The Washington herald., 1907-01-21

Philadelphia. Jan. 2O.-Kingston's tropi-
cal beauty turned into a heap Of smOl-
deriug ashes that were the funeral pyres
Of hundreds. the bravery of men and
women. and the woes OF famine We're the
tales told to-day for the first time by sur
vivors returning TO the United States on
the Admiral Farragut, which arrived here
to-day
The Farragut is the first steamer from
Jamaica to reach this country since the
earthquake. Only three of her passengers
were IN Kingston when the shock came.
They are Mrs. Albert Turner and her
daughter. Miss Grace Barton Turner. Of
Passaic, n. j.. and Edwin w. Longley.
who was official interpreter for Gen.
Wood when the latter was Governor Of
Cuba Longley lost all his trunks and
money In the confusion. He carried Mrs.
Turner from the Hotel Royal thereby
saving her life. It was through Mrs.
Turner's gratitude that Longley was able
10 leave the country, as he was without
resources and friends.
Lnngley tells a vivid story Of the earth
quake. He declares that before he left
he counted more than 800 bodies, and that
the city was still burning. He says that
the earthquake came without warming
Has Miraculous Escape.
Il had only day or two more to spend in
Kingston. and as I was planning to leave
for a business trip 10 Panama" said
Longley. my own escape seems miracu-
I Ions R-E 4 f..Ft
street, about mile from the center OF
the city, and was Jogging down town in a
coach when l happened to remember
leaving something I wanted at the hotel
] ordered the cOachman to return and
wait outside for me. This was a little
after o'clock
Il was in my room rummaging through
my things when I was startled by what
sounded like a gigantic clash Of thunder
The room seemed 10 be pitching and
rolling, and the plaster began falling
down on my head 7 dived for the door.
and fortunately it did not jamb. Then I
saw the whole house was tossing Ike
cork I'm a gale. I made my way 20 the
front somehow. Bricks. mortar. and dec
oratious were shoWering an around me
but 1 got only a few scratches on my
wrist and ankle.
shock Seems Hours Long
while I have since learned that the
great shock lasted just sixty-one sec
onds, / remembered that at the time il
seemed hours I know I was repeating 60
myself: VIII 1t never stop? Is there
nothing that will stop it,
The picture l SAW when I reached the
street was terrible. The thorCughfare
was jammed with men, women. and chill
drcn, white and black. in all shades Of
dress and undress, who seemed as though
they had been pitched from all sides into
a great common heap. Hundreds were on
their knees praying feryeutly. Others
were crying or cursing. The cries and
curses mingled, and over IL all rose the
shrieks Cf terrified women
1T was not until then that / fully real
ized what had happened. The great pitch
ing and belching ceased and / began %
regatheT my wits. ! saw that the walls
Of the hotel. though twisted and bent.
We're still standing.
Rescues Miss Turner.
4 went inside and upstairs. As
passed "a room ! found Miss Grace Bar
ton Turner wedged in the jamb Of her
room door. She had had the presence
of mind to stand under the door frame
while the shock was on. 1t was lucky
for her she did so, for the frame of the
door was the only thing that saved her
life. The room itself was filed with
bricks and mortar, while the floor on
the other side had given way. There
sl u r,rEe hFrf
not daring TO leave the shelter Of the
door jamb.
Il got her out. and also found her
mother. Mrs. Turner. The latter had had
a narrow escape from being crushed by a
falling beam. The timber had torn her
skirt and bruised her about the body.
We got out in the street. where we gath
cred in a group with the other people
from the hotel We all expected another
shock. and we waited there for it to
come.
Wait for Second shock.
"In about half. an hour It came. 1t
was much lighter than the first shock.
But it was enough 10 bring Gathering
down on all sides already Ioosened walls.
Again the air was rent with the most
awful cries of anguish have ever heard.
It seemed as though the wall was rising
from all over the city
Il may say here that when l came out
of the hotel the first time 1 found the
coach that was waiting for me a ruin.
The horse and driver had been buried
under debris where they stood
Right after the second shock tongues
Of flame began to leap up from all sec
i0ns of the city. / saw that flames were
about 10 sweep the city. We hastily gath
cred what things we had saved and our
little party Joined the march of the refu-
gees toward the race course.
Leaving the women there, I returned
to the hotel and gathered together all
the food / could find and took it back To
the race track. I had in mind what 1 had
read Of the food shortage after the San
Francisco earthquake.
Goes Into Ruined City.
Then I went back to the city, and for
the first time saw the full extent of the
horror. The street from the race track
to the city was lined on either side with
ruins. Not a building was left intact
The street was piled with debris. over
which | had to pick my way Only an
hour before this had been one Of the
most beautiful thOToughfares in a beau
tiful and thriving city.
When l reached the pOst-office 1 found
a band Of rescuers at work on the ruins
OF Machodo's cigar factory. More than
80 are supposed to have perished there
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