Arizona republican., 1903-08-24
JAMAICA STORM
First Reports of Its Vio-
 fence Not Exaggerated
Heager Details From the Interior. The Effect of It on the Fruit Trade of This Country Will Be Serious.

confirm the worst previous statements of the damage to fruit. It appears that in the parishes along the northern and eastern coasts the destruction was practically complete. All the villages were swept away and all the fruit cocoanut and coffee trees standing were blown down. At the offices of the United Fruit company it was admitted that it will take years for Jamaica to recover from the blow.
 Vessels returning from the island bring tales of ruin and desolation and conditions are declared to be as bad as in Martinique. It is said that along the coasts, where the force of the wind was greatest, nothing is left except wr6cks of buildings and vegetation Until new trees reach fruit-bearing age these portions of the island will be out of the business. In the case of oranges and cccoanuts this will take d long timF.
 From the interior it has been impos- sible to get much definite informa tion The roads in that country are mere tracks and wherever the storm travel ed even these are impossible The railroads are destroyed and the tsle- graph lines are not yet in working order, so information is meager Such details as come confirm the story printed in the Commercial last week. telling O: the ruin and the consequent shortage to be expected in Jamaica products this season. Some mountain sections were not badly damaged. and 1t is likely parts of the island escaped all harm. A sailor on a West Indian vessel. just returned from there, said that it will probably be found that the ruin is principally near the coast where the force of the wind was greatest
 It is said that the independent ba- mana people were hard hit. The report that all their Jamaica supplies were destroyed could not be confirmed but men who are usually well informed say this is the case. The de Giorgio interests in Baltimore fared badly. but had other holdings upon which they can draw for supplies. The verley peo- pie will feel most keenly the loss of their sources or supply
 The United Fruit Co has declared that the storm would benefit it ffnan- cially The Jamaica fruit they had bought was surplus. they say. and if it had come it would have been dumped Now the fruit was destroyed before delivery The company will not have to pay for the fruit. nor the trans portation to the dump. Consequently there is d saving of money for the company as q result of the hurricane and it's effects.
 Of the 15.00O.OO0 to 200O0. GOO punches of bananas landed at the principal ports of the United States in a sea son. comparatively small proportion come from Jamaica. One authority places the amount at one-fourth of the total. but apparently that is a liberal estimate. The great plantations of United Fruit Co. arc in Central Ameri- ca and in Costa Rica. With contract fruit in Jamaica destroyed the Units ed States Fruit Co. can import from it's own plantations in Central America and save money.
 The orange situa tion is serious The crop was looking we'll, approaching the ripening time and promised much larger yield of better quality than last year. Some say it would have been better than ever before. All the orange growers along the coast are said to be ruined, and in the interior the dana ge has been extensive.
 It will be a serious problem to deal CTS here to find fruit to take the place of Jamaica oranges. They have more acid than other varieties have and they come at a season when nothing else is availa hle. Porto Rico will benefit somewhat and possibly supplies can be obtained from other West Indian is lands to compensate partially for the loss. Florida growers will have d strong market. and the earlier the fruit is ready fer shipment the better it will be for them.
 The grapefruit situation is not known yet, excepting that the crop is wiped out in some localities. along with the trees upon which it grew. It takes at 1 least five years time to replace d pomelo tree Accounts from the in terior are too meager to warrant any estimate of the damage done.