Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-30
CHEERING IN DANGER,
Stirring Incidents Daring the Awful storm
In ADiA.


Stirring Incidents Daring the Awful storm
In Apia.
When. in 1889, q hurricane swept
over the harbor of Apia, Samoa,
creating terrible havoc among the
men-of-war there, and resulting in
the wreckage Of vessels and the
Wholesale slaughter of men. the crew
OF the American flagship, Trenton,
showed splendid courage, victorious
over the possibility of death. The
storm had ragged for hours, and the
destruction was already terrible. The
gunboat Eber had been dashed upon
the reef, the Nipsic lay helpless on
the beach, and the Adler had cap
sized on the very top OF the reef.
The Vandalia and Calliope came into
violent collision, and it seemed as If
each had received her death blow.
The commander of the Calliope then
determined to make one last effort to
steam out OF the harbor, as it became
evident that il he remained in his
present position he must either suffer
another collision with the Vandalia,
or be thrown upon the reef.
The engines were worked to their
utmost, and any accident at that
critical moment would have involved
certain death to all on board. Mean.
while the Trenton had lost her rudder
and propeller. and was absolutely
helpless. To clear the harbor the
Calliope must pass between her and
the reef, and it required the most
skillful seamanship to avoid col
lisiOn with one or the other.
The Trenton's fires had gone out,
and her doom seemed to be merely
question of a few hours. Her decks
were swarming with men; but facing
death as they were, they paid tribute
to the heroic struggle of the Calliope,
as she passed within few yards of
them into the very teeth of the
storm.
"Three cheers for the Calliope."
was the cry from 400 threats, and the
British tars took heart to return the
cheer.
Livery man on board the Calliope
felt as l did," said her commander
afterward, in speaking of the Incl
dent lit made us work to win. 1
can only say, God bless America and
ner nODle SallOrS""
From 10 o'clock in the morning
until the middle of the afternoon the
Trenton had held out against the
storm, but she was now drifting
slowly but surely upon the reef, AS
she neared it, the men were ordered
in the rigging to form a resisting
mass there This acted as sail, and
the vessel was forced out into the bay
again.
Then she began to drift down uron
the Olga, and when destruction was
imminent the stars and stripes were
run up 1t was evident to those on
shore that the gallant ship foresaw
her doom, and was determined to 20
down with her country's flag floating
above her. The crash came, but no
great damage was done. The
Olga steamed away and grounded
on the mud-hats, and the Trenton
drifted toward the Vandalia.
Daylight had faded. The storm
ragged furiously, binding and cutting
the poor creatures who still chung to
the Vandalia's rigging. The great
black hull of the Trenton doomed
upon her, ready ogrind her to atoms.
Suddenly shout was borne across
the water The Trenton was cheer.
ing the Vandalia.
"Three cheers for the Vandaliaw
was the cry that warmed the hearts
Of the desperate men in the rigging.
The shout died away, and there
arose response so feeble that it
could scarcely be hear1 on shore.
Then came the sound of music,
strange and moving at that dreadful
moment. The Trenton's band was
playing the "Star- Spangled Banner"
But the final collision. instead OF
crushing the Vandalia, proved to be
her salvation. When the Trenton's
stern finally struck her side there was
no apparent shock. and she merely
swung broadside to the sunken ship.
This enabled the Vandalia's men to
escape to the Trenton. At midnight
the storm had abated, and when day
dawned the men were taken off the
flagship in safely.