
them. The seas continued to break over
the vessel and it was not long before
several men were swept over the side and
as soon as they touched the water they
SWAMI for the Nipsic, grasped the ropes
hanging over the side. and attempted 20
draw themselves up on deck. A number
succeeded in doing this, but others were
so weak that after hanging to the
ropes few minutes, their grasp
was broken by the awful seas which
crashed against the sides of the vessel,
and they fell back into the current. The
first man to come ashore was Engineer
Green. He was among the first washed
OFF the poop deck Of the Vandalia and,
after terrible struggle was caught by
the natives and brought to the shore.
The next was the naval cadet Wiley, who
was caught by the brave natives Just as
he was sinking, and was carried to the
American consulate insensibie. 1t
was not long after Engineer
Green and Wiley were washed over that
four officers were drowned b. being
swep from the deck. Captain Schoon-
maker was clinging 10 the rail on the
poop deck, Lieutenant Carlin doing his
utmost to support him, as the captain
was becoming weaker every minute. No
one new it better than himself, and he
remarked to those about him that he
would have to go soon.
At last great wave struck the Vandalia
on her port and submerged the decks.
Capt. Schoonmaker held on to the rail
with all his remaining strength, but the
torrent of water was SO strong that
machine gun near by was washed from
its fastenings and sent whirling across
the decks. Capt. Schoonmaker was
struck on the head by this gun, and either
killed outright, or knocked senseless, as
he was swept off the deck Immediately
and was seen no more. Paymaster Arms
and Pay Clerk Roche, were swept off to-
gether, and soon sank. Marine Lient.
Sutton died in much the same way.
During the remainder of the afternoon
there followed a succession of awful
scenes. The storm had not abated, and
the waves that seemed like mountains of