File No. 4001/29–31.
Vice-Consul Orrett to the Assistant Secretary of State.
Kingston, Jamaica, January 20, 1907.
Sir: I propose now to give the department a short account of what I have done and been trying my best to do under fearful conditions with one’s life in danger all the while.
After my life which by God’s grace was saved, and finding that the fire was confined to the western portion of the business part of the city, I ran home to see if my wife and children were saved; found they were, but my house was ruined; I then prepared a cable informing you of the great earthquake, found out that the manager of the district West India Cable Company was saved, and gave it to him to at once dispatch as soon as he could, as he feared the shore connection was broken. The cable ran as follows:
Fearful earthquake to-day. City ruined and in flames. Food wanted. Consulate destroyed; will try to save archives.
Immediately after I wrote a dispatch confirming the same.
On the 17th Admiral Davis arrived on the Missouri, accompanied by the Indiana, and I got him to send a wireless message to Guan-tanamo confirming same. I also wrote you a further dispatch on board the Missouri, which the torpedo destroyer Whipple took to Guantanamo the same night. I was outside the consulate building the morning after the earthquake protecting interests, and arranged a temporary office in a portion of a partially destroyed building near by.
Already advised you in my dispatch of the 17th instant that the archives were saved by a wrecking party from the Missouri, and also cabled you on the 19th:
Established temporary office next consulate. All archives saved. Interests fully protected. Admiral Davis rendering great services.
I have removed all the most important of the archives to my destroyed residence, 3 miles from Kingston, and placed them in my coach house, which is now my temporary home, where they are all quite safe, and I got a builder to prize up with lumber the portion of the consulate building standing (another severe shock occurred whilst writing this here, Sunday, 2.45 p.m.), so that the stationery, furniture, law books are safe. I have no place to remove them; I have cleaned up the wreckage in the yard. Shocks occur daily, some slight others severe enough to cause alarm; another just occurred. Only one paper, the Gleaner, has published a fly sheet, and I inclose their first issue giving inter alia: 1. Story of the destruction. 2. Death and injured list; the latter apparently, however, is very unreliable, as I heard from parties in a position to know that over 1,000 have been buried to date, many so charred as to be beyond recognition, and yesterday and to-day dead bodies are being dug up all in the vicinity of the consulate; several bodies have passed here to-day, Sunday, but I am determined to stick to my post all day, getting this ready for the mail to-morrow, Monday.
I have taken names of all Americans I could get hold of and send same inclosed; some 60 or more left by the Hamburg-American steamer for New York on the 17th instant, and I will endeavor to [Page 561] get their names and send you. Many of these, I understand, came from the country by the trains, which are running all night. The following is a short account of the services rendered by Admiral Davis, his officers and men:
I met Admiral Davis at headquarters house and after introducing him to Colonial Secretary Bourne, Admiral offered his services, aid, etc., with the Government. Whilst in the midst of the interview Deputy Inspector-General Wedderburn arrived hurriedly and reported serious mutiny at general penitentiary and asked Admiral for aid, which Bourne agreed to Wedderburn said only an armed force could put it down. Admiral at once dispatched flag lieutenant to his flagship with instructions generally. Landed an armed force at the request of the governor to quell the mutiny at the penitentiary, took complete charge of it, quelled the mutiny, delivered the ringleaders for punishment to the British authorities, forced the prisoners into their cells, and having established order returned at the request of the British authorities. Working on the light-house on Plumb Point; fed several hundreds of starving Americans and British passengers on the Hamburg-American pier; sent about 200 men from the ships to assist in clearing streets, tearing down dangerous walls and recovery of the dead; the work is still being continued.
information for hydrographic office.
Given by Commander J. K. Robinson, navigating officer of the Indiana. The east channel of Kingston Harbor is clear, and all vessels can come into port safely.
Many cases of wounded men were treated on board the ships, and medical supplies and attentions given to the army officers and all local hospitals that required aid. Established a hospital with some 60 cases treating Ships’ officers and men engaged effecting repairs to electric trolley cars. Officers and men going about city distributing food to the destitute, distributing medical supplies to all hospitals that need them, and many other services too numerous to mention, and last, though not least, their presence here aided very much in not only restoring public confidence, but in aiding the authorities in preserving and keeping order.
Whilst in this connection I think it my duty to state that Mr. Cockell, the superintendent of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, placed his wharf at the disposal of the admiral for landing, and in every way granted every facility possible.
Under the trying circumstances and the condition under which I have to dictate this, in a temporary, unsafe building, with offensive smells all around me, and great anxiety of mind, you must excuse all errors and imperfections and accept this more in the light of a rough memorandum. I have not yet had time to count the official stamps, and some may be missing, but I brought them up to my home, as in this temporary office there is no place to keep them, and they are safer in my trunk. I have had to issue documents without them.
It is difficult to get information, as more or less everything is demoralized, and whilst the authorities appear to be trying to do their best, the serious situation demands more, as there are some 10,000 people or more without homes camping out in the open air, [Page 562] a few in rough tents affording little if any protection. If rains should set in, the consequences may be serious.
The streets are, however, being cleaned up, but it will take some time before all this can be done.
The railway pier has been also saved, so that cargoes of foodstuffs can be landed and stored, and fruit and other produce can be brought in from the country by rail and shipped, and the business of the port thus resumed.
Whilst about closing this I received your cable message in re parties inquiring for their relatives, and I am now trying to get the information, and will add to this as soon as I get it.
As to myself, I may say that my personal loss, including total destruction by fire of my law office and valuable papers of clients, destruction of my house, partly owned by me, damage to my wife’s property, furniture, etc., can not be covered under $10,000, and at my age of 48 I have practically to commence life de novo, and I feel that I will claim your sympathy. The consular clerk, Mr. Buckley, who has rendered faithful service to the department as messenger and assistant clerk, is also a heavy loser.
I have just got the information relative to your cable, and replied as follows:
No loss of life at any of the hotels at Montego Bay, Port Antonio, interior towns Knutsford Park, Constant Spring, or any other hotels, except Myrtle Bank, which was completely wrecked. Many deaths occurred there, chiefly employees; none of the names mentioned in your cable appear in death list so far published. Many bodies found in the business portion of the city, which was devastated by fire, were burnt beyond recognition. Sperry Bourke Watson and wife, Mrs. Case Joseph, and Mary Eustace Edwards and daughter Taylor, all alive. Consulate open to-day, Sunday. Another shock this forenoon; no damage. Trains running. Two piers saved.
Orrett.
All of which I confirm.
I am, etc.,