The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-17
DETAILS OF THE STORM.
a Graphic Description OF the Awful Hur.
ricane and the Destruction 1t Wrought.

a Graphic Description of the Awful Hur-
ricane and the Destruction 1t Wrought.
APIA. Samoa, March so, per steamer Ala
media, San Francisco, April 13.-[Copyrght
1889. The little group of Samoan or Navi-
gator islands, which few months ago attracted
the attention of the civilized world by fierce
civil combat between two native factions and
consequent possibility of serious complica-
tions between the great powers of the
United States and Germany, have been
visited by a disaster more appalling
than all of the wars ever waged here. In at
tempting to effect a solution of the Samoan
difficulty and to protect their respective inter
ests on the islands, the United States and Ger
many have lost nearly $50 lives and 100000
worth of property. The most violent and de-
struetive hurricane ever known in the South
Pacific ocean passed over these islands on the
18th and 18th OF March, and as a result a
feet OF SIX war-ships and ten other vessels
were ground to atoms on the coral
reefs in the harbor or thrown on the beach in
front of the little city of Apia; and 142 officers
and men of the American and German navies
sleep under the reefs, or lie buried In un-
marked graves, thousands OF miles from their
native lands.
The T. s. frigate Trenton, flagship of the
Pacific squadron, which arrived here from
Panama, March IL, lies within a stones throw
The great hull of the magnificent vessel
which steamed into the harbor few weeks
ago, rests on the bottom, fast going to pieces.
The L. ). steamer Nandalia, which arrived
from San Francisco Feb %, is buried out of
sight between the Trenton and the shore. Her
shattered foremost and smokestack 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
officers and thirty men from her decks and
rigging. Her commander. Capt. c. NJ. Shoon-
maker, among the first who per-
ished the waves. The other Of
Ulcers who met their deaths were Paymaster
Frank H. Arms, Lieut. Frank Sutton OF the
marine corps and Pay-clerk John Roach. The
L. 5. steamer Nipsic lay for several days along
side the Vandalia, with her bow high on the
beach and within five feet of the waters edge.
The vessel, though badly damaged, was hauled
off few days after the storm, and is the only
warship ahoat 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 swept ashore
almost at the same point.
1t Wa on the little German gunboat Eber
that the greatest loss OF life occurred. The
Eber had a complement of SIX officers and
seventy-six men. Five men were ashore dur
ing the storm. When the vessel struck the
reef she sank completely out of sight and
minute later there was not vestlge OF her TO
been. and all board were lost, except one
officer, Lieut. Gaedke, and four sailors
The other five officers and sixty-six men were
either instantly killed when the vessel crashed,
TO pieces were drowned in the roaring tor
rent 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 struck are the only portions
of her that have even been since the mo-
mept she went down.
Just on the edge of the reef, about 500 yards
west of Trenton. is all that remains of the
Adler. the flagship of the German squadron in
Samoan waters. The Adler was washed on top
Of the reef and turned completely over on her
side. She has remained in that position since
and is almost entirely out OF water. Nearly
every man aboard was thrown into the water
when the Adler struck, but only twenty sailors
were drowned and all her officers were saved.
The German corvette, Olga, is fast upon
a wind-hat about quarter OF a mile east OF the
American vessel While the storm was raging
and the vessels were fighting for their lives,
the Olga came into collision with nearly every
other man-of-war In the harbor, and was badly
damaged above her water-line. 1t is thought
that she can be tOwed of. No lives were
lost on the Olga. The only other man-of-war
in the harbor was she British corvette Calliope,
which arrived here in February and relieved
the ROyalist. Her machinery was very pow
eTful, and she was capable OF steaming at
the rate of sixteen knots an hour
but she narrowly escaped going ashore at the
same place with the Adler. Just she was
ABOUT TO strike the reef she let 20 her anchors
and In the face of a terrible wind steamed out
of the harbor and put to sea. The merchant
vessels which were wrecked were principally
small craft Nearly all of them were thrown
on the reef near the wreck of the Adler, but
one or two Of them escaped with slight dam
sge. One of these was a schooner belonging
to the German trading company and she was
made ready at once to send TO Tutuila to meet
the Oceanic steamship cOmpanys steamer
MaTiposa, from San Francisco, so that news of
the disaster could be forwarded to Auckland
and from there cabled to Europe and America
The beach is strewn with wreckage from one
end of the town to the other. Over nine hun
dred American and German sailors are
quartered in Apia, and for a few days after the
storm subsidized the greatest confusion existed
everywhere. A large number OF men on the
Vandalia and several on the other vessels were
badly injured by falling from the rigging and
being thrown about the decks by the terrible
seas, and il was necessary TO provide tempo
rsry hospital for their accommodation.
great many men from the wrecked vessels be-
came intoxicated as soon as they reached the
shore.
The force of the storm was never equa lied in
this part of the world before. The barometer
had been falling steadily for several days pre-
viOus to the storm and the wind commenced to
blow Friday afternoon, March 10 and con-
finued until Sunday morning. The rain fell in
torrents 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 full head of steam on and
three or four anchors out. Their yards
and topmasts were down, and every precaution
taken 10 insure the safety of the ships, but
the wind constantly shifted from northeast to
northwest The force was so great that the
vessels dragged their anchors all over from one
side of the bay to the other, and came into col
lision q dozen times. Tremendous seas broke
over the decks and torrents of water rushed
down the hatehSays and put out the fires
There was great confusion among the men on
several Of the vessels early Saturday morning,
but the officers did noble work, and the men
became orderly and attended to their duties
bravely in the face of danger. Per-
sons on shore were powerless TO render assis-
lance to the ships. Hundreds ran to the
waters edge and stood in the binding storm
watching the great vessels pitch about on the
waves or drift on 10 total destruction against
the reefs. The sea broke upon the reef with
roaring sound and washed far upon the beach,
carrying with il great quantities Of wreckage.
The watchers on shore were submerged time
after time and many were injured by the float
ing vreckage. Great clouds OF sand filed the
cir and cut face and body ike knife. Every.