Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-01-12
THE FIRE AT KINGSTON, JAMAICA
a Graphic Description BY . Lady Ego
MISUNDERSTANDING Incfdents

me wife or an Ofhcer on the steamer Alvo
gave the repor CT a sketch OF what had come
under her personal observation She was in
the city from the time the first alarm was
given until she found refuge on the ship at
ouidnigbt- She said:
II was out with some friends when cries
-of IRE were heard and echoed along the street.
We at once learned how the fire was supposed
20 have oceurfed boy was i'm a lumber.
yard smoking. His father had repeatedly
threatened him Tor being there, and only sday
or two bcfor he had been logged for the of.
fenso. Bat tho punishment did Mt seem to af.'
feet him much, and on this day he was smok-
ing as usual on pile OF shavings'with some
companions at ths gate watching for his
father In n spirit of fun they suddenly
yelled Wolff Wolff your father Is coming
The boy hastily scrambled TO his feet and
flung the lighted pipe on the shavings. A
good breeze was blowing, the finder kindled,
aud n moment later the yard was on fire, with
boys running away as fast as their legs could
carry them
But there Is smother thing about this nat.
ter that has not been noticed. and it may ac-
count for the sudden springing up OF fires
during the night far away from the general
blaze. The negroes have long been I'm a state
OF discomfort at the policy OF the Government
I'm fact they have chafei under its inoreas-
Ing exactlons. Now, Il Il we'll known in
jamaica hat anonymous letters were cirou-
latel saying that the town would be de
stroyed Tho threats were thrown I'm certain
circles, extensively discussed, and In many
instances thought % serious moment How.
ever true these rumOrs may be, the conduct of
the natives during the fire showed markable
Indifference. In an exceed ngly short space
of time after the first alarm was given smoke
issued from houses far away, and the streets
were soon pack with a miscellaneous mob
of humanity. fh smoke was so thick that
there seemed no safety I'm any quaIter.
grew alarmed and tried to force my way
60 theship. The NIT ,mpt WIS failure for the
crowd bore me along toward that part OF the
city where Understandable scenes were being
enacted. Civilians. soldiers, half-breeds, ne
Rroes. We Ren, Children and officials formed a
closely packed multitude that surged against
tho limo of houses on either side of the streets
No one made any effort 10 save the buildings
except n few 81 the hand capped Are brigade
that vainly tried To get hydrant-water into the
hamcs with Cld-fashio ncd pumps. finally git
out or the thiCkest of the crowd and into the
park. VIII re- other seems were taking place.
Girls rushed into this open square with bundles
on their n d. but the bundles were on fire,
and many or tho poor creatures lost their
BEAUTIFUL long hair I'm the showers OF
blazing shingles that were carried through
tho city by tho wind. Troops OF swear
ing mon and bowling boys tramped
the streets. Then there wore women who
gave way to cr,o' for water and mercy. %
lord God, send rain on those poor sinners?
cried one won n. Insked her why she did not
go for water. DO you 'spose I'D pitch water
with these hinds1 I'd die first. I'd sec Kings
ton sunk fore I'd tote water Another
Womnn BOWED paintlvely: % blessed Lord,
have mercy know'd all de time dat de sim
nor would burn IL do day Of 'psntance was put
\ OF too long Dress dc Lord de day OF wrath
am h 'nh.' mnn want his piano moved
ana went from house to house i'm search of
help. The reply was: 'Fso n { movin' furni.
ture to-day. No. snh, not me! Me no do
dat work" Tho piano wns finally carried by
the fnmlly into he street with other effects.
where all were burned an hour later. IL was
sud that the negroes were ordered not to- in
terfere with the fire brig~je. but as a rule they
would do nothing to save tho city,
"As the pco 10 carried their things through
tho streets plckags q and bundles caught fire
and were thrown To the pavement and con
Sumcd. One ma on fire fed to his bathroom
filled tho tub w tn W tor AMI got in It. He
was afterward found dead and roasted to \
crisp. mother was bur cd with n child IL
ner arms When warehouse went down
gang of negroes rushed into the smolderina
ruins, and dug out alf-baked fish, which they
ate like caIinibals as they marched yelling
q uOWh IN bIroGtS. "A lady was shopping i'm 3
store She heart the alarm, and ran to see il
her house WIS safe. The fire was half mile
away; before she got there II was I'm flames
Near one of tho Government buildings
negro woman fell upon her knees shouting
u mass God, save tho poor women! Kings
ton 10 such wicket place. l had friend
sne sad she would repent. She put IL of one
day too long, and now the fire takes the rich
ana POOR. I WIS said on good authority that
his Bxcellency the Governor IF Jamaica f. so
much dislikcd 10y tho negroes that when he
Appeared on horseback with his private
secretary to look after the fire he was
greeted W tn sticks and stones, and retreated
toapace Of safety"
At last after n long struggle OF four or nve
hours, the lady reached the wharf and got n
BOAT to take her tO he steamer Alvo. She
gave graphic account Of the incidents OF the
n ght. icOpl were bcOught on board with
mOnkeys and pirrots, but without money or
food. Quo IN 80 h d n turnp I'm his clutches
thnt ne ld sivod from his store. Refugees
rel lte W e. ey had 'on citizens lenye their
Nnllahles aud run tearing through tn, street4
after their chickens One man who had lost
ms w w. , sci TINT when he left the burn
lug on llints Eroes were taking away large
quantities Z 'asted coffee still smoking and
trying to- exchange u for bread. Near the
wharf wealthy woman SIT Pmohg n pile of
pots and KEITH = I, mt she hid snved from ths
IRE. Jews who olrricd their valuabies to the
synaeogu Ct ~ whom that edihce burned
most eAtr or mary. Mothers came without
their ba e.; IN had lost them I'm the crowd
Ono W man reached the steamer with three
chlldren. WIen she came to herself she
prok' DOWN. They were not her chi dren. In
her ir ght she hld taken neia hbor's children
and lett her own boh nd I'm the house. and Il
was consumed. Another mother was taken on
Hoard with n little wee thing at her brenst
She hnd not crust OF bread to- cat Alter
the hre Ind somewhat aha o I the refugees
were taken ashore. The lower nort ~ tho
city WIS Isolate. Bands of nan searched
the ruins for food. Gardens were in n sad
cOnditon COcoanut tires wern mere chnrred
poles Bananas half roasted hung from
Ola kcncd stems. and high above the q nv
eOar,d the black-wnged vult ire. impatient
Tor his Fest accord ny to aw md custom
its said that tho Inhabitants OF Jamaica do
not XII TINT other b ri OF carrion-fhn bnz-
yard Conscq ucntly they are very tame
when tho tr' was mt it, height these silent
'scuvenVcrs OF the skies became so terrthed
that they sought refuge on the shipS i'm IN
narbor. ani the superstitious sailors won a
not drtVe them away even when the rigging
was black with their mournful plumes-S "
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