Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-02-22
JAMAICA'S DISASTER
How the Disturbance Impressed
DR.. Marshall A. Howe
Kingston, Eight Days after Earthquake,
Was Like ENhumed Pompeli-Dr.
Howes 5000 Specimens Saved.


Howe's 5000 Specimens Saved.
DR.. Marshall A Howe. one of the
| museum curators of the New York bo-
tancal garden, who went to Jamaica in
| December on scientific mission for the
| garden has. returned from Kingston, and
| gave today the following account of the
recent earthquake:
IT went to Jamaica on December 9 to
| study and to make collections of its
marine algR-sea- weeds, sea -mosses, and
| the like. Upon arrival at Kingston l be-
came the guest of William Harris, super
| ntendent of the public gardens and plan
tations of Jamaica, whose home Is at
Hope gardens, IA fine botanical garden
and agricultural experiment station about
six miles from Kingston Through the
aid of Mr. Harris, 1 established a lab
| oratory on the water front OF the city,
in the lumber yard of David Henderson,
at the foot of East street. Two weeks
or more were devoted to investigating
the vegetation of the keys and small
islands. several of which lie just outside
Port Royal. at the entrance to the harbor
of Kingston. Then l went to Montego
bay, I'm the northwestern part of the
island, about 100 miles from Kingston.
ION the afternoon of the earthquake
day, Monday, Jan. IA. l was under a shed
at my hotel packing up my collection of
specimens preparatory to going to Port
Antonio. 1t had been "A windy day, and
the first thing that | noticed out of the
common was n sound as II an unusually
heavy gust of wind was coming There
was no rumbling noise. The wooden shed
creaked and rocked and the earth
trembled. There were two principal
heaVes or shocks within about 26 seconds.
The hotel was shaken and people ran out
in fright Dogs bati<ed and horses ran
about the yard with their tails I'm the air.
The water main in the town was broken,
the water running into the streets, and
the walls of some of the buildings were
cracked. No person was injured. how
ever.
AT first | was disposed to regard the
incident as unimportant but my land
lady, who was a native of Jamaica. de-
clared that II was the worst shock OF
earthquake she had ever experienced.
and that something would be heard OF
it. That evening some kilograms came
to MontegO Bay from various parts Of
the island announcing that Kingston had
suffered severely and was on fire. and
that the town Of AnnOtto Bay. on the
north side Of the island. was under water.
The latter proved to be greatly exagg r.
ated, though some damage was done to
the town by tidal wave The next day
only few reports came alarming and
confused, the telegraph working badly.
That day and the day after there were
all sorts of rumors. including reports that
Colon was sunk under water that Bar
bados had been submerged. that New
York city had suffered an earthquake and
fire, and that a supposedly extinct vol
cano near Bluff Bay. on the north coast
of Jamaica, had SUDDENLY become active
and was throwing lava lG miles out to
sea.
Naturally there was a great deal of
excitement and alarm which was much
increased by the news of the death in
Kingston Of many prominent business
men, who had been crushed by falling
walls In addition to the names Of those
who had really died there were early re-
ports of the killing of many persons who
in fact had escaped. but were missing.
some of whom had taken refuge on board
the steamer Port Kingston.
An Editors Narrow Escape.
"A Kingston man. Mr.. Durie the ed
itor of the Jamaica Times, arrived at
Montego Bay that night. with the object
of securing a printing press. At the time
Of the great shock he was in his Office and
the building collapsed. He was at his
desk I'm the corner Of a room and the
beams above him fell in such a way as
to form a sort Of arch over him, which
kept of the other debris till he could be
rescued. Some of his associates or en-
ployes in an adjoining room were killed
Mr.. Durle was able to give me a fairly
accurate account of the condition OF
things i'm Kingston.
Monday, Jan. 81, took the train for
Spanish Town, some II miles from
Kingston, where l passedsthe night at
hotel. The next morning l went TO
Kingston. There, eight days after the
great earthquake. l found the streets
chiefly cleared of debris, and the burned
area guarded by soldiers, mostly members
of the West India regiment. About SO
acres of the main business part OF the
town had been devastated by fire as well
as by the earthquake. The ruin was so
complete that the appearance of the
business streets in this area suggested an
eXhumed Pompeii. Laborers were still
digging in the ruins and uncoverins
human bodies, which. when unidentified,
were cremated in the streets There was
some stencil in the air, arising from the
bodies in the ruins
Collection Of AIg@ Safe.
Il had feared that had lost bv fire nv
collection of alge from Kingston harbor
and neighborhood, but was much graft
fled to find them intact. my temporary
laboratory having been in wooden two
story wooden building which had escaped
the hames. although 1t had been some
what wrenched by the earthquake In
all, l secured in Jamaica about 5000
specimens of algR, representing possibly.
rarity. Several of the latter are new TO
science.
"On Thursday, Jan. "a. I sailed for
New York having engaged my passage
when | first reached jamaica As the
steamship passed Port Royal | observed
that the sandy and pebbly beach had
disappeared and that the sea reached up
TO the grassy ground; also that cocoanut
trees which had been on dry land then
showed little except their green crowns of
leaves their trunks standing in the salt
water some distance from the present
shore line This indicated n subsidence
OF land which could not be less than ten
rect as well as could be Judged from
passing '-GNew York Evening Post,
Feb. 4. ~
Or. Howe is a son of Mr.. and Mrs. NJ
y. Howe of Newfane. After graduating
from the University of Vermont he was
submaster of the Brattleboro high school
tie was connected with Leland stanford
1r.' University of California at one time
and later pursued post graduate studies
IN columbia University. where he received
ms degree of Ph,D. He has been engaged
several Years in his work as curator of
the New York botanical gardens.