Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-01-23
Taft BUSHES to Rescue.


Washington, Jan. 17.-Oflcial news
of the disaster at Kingston, Jamaica,
did not reach Washington until well
along Wednesday afternoon, when the
following dispatch was received at the
state department, dated Jamaica.
1888 p m. Jan. 49," and signed,
American consul"
Fearful earthquake followed by
fire. Kingston destroyed. Hundreds
OF lives lost. Food badly wanted.
Consulate probably destroyed. Fire
proof safe.
The reference in the cablegram 20
the fireproof safe is. understood to
convey the assurance of the safety of
the consular records and papers.
The dispatch was regarded as war
ranting the taking of instant meas
ures of relief Indeed, the navy te-
partment has been N advance in this
matter, for, through Captain Beehler,
the officer in charge of the naval sta
ton at Key West, wireless communi-
cation was early established between
the navy department and Admit al
Evans, commanding the Atlantic fleet
at Guantanamo, Cuba, and when Sa;-
rotary Root later indicated the desiI-
ability of sending warships at once
to the distressed island ii turned out
that Evans had anticipated the direc-
ton and had started on a torpedo
boat destroyer, the swiftest vessel in
the American feet at Kingston, order
the two slower battleships to follow
as soon as they could
No Wait for Permission.
The appeal for food and supplies
directed attention TO the fact tn q
under ordinary conditions none of the
government supplies could be used
for outside relief save by special au
thority of congress That fact, how
ever, did not prevent Secretary Met
calf from ordering two supply ships
with full cargoes of food at once to
Jamaica, leaving for today the ques-
ton as to how the supplies are to be
given TO the needy inhabitants.
The supply ships Celtic and Glacier,
attached to the Atlantic fleet, and
which are fully proyisioned, have been
Kingston, where their cargoes of food
will be distributed among the needy.
New York, Jan. ia very few
messages, and these meager and lack
ing in detail, have been received IL
rect from Jamaica to give additional
g,Fr - hA
death wrought by the earthquake that
ravaged Kingston, Monday.
The situation apparently is more
serious than outlined in the, first Of
fetal reports received at the colonial
office in London from the governor
Of the West Indian island. Sir Alexan-
der Swettenham, and Hamar Green
wood. NJ. F. Gable communication
with Jamaica seems almost impossi.
HE
The devastation appears to have
been confined to the vicinity Of Kings
ton. me dispatch giving 10 miles as
The radius Of damage The rest of
the island including Port Antonio,
does not seem to have suffered Sc
verelT.
Estimates Of the Dead.
Estimates OF the dead range from
300 10 100, but with the exception Of
Sir James Gorusou aud perhaps half
a dozen other white msu, there is no
mention Of fatalities to foreigners.
American tourists at Kingston at the
time estimated at about 1000 il
would seem. are safe Estimates or
the injured are placed in the thou
sands. 1t is feared that when the
ruins of tie city are searched these
casualty ists will be materially in
creased 4 large majority Of the
10000 population Of Kingston is
black and 1t is probable that nearly