The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-09-01
A sUNKEN CITY.

In the beautiful harbor Of Kingston,
jamaica, n few fathoms under water,
sleeps the sunken city OF Port Royal,
which was destroyed by an earthquake
In 1902. On n cloudless, stlll day,
when the surface Of the sea ia perfect
ly smooth. the ruins OF the phantom
city may be plainly seen In the depths
OF the transparent water.
The splre OF the old cathedral ia the
most prominent object. In the clear
water you can sec the flshes lhzily
swimming In and out among the ruined
turrets. more suggestive OF owls and
bats than OF the flnny Inhabitants OF
the sen. Occasionally gilmpses can be
had OF the ruins OF other buildings
buildings which for more than two CEN
turtles have kept their CHASTITY secrets
and will keep them until the end OF
time.
Down there. in that peaceful depth.
lie the bones OF three thousand men.
women and children, carried down into
the sea with their homes on that awful
June day In 1892. An earthquake. sud
denly and without warming, smote tho
pronigate city OF Port Royal. which
sid into the sea- The waters opened
and swallowed II up. and there. beneath
the silent waves. was hidden the wick
edness and debauchery OF community
described by historians as being almost
lwi,hani perallel,
After the earthquake the town was
rebuilt, only to be completely destroy-
ed by FIRE In 1903. On August 22. 1922
IL was swept into the sea by a hurrI-
cane. II was once more reconstructed.
but again. In 1915. II was reduced 10
ashes. and as recently as 1880 n was
visited by another hurricane. Every
disaster was attended by great loss OF
life.
The city OF Port Royal was original
ly built upon narrow Btrlp Of land
extending out into the sea, which ao-
counts for Its strange disappearance
at the time OF the earthquake. Like
the house Of the foollahman OF Biblical
lore, which was buildod upon the sand.
II literally slid into the water when |
the earthquake shock came.
Previous TO that Hateful 7th day OF
June, 1892. Port Royal had been known
as "the finest town In the West Indies,
and the richest spot In the world" Il
was, as It now is, British colony, but
there was little either in its govern
ment or Its customs OF British moral
ity. We are told that II was a place
OF luxurious debauchery; that In their
excuses the colonls,s rlvaled the prof
ligates Of ancient Rome.
Bucoaneerlng and piracy were rec
ognized industries. The treasure shlps
Of Spain were legitimate prey. The
riches OF Mexico and Peru were levied
upon, and the people Of jamaica we're
literally rolling IN wealth and aplendor.
Vice and debauchery held sway. Bao-
chanallan reyels which might put to
shame the dWollcrs Do the Orient we're
OF nlehtly occurrence. There was no
virtue.
And like the crack % doom came tho
earthquake. The thunder Of tho olo-
mentg sounded IN tho cars Of the heed
Tess reyelers Tho earth opened m
great assures. and closed again like
the Jaws Of q mighty trap and IN
closing Il Erippol many Of iia victims
IN the middle leaving thor hands
above ground. Then came The awful
oldlbg, grinding noise OF the city. built
upon its foundations OF sand, sank In
10 tho careaslng embrace OF the sea,
which forever closed upon ms Wicked
moss and WIN forever keep ltS dread
secrets.
The shock came close on to midday.
The air was hot and aultry. Tho sky
was without cloud. A great still
ness seemed to hover over the city, and
then, without warning, the earth trem-
hled. Men and women left tholr
houses and ran into the streets, only
10 meet death IN the bowels OF earth
or in the hidden recessoa Of the sea.
In his ANNALS Of jamaica" publish
ed in 1928, Rev. George Wilson Bridges
quotes from letter written by one OF
the survivors, rector-two or three
DAYS after the disaster. which Is In
part as iollows'
After had been at church reading