Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-14

trying 70 save.
BY this time the only part Of the vaudalia,
which stood out of water, was the after
part of the poop deck and forward part Of
the forecaste. Lieutenunt Culver, DIR.
Harvey, DIR. Cordero and Engineer Webster
were in the foretop. In the main top were
Lieutehants Wilson and Heath and Ensigns
Gibbons and Ripley. Lieutenant Carlin,
who was the last man TO leave the deck,
climbed into the mizzen top, where he sank
down exhausted.
The sinking of the Vandala had distracted
attention from the other two men-of-war,
which still remained aloat About 4 o'clock
in the afternoon the Trenton and Olga were
seen to be dragging back. The Olga was al.
most upon the reef where the Eper had
struck. The Trenton was coming down
upon her and a collision seemed inevitable
The condition Of the American flagship was
very bad. AT 10 o'clock in the morning
her rudder and propeller had been car
ried away by fouling with the wrecka ge,
from which hour until o'cloc X in the even
ing when she foundered, she held out In the
storm without steam or rudder and the skill
of her navigating officer, Lieutenant Brown,
was all that saved the lives Of every man on
board. He ordered every man into the port
rigging, so that the compact mass of
humanity could be used rs sails and at the
same time keep the weight of the vessel on
the side next to the storm. The wind struck
against the men in the rigging and forced
the vessel out into bay again. She remained
there only for q short time, however, and
soon commenced to drift against the Olga,
which was still standing off from the
reef and holding up against the storm
better than any vessel in the harbor had
done. Suddenly the stars and stripes were
seen floating from the gaff of the Trenton.
Previous to this no vessel in the harbor had
raised a flag, as the storm was raging so
furiously at sunrise that that ceremony was
neglected.
The stern of the Trenton was nearing the
Olga's bow, but Captain Won Erhard,
believing that sure destruction was
to be upon him, let go
his anchors and attempted to
steam away. He was too late, however,
for just as the Olga commenced to move
against the wind her bow came in contact
with the starboard quarter of the flagship
The Olgas bowsprit and fgurehead were
carried away and the heavy timber on the
Trentons quarter were shvered; several
boats We're torn from their davits, and the
American flag which had floaJed from the
Trenton was carried away and fell to the
deck of the Olga.
The vessels irifted apart and the Olga
steamed ahead towards the mud flats in the
eastern part of the harbor. Captain Won
Erhard had determined to run her aground.
The engines were worked to their fullest
capacity and it was only n moment before
the Olga's Prov struck and the steamer lay
Inl s,,t "a l., has fa,t ,nrt
of the bay. No life was lost,
The Trenton was not able to get out into
the bay again after her collision with the
Olga. 1t was now after o'clock and the light
was beginning to fade away. In half an
hour the Trenton had drifted to within
few yards of the Vandalia's bow, and the
men who were in the rigging of the latter
vessel trembled with fear as they saw the
Vandala approach. Presently the last faint
ray of daylight faded away and night came
down upon the awful scene.
Suddenly shout was borne across the
waters. The Trenton was cheering the Van
daia. Tho sound of 450 voices broke
upon the air and was heard above
the tempest. '"Three cheers for
the Vandalia," !" was the cry that warmed the
hearts of the dying men in the rigging. The
shout died away upon the storm and there
arose from the quivering masses of the
sunken ship response so feeble that it was
scarcely heard upon the shore, and then the
Trenton's band struck up "The Star
Spangled Banner"
The collision of the Trenton and Vandalla,
proved to be the salvation of the men in the
rigging. AS soon as the vessels touched the
men in the mizzen rigging crawled out of the
yards and jumped to the deck of the Tren-
ton. The men escaped just in time, for as
the last left the yards the mizzen mast of
the Vandalia fell with a crash on
the side next to the shore. The
men in the main mast next escaped
in the same way. The main mast
of the Vandalia fell soon after, and it was
believed that several men were killed in the
rigging.
At midnight the Trenton was forced
against the reef, but her draught was so
great that after she had settled entirely on
the bottom she was still about her usual
height out of water Captain Farquhar, In
his official report to Admiral Kimberly a
few days after the storm, paid high tribute
to Lieutenant Browns skill. Lieutenant
| Shearman, Ensign Purcell and several per-
| sons patrolled the beach until early morning
| in the hope of rescuing any poor fellow who
| might be seen struggling in the waves. BY
5 o'clock the wind had abated, though the
| sea was very rough However. the natives
| volunteered to man boat to go out to the
| Trenton. Zumanu, chief of the Apia district
| took charge of the crew. 1t was still very
dark and the trip most perilous one. but the
natives put the boat through in safety, and
| reached the Trenton. They wore
| given u hawser, which they took back
| TO shore and made fast. All hands
| were ordered to remain on the ship,
US the storm having subsidized, there was no
| immediate danger. AS soon as it became
| light two more hawsers were stretched from
| the Trenton to the shore to guard against
| danger in the event of the storm coming up
| again. Two boats manned by natives in
charge of Zumanu commenced the work of
removing the Vandalia's men from the
| Trenton. A few had arms and legs broken
and nearly all were badly cut and bruised.
| There were very few, especially among the
| officers, who could walk without assistance.
| BY noon there were nearly 500 American
\ sailors on tho streets of Apa
| The copra warehouse was obtained as
| quarters for the shipwrecked sailors, and q
| large number were sent there. The Nipsic
| was found To be in q fair condition and her
| officers and men werA jIuartered on board.