, 1889-04-18
DETAILS OF DEATH.
The Samoan DiasaStpr as Sern
by an Eye Witness.
Ono Hundred and FOrty-Six
Men Meet Their Doom.
The Horror Beyond All Human
Description.
The Natives Lend All Possible
Aid TO the Sufferers.
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Daa. UnaSis 70 Lsaa . We,Ss<S Hssa
--Usprsssasatsd ssasrtngs.

.
AssA. Samoa. March 50. per Steamer
Alsaeda 70 Ban Francisco, April lS.--The
listie group Of Samoan or Navigator's isl.
1Sds, which . few months ago attracted
&ks attssticu OF the civilixrd voeld by =
-0srcs civil combat between two factions Of
satives and the consequent possibility OF
sssicus complications between the powers
of the United States and Germany hss
bsca visited BY
A DIsArrKR MORE APPALLING
chan oil The wars ever waved here. The
United States aad Germany have lost
usArly $50 lives and 5000 600 worth Of
property The most violent ami destructive
hurricane ever known In the South Pacific
pAssed over the islands on the 18th and
18th Of March. and as = result feet OF
of six var ships aud tsu other vessels we're
-Rrouud TO atoms ou the harb0r coral reefs
or throwr on tia beach In front OF Apia.
The United States frlxate Trenton. dag
chip OF the Pacific Sou Adron li-s within u
stones throw of the american Consulate. =
totHi wreck.
The great bull Of the magnificent vesael
which steamed into the harbOr few
HoiuR 10 pi-ces. The United States
sseAtner Vaudalta
Is BURIED OUT OF sIGHT
b. weeu The Trenton and the shore. Her shat
tered foremast and smokestack rises from
che water to mark the spot where the gal.
liant vessel struck and lay for twelve hours
before the awful torrent OF water swept
four ofaoers and thirty. niae men from the
deck and riQQing.
The United States steamer Nipsic av
for several days alongside the Vandalia
With her bow high on the beach and with
In Eve feet Ut the waters edge. The yes.
eel though badly damaged VIA hauled of
. few days after the storm and II the only
war ship now IN the harbor. The three
American men-of-war were swept almost
70 the same sp0t. The
rIEROE STORM WAS NEVER EQUALLED
In this part of the world before. rhe bar
ometer had been falling steadily for several
days previous. and the Wind commenced
to blow Friday, March IS. and continued
until Sunday morning. Rain fell in tor
rents during the whole time and great
clouds OF sand swept over the town. |
Hundreds of people stood on the beach |
and watched the awful spectacle in the
hArbor. The vessels all had n foil head Of
sIs,am and three or four anchors out. The !,
yards aud topmasts were down and every |
precaution was taken TO insure the safety !
of the ships, but the wind constantly !
shifted from northeast to northwest and |
the force was 10 grat that the vessels |
dragged their anchors all over the harbor. !
drifting from one tide to anolher, and |
coming in 10 the shore several tlmes The |
tremendous seas broke over them in tor
rents.
WATER RUSHED DOWN THE HAToHwAYs
and put out the 6res. P-rsons on the
shore were poweriess 10 render aid to the
ships Hundreds stood on shore ia the
storu, watching the great ves-
seis p;tea about and drift on to total de.
81 Ic'ion
rbe sea broke uoon the shore, washing
away w beyond the usual high water
10 ark Many persons were injured by
aeating wreckage and great clouds of
,and tilted the AIR and cur the skin like u
xnife. The natives especially acted huply.
w.lding far out into tho surf where white
nan could not live and macy q life was
saved through their efforts. The storm
'ngei furiously for nearly two days and
when II finally abated
ras SCENE OF DEsTRUcrIoN.
N the snore was frightful. Houees were
lnrOofed and blown down, ana trees were
lprooter and thrown abont 10 such way
hat the trees we're Ia many places COM
,letely blocked.
Out pf the seventeen vessels which had
,een uioored in the harbor only two small
chponprs stayed shoat and those were
,adly damaged. Most of the war ships
pere suchored in the harbor aud were nee
ssaIily very close together. Those near.
nj the shore were the Eber aud Nipsic.
rhe Eter was directly in front Of the
american Consulate, about u quarter OF a
cile from the shore, aud the Nipsic was
,l.ou. 200 yards east Of the Eber. The
ldler wa just ahead OF the Nipsic and
he Olga and Csiliope were ahead OF the
Ibcr. The vsndalis vas beyoad the Cal
iop., milo oifthe shore. The Trenton
vas tho
LAST WAR SHIP TO ARRIVE
mere. and being much larger than any
JthcF man-of.wAr in the bay there was no
'o0m for hsr near shore. N che was Obliged
y drop anchor beyond the Vandalia, Just
Within the outer coral reef. The sailing
Tafts were In the shallow water ives. of
.hs men.ot.wxr. Tue Trenton and Van
lslia had the most dangerous bcrths ia the
sarbor. while the position Of the Nipsic was
~ sys in vt noon Friday, March 18th. BY
evening the wind had increased 10 q gale
and nearly ali the var ships had tbsr en-
1,0es working TO relieve the strain upon
Enesf anchors. The crews of most Of the
,..lliug vessels threw out extra anchors
snd vent ashore. The rain com menced to
tall =, midnight and the wind Increased ia
fury. Great waves we're rolling from the
open AoeaD aud
THE PITCHING OF THE VESSELS
vas fearful Every man was kept at work.
Uy o clock in the morning the situation
vas charming. Ncarly every vessel 10 the