New-York tribune., 1907-01-20
SALVAGE AT KINGSTON
BURNING DEAD BODIES.
FiUe Hundred Buried - Heroic
Work of Surgeons and Nurses.

Kingston. jan 1S-The work of clearing ths
streets of Kingston of wreckage and recovering
the bodies Of the victims OF the earthquake ana
confagration is proceeding rapidly
The southwestern portion Of Kingston looks
exactly like st. Pierre after the eruption OF
Mont Pelee.
The American battleships Indiana and Mis-
souri, arrived here Thursday. Admiral Davis-ae
once visited Governor Swettenhaun and offered
assistance in the shape Of armed guards to pro-
| tect the banks and public buildings and to send
ashore parties TO aid in recovering the dead.
| The latter offer was accepted with thanks. Ma
rines were landed Thursday afternoon and ar-
still working like Trojans. performing service
| which forever will be remembered in this island
| The former offer was declined. as the local
troops. militia and eonstabulary were deemed
sufficient to preserve order and protect build
ings. (Other dispatches from Kingston say thas
American marines were protecting the eity)
On the whole the conduct OF the populace has
| been admirable. There have been only few
| attempts at lOoting, and these have been con-
| fined to rum shops and provision stores Tho
| guards have not had occasion to fire a single
| shot. and perfect order now reigns throu~houk
the devastated city.
| An admirable example has been set the lower
classes by the Governor and Lady swettenhanl
and the higher officials and their wives. who arc
working ceaselessIy to relieve the distressed ana
nurse the wounded. American naval surgeon.
| also are doing magnificent work I'm assisting th.
local doctors. who have maintained all the tra-
ditions of their profession.
The original estimates OF killed were too mod
| crate Over five hundred victims have been
buried up to to-day. and scores of half burned
bodies have been taken from the ruins OF COL
lapsed buildings and cremated at the crossings
Of thorOughfares. with the view Of avoiding tn.
outbreak of epidemic.
Fully one thousand persons have been unaimsE
for life. their legs or arms having been anpu-
tated, and those who sustained minor wound,
are counted by thousands
| Nothing has been done as yet toward the re-
construction of shattered buildings OF even to
repair the damaged residences in the northern
and eastern parts OF the city and in the suburb
of ST. Andrew. Indeed. it is impossible to do
anything to this end. There is no lumber here
and there are few artisans ana little capital
II Kingston has been destroyed. Jamaica as a
whole remains. Food ana shelter are abundant
in the country. and the government is sending
I daily three or four trainIoads OF the homeless
| and destitute into the rural sections
In the mean time thousands OF persons are stfII
encamped at the racecourse and in the parks
adjoining Up-Park camp. Many tents have
been loaned by the military. and there have been
erected hundreds of little booths. consisting OF
/ slim upright supports. with sheets or shawls
| doing service as a roof. or covered with the
/ frOnds Of palm trees or broad banana leaves
Fortunately. the weather Is superb. There are
| enough clouds in the sky to moderate the heat
/ Of the sun There has beeD~nO rain. however,
and consequently the campers are cOmDara-
| lively comfortable
| Relief associations are at work providing food.
Beef is plentiful also yams, potatoes,
bananas and plaintains.
The vaults OF the Colonial and Nova Scotia
banks have been opened by the use OF dynamite.
and the managers OF these institutions hope TO
/ resume business tomorrow Saturday.
Slight earthquake shocks continue at irregu-
lar intervals. There were five on Thursday. four
Thursday night and two this afternoon. but the
people are ceasing TO be alarmed at them and
are beginning to face the future calmly. even II
somewhat hOpeleSSly.
The cables of the Direct West India Cable
Company are severed two miles from the shOre-
The cable Of the West India and Panama line
to Colon Is also broken. but the land lines OF
the latter company are sound from Bull Bay.
eight and One-half miles to the east OF King
ston. and the staff is working like heroes in
small hut perched on the beach. endeavoring 70
deal with the enormous telegraphic business
The report that the Hamburg-American Line
steamer Prince EiteI Friedrich IS aground "a
incorrect She arrived here safely on Thursday
afternoon from Colombia The Prince Walde-
mar of the same line. is stIlI hard aground at
Plum Point lighthouse. within a stones throw
OF the steamer Victoria LUise.
The earthquake shattered the lamp and the
refectors in the lighthouse and cracked the
tower from top to bottom. The absence OF this
light accounts for the running ashore OF tbs
Prince Waldemar. The wrecking steamer Pre-
mIer is now engaged in trying TO pull the Wal
demar Off the rocks. but her position is dis
tinctIy dangerous. All her passengers are safe.
The steamer Port Kingston. carrying enOr-
nous crowd Of passengers. including Sir Alfred
Jones and his party OF distinguished persons. as
we'll as the West Indian delegates TO the inter
rupted agricultural conference. left here this
Crriday) afternoon for England by way Of Bar
bados.