Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-17
Great Anxiety I'm London.


LONDON, Jan. 16.-The brief dispatches
received here tonight including some from
Kingston direct, declaring that 100 per-
sons had been killed In the earthquake Of
Monday, leave the country a prey TO re-
newed suspense as to the fate Of Jamaica's
capital.
Earlier reports. including dispatches, had
tended to minimize the worst features Of
the first messages received and although
there is an inclination still to credit these
official accounts in the absence of con-
frmation of the later reports the relief
felt this afternoon tends to give place to
dependency at the possibility that the
worst fears will be realized when the full
accounts of the disaster come TO hand.
Two things stand out of the general
gloom and bring intense satisfaction to
the British public. The first is the fact,
confirmed tonight in a dispatch from Sir
Alfred Jones himself that the Jones party
are all safe. The second is found In the
prompt and active steps taken by the
American government to investigate the
real conditions and afford the necessary
succor to the unfortunate people. Es-
peclal appreciation is felt at Secretary Met
calfs decision to act without waiting for
congressional sanction. All possible steps
are being taken here to the same end, but
Americas generous action is none the less
appreciated. The king and queen and also
the premier, Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man. have hastened to telegraph express
sions of the countrys sympathy, and pub
lilo bodies are arranging to hold meetings
TO express their sympathy and AFFORD re-
lief to the victims.
worst Fears Confirmed.
Up to a late hour tonight the colonial
office had no further news to communicate
and the public found satisfaction in the
belief that the casualties among the Eng
lsh residents in the island had been few
Al the moment of writing this dispatch,
however. a message was received from Sir
Alfred Jones. addressed TO Elder, DempsteI
q Co.. which confirms the worst fears. The
message follows:
Kingston was overwhelmed by an earth
quake Monday afternoon at $3.50. All the
houses within a radius OF ten miles have
been been Ssmsged and almost every house IN
the earthquake and completed the destruc-
tion. IL Is estimated that 100 persons have
been killed and l,oo0 injured. The public
offices and hospitals are In ruins Among
the killed are Sir James Ferguson. many
prominent merchants and professional mer
no fatalities at the Constant Springs hotel
The business quarter OF Kingston Is nov
smogldering ashes. We are thankful thai
This dispatch from Sir Alfred is prac
tically identical with other messages re-
ceved from Kingston. including one from
a correspondent OF the Standard. who il
with the Jones party, with the exception
that all the others give the death list a.
several hundred" while dispatch OF I
similar purport received by the direct Wes
Indian Gable company says the loss OF III,
was heavy ana adds that Port Antonio
was not badly injured. At the present time
therefore. Il is quite impossible to form !
reliable idea OF the number Of lives los
from the information available.
Relief from United states
~ WASHINGTON, Jan. l6.-onicial news o.
the disaster az Kingston, Jamaica, reached
Washington slowly today; in fact the frs
report aid not come 10 hand until wei
along IN the afternoon when a dispatch
was received at the state department date,
Jamaica. S;a p m. Jan. 16." and signe,
American consul" stating that Kingston
had been destroyed and hundreds OF live
lost and stating that food was badl,
wanted AS a matter OF fact the signatur,
20 this dispatch was misleading. for tn,
consul Is absent on leave from his post
IL vas assumed at the department that IN,