Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-04-18
TEMPEST TOSSED.
Details OF the Terrible Hurricane
at Samoa.

Details OF the Terrible Hurricane
at Samoa.
Ksxx1uR Rercs Of the Great Seerm--The
Hopes Escape-ThrNlIng SCENES
snd Marrow Escapes
SAN FRANCISCO April A-The steam
ship Alameda, Commander II. j. Morse.
arrived here yesterday morning, having
sailed from Sydney March % She stopped
at Tutuila, an island of the Samoan group,
March 80 where she found the American
schooner Equator. with the American
mails and ten cadets from the American
warships wrecked at Apia. Commander
Morse, upon learning of the disaster to
the American ships, at once sailed for
Apia. On the way he met the mail cutter
and received the German mails at Apia.
The Alameda took on board thirty six
wounded seamen; Lieutenant Ripley and
twenty nine seanen are to come upon the
Honolulu steamer.
The Alameda brought from the man-of-
war Trenton the naval cadets. r. Stocker,
f. w. Hebbs, B G. Decker, B. W. Wells,
w. s. C1oke, G. w. Logan and r. jackson,
and naval captains h A. Wiley. L. A.
Stafford and J. A. Lejeune, of the Van
dalia.
The Alameda also brought the following
account of the disaster from the Western
Associated Press correspondent at Apias
Samoa:
The little group OF Samoan or Navigators'
Islands, which few months ago attracted the
attention Of the civilized world by a fierce civil
combat between two native factions and the
consequent possibility OF serious complications
between the great powers OF the United States
and Germany, has been visited by disaster
more appalling than all Of the wars ever waged
here. In attempting to effect solution of the
Samoan difficulty, and to protect their respect
i've interests on the islands, the United States
and Germany have lost nearly $50 lives and
63, ,O0O 900 worth of property
The most violent and destructive hurricane
ever known in the South Pacific ocean passed
over these islands on March 16 and IL, and as a
result feet of six ships and ten other ves-
sells were ground to atoms on the coral reefs in
the harbor or thrown on the beach in front Of
the little city of Apa, and 142 officers and men
of the American and German navies sleep for
ever under the reefs or lie buried in unmarked
graves thousands OF miles from their native
lands.
The United States frigate Trenton, flagship
of the Pacific squadron. which arrived here
from Panama March II, lies within a stones
throw OF the American consulate a total wreck.
| The great hull of the magnificent vessel which
steamed into the harbor few weeks ago rests
on the bottom, fast going to pieces.
The United States steamer Vandalia, which
arrived from San Francisco February %, is
buried out OF sight between the Trenton and
the shore Her shattered .foremast and stack
rise from the water to mark the spot where the
gallant vessel struck and lay for twelve hours
before the awful torrent OF water which swept
four 0fbcerS and thirty y-nine men from her decks
and rlggings. Her command der, Captain G. NJ.
Sohoonmaker, was among the first who
perished in the waves. The other officers who
Arms Lieutenant Frank Sutton OF the marine
| corps and Pay Clerk John Roach.
The United States steamer Nfpsic lay fol
| several days alongside the Vandalia with hel
bow high on the beach and within five feet Of
the waters edge. The vessel though badly
| damaged, was hauled on few days after the
| storm and is the only war ship afioat in the
| harbor. Several of the officers and crew are
| living aboard. All OF the Nipsic's officers are
| safe. but she lost five men by the swapping Of
| boat, and two others who jumped overheard
were also drowned.
| The three American men-of-war were swep,
| ashore almost at the same point.
It was on the little German gunboat Ebel
| that the greatest loss of life occurred. The
| Eber had complement of six officers and
| seveutysix men. Five men were ashore during
the storm. When the vessel struck the reel
| she sank completely out of sight and minute
| later there was not veStige of her to be seen
and all on board were lost except one of1cer-
Lieutenant Gaedeke-and four sailors. The
| other five officers and sixty-slx men were either
instantly killed when the vessel crashed tG
| pieces, or were drowned in the roaring torrent
! of water that broke upon the reef. small
part Of the Eber's prov was afterward washed
ashore near an American vessel This and
| few pieces OF broken wreckage near the point
| where she st ruck are the only portions of hel
that have even been seen since the moment she
| went down.
Just on the edge of the reef, about 500 yards
| west of the Trenton; Is all that remains of the
/ ho Ia 0f he fY
Samoan waters. The Adler was washed on TOT
Of the reef and turned completely over on hel
side. She has remained in that position since
and Is almost entirely out OF water. Nearly
every man aboard was thrown in the watel
| when the Adler struck, but only twenty sailors
| were drowned and all her officers were saved
| The German corvette Olga il fast upon q wind
| fat about quarter OF q mile east OF the Amer
lean vessels While the storm was raging and
| the vessels fighting for their lives, the Olgs
c-me into collision with nearly every man-of
war In the harbor and was badly damaged
above her water line. It II thought that shs
can be towed on. No lives were lost on thu
Olga.
The only other man-of-war in the harbor wa!
| the British corvette Calliope, which arrivet
here in February and relieved the Royalist
Her machinery was very powerful and she wa,
capable Of steaming at the rate of sixteen knots
an hour. but she narrowly escaped going. ashor'
| at the same place with the Adler, but just a
she was about to strike the reef she let 60 he
steamed out Of the harbor and put to sea-
| The merchant vessels which weree wrecked
were principally small craft. Nearly al Of then
| were thrown On the reef near the wreck of tn
Adler, but one two of them escaped witt
| slight damage. One of these was. . schoone
belonging to the German Trading Company, an
she was made ready to serd to Tutafla to NEE
the Oceanic Steamship Compang's steame
Mariposa from San Francisco, SO that news O
| the disaster could be forwarded TO Aucklan
| and from there cabled to Europe and America
| The beach Is strewn with wreokage from Oh
| end of the town to the other. Over go Amer
can and German sailors are qnartered in Apis
| and for o few days after the storm subsided tn
| greatest confusion existed evaryvhere. Ahsrg
other vessels were badly injured by fallingfror
| the rigging and being thrown about decks
the terrible seas, and it was. necessary to PR
| vide temporary hospital. for their accoz7mod;
| tien.
| The force of the stoun,was never eenaled
| this part Of the world before. The baromete
. bad been falling steSaily for several days pr
I vieus to the storm. 1nd the wind coE8Henced
l blow Friday Afternoon. March IS and coDti
| ned until Sunday morning. The rain fell
torrents during the whole time and g:es
/ clouds Of sand swept over the town Hundred
|, ct people stood en- the beach and watched Il
awful spectaclN in the harboE The vesse
| an had full head of steam on and three
| four anchors out Their yayds and topmAS
1>~-- 4a1xn