I am still working on this site and I will
probably add material to most pages as I
find more information. The brackets indicate
pages on which I have not yet done any work.
'The town of Kingston beyond lay flat, and from the sea gave the appearance of a large tract of waste land on which heaps
of rubbish were burning. The smouldering mounds and the dense clouds of smoke which lay all over the ruined town made a gloomy
contrast to the bright sunshine and delightful colouring so common to these islands.'
Member of the crew of the first British Navy ship to reach Kingston, seeing the city on the morning of January 18, 1907.
On February 16 1907, after restoring
its stereotyping plant, the Gleaner was then able to publish the first photographs taken of Kingston immediately after
the earthquake.
After the earthquake had come the fire, almost certainly
a result of the shock and the falling buildings. In claims for insurance money afterwards, attempts were made to use
witnesses to show that the fire had started before the earthquake shock; but there were those like the watchmaker, John Soulette,
who resolutely stuck to what they knew to be true - the earthquake caused the fires in Kingston.
The rising column of smoke showed from a distance where Kingston was burning.
Kingston shrouded in smoke and dust, seen from across the harbour.
Firemen struggled to control the fires, but it was a task beyond their resources. Many who were trapped in fallen buildings
were burned to death.
U.S. Marines were sent ashore from an American ship which arrived to offer assistance. Governor Swettenham caused an international
incident when he insisted that the Marines be withdrawn, since the Americans had not asked for permission to put their troops
into Kingston
Night January 14, 1907:
"The warm and beautiful night closed in early, the cruel red glow of the burning city, with its storehouses of sugar
and rum exploding and bursting into flames, shone out in intense brilliance on the black cloud of smoke that arose into the
gorgeous starlit heavens."
In its first return to print in a small sheet on January 18th the Gleaner
gave the first reports on the earthquake's impact on the rest of the island.
IN THE COUNTRY
Telegrams to the
GLEANER from all parts of the island show that the severe shock was general.
At Black River, the Parish Church
was damaged.
At Sav-la-mar everybody rushed to the streets - no damage reported.
Lucea - no damage
Church
bell at Hector's River pealed of its own accord.
People of Santa Cruz fled in consternation. Court House wall cracked.
Montego Bay - considerable excitement; no damage.
Morant Bay - Court House and Episcopalian Church damaged.
Three shocks felt.
At Spanish Town there was some minor damage in commercial centre.
No damage at Manchioneal
or Bath.
From Alley it is reported that Moneymusk chimney is damaged. Buildings are also damaged. Chimneys and buildings
at Bog Estate also damaged.
At Port Antonio the shock was slight. Town Hall wall damaged. Titchfield Hotel undamaged.
Much damage in stores of Port Maria. Suspension bridge over Ontram River twisted and approaches damaged. Business
had to be suspended.
Cedar Valley Presbyterian Church destroyed. No deaths.
Richmond district has been severely
damaged. The earthquake threw down most of the buildings and, as in Kingston, fire completed the ruins.
Troja is reported
to be uninjured and no damage is reported from Albany. Between Annotto Bay and Bog Walk the tidal wave was very large, going
in about 10 chains and receding far from the shore. Pringle's pier at Annotto Bay is down and Buff Bay suffered considerably
from a tidal wave. The Episcopal Church and all the buildings on the Kildare estate also the Market is down.
The Constabulary
Station at Annotto Bay was shaken down and all the houses on the Leyton estate destroyed. The shock on Wednesday morning finished
many of the tottering buildings and started many fresh fires, but by one o'clock the fires seemed to be under control.
