Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-18
SURVIVORS OF QUAKE
GIVE GRAPHIC ACCOUNT
OF THE TEMBL0R
Rv Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. IS. The Times this
morning publishes the following ac-
count of the earthquake, cabled by
John Hennicker Heaton NJ. Z.
After the opening session of the con-
ference Sir Alfred Swettenham invited
ten of us to luncheon at the Jamaica
club, including Sir James Ferguson, VINO
had arrived the previous day. and gave
US an interesting account of the work
on the Panama canal.
lone hour afterWard Sir James was
buried amidst tons of brick and stone.
The first fear as to his fate was due to
the fact that he did not return during
the night to the government house,
where he was staying, and at o'clock
in the morning Sir Alexander came on
board the Port Kingston to inquire for
his guest
After luncheon 1 left the club and
went with a member of the council to
visit the postotfice. L was returning
when the earthquake occurred. The
street was a moderate-s sized one and
the moment the ground began to quake
thousands of people rushed and jumped
into the street from the houses.
"A huge building lay across the
street in a yard before us, another
building blocked the street behind us.
and on our left a third building fell.
Then followed absolute darkness.
Great clouds of dust and mortar from
the debris filled the air for five minutes.
When light was restored my compan-
ions and l found ourselves black with
dust and dirt. 1t was miraculous es-
cape,
Scene Battles Description
"The scene that follows battles de-
Scription. Women We're embracing chill
dren, others were on their knees pray
inc ItritI int fnnlinp tn
God to have mercy and save them.
Others were fainting, others wildly
seeking their loved ones.
1--WE climbed over the debris and re-
turned to the club. 1t was in ruins. A
young fellow, coatless, with hand
kerchief tied around his head, ad-
dressed me in the street outside for
several minutes. At length something
peculiar struck me, and | asked If he
was Gerald Loder, for many years my
friend and former member of the house
of commons.
He said yes He was writing in the
club when the roof fell and was pinned
to the floor by the roof, but by freeing
himself from his coat he finally escaped
to the street
THE most awful sight was Mr.. Brad
ley a member of the club, lying dead
under the great fallen pillars of the
building. That night we slept on the
lawn of the hotel, and during the hours
between sunset and sunrise felt at least
three earthquake shocks.
1.-THE blaze of the fire from the city
was plainly visible. At dawn l got
coffee and then drove into Kingston, a
distance of six miles.
"All along the road were encamp-
mcnts Of families outside of their
homes.
In Kingston l drove many miles
through the streets.
AT least ninety-six out of every 100
houses We're in ruins or damaged be-
yOnd repair. This l say from personal
observation, yet nine-tenths of them
were old and many ought to have been
destroyed long ago.
ION arriving aboard our ship it was
great joy to find Sir Alfred Jones, Civ.
| ing orders clearly and forcibly to his
servants to meet the trouble by the
erection of light shelters and arrange
Iments for cooking for the poor people"