The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-22
FOR RELIEF OF SUFFERERS
Emergency Bill Passed the House
Yesterday.
THE SENATE WILL ACT TODAY.
President Authorized TO Distribute
Provisions. Clothing and Medicine to
the Needy-Red Cross Organization
at New York will end $4,000
Worth Of Supplies at Once.

Washington, January Ian EN- r
gency bill for the relief of the suf-
ferers on the island of Jamaica was
passed by the house today. The bill IS
as follows:
That the president of the United
States is authorized to use and dis
tribute among the sufferers n destt-
tute people of the island of Jamaica
such provisions, clothing medicines
and other necessary articles belonging
to the subsistence and other stores Of
the naval establishment as may be ne
ceSSary for the purposes OF SuccOrinS
the people who are in peril and threat
ened with starvation on the said island
in consequence of the recent earth
quake and attending cOnf1agratiOn."
Chairman TaWney of the apprOprla-
tons committee in explaining the nee!
for this emergency measure said that
the secretary of the navy had received
q wireless message from n of the
battleships which had touched at King
stOn that the devastation was yer
greater than reported and that the
British government did not know Of
the extent of the disaster.
Without waiting for the authority
of congress Secretary Metcalf had tel
egraphed Admiral Evans to send the
supply ship Celtic which is now on her
way to Guantanamo to Kingston and
turn over her full cargo OF supplies 10
the sufferers Of the stricken city.
The bill did not reach he senate
hnf0rn oI ion m ooot hJf will Gh0 hfy.
be taken up by that body tomorrow.
The American National Red Cross
will extend immediate help to the
earthquake sufferers in Jamaica
Cleveland Dodge, head of the New
York state organization has been au-
thorized to purchase $4,000 worth OF
the first steamer.
It was learned at the navy depart
ment today that the supply ship Gel
tic which was believed to be at Guam
tanamo, has not yet arrived there. out
is expected at any moment. The sister
supply ship Glacier is now loading at
New York and will go to Guantanamo
unless orders are issued for her to pro-
coed direct TO Kingston.
A wireless message to the navy de-
partmeht from Rear Admiral Evans ut
Guantanamo states nat h Whippie,
having aboard divisional commander.
Admiral c.. H. Davis, with q corps OF
surgeons and medical supplies, has ar
rived at Kingston.
Owing to an error in deciphering the
wireless message from Guantanamo,
Cuba, yesterday, it was made to ap-
pear that Rear Admiral Evans person.
ally nd gone to Kingston to extend re-
lief 10 the earthquake sufferers. Ihe
message this morning, however, lndl-
Gates that Admiral Evans dispatched
Rear Admiral Davis, the second in
command, to Kingston.
The secretary of the navy mas re-
ceived a telegram from the Hamburg
American Line steamship offices in
New York advising him that according
to a cablegram from the captain OF
the cOmpany's vessel President, dated
at Port Au Prince, Haiti, great caution
is necessary on the part of ships ap-
preaching Kingston, as he bottom Of
the sea has changed by reason Of he
earthquake and that the lighthouse has
been demolished.
The information was regarded as OF
such Importance that it at once was
cabled to Admiral Evans at Guam
tanamo-
The following cablegram was receiv-
ed today at the Isthmian canal office
from Mr.. Stevens, engineer in charge
of the Panama canal construction dat
ed at Culebra last night:
advise US of extent OF the damage
by earthquake at Kingston, Jamaica.
Have no record here; seismograph in
good working order"