Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-01-16
Earthquake in Jamaica.

Jamaica, has been devastated By vio-
lent earthquake.
Details Of the disaster are lacking, as
direct communication with the stricken
city has been cut off. The land Ii nes
had been reconstructed to within FIVE
miles Of Kingston Tuesday evening, and
from meager reports received tLr Ugh
such channels as we're open it has teen
learned that many of the most impor.
tent buildings haze been destroyed and
that there has been serious loss of life.
So Tar as the reports indicate, the
fatalities number less than 100, though
the hospitals are filed with injured, and
the list Of victims may be materially In-
creased
Kingston and the other points OF in
terest Of the island are at this season Of
tho year generally thronged With tour
lists from both America and England,
aud the greatest apprehension IS felt for
the safety of many persons who had re
Gently arrived at the Jamaica resorts.
The first great shock was felt about
| 3 30 o'clock Monday afternoon, and, as
in the San Francisco and Valparaiso
disssters. flames Immediately sprang
from the wreckage 10 carry on the work
of destruction. The FIRE Was still burn
ing yesterday afternoon, although II was
believed to be under control.
The Myrtle Bank Hotel, the principal
hotel at Kingston, which probably
sheltered the great bulk Of visitors on
the leland, is reported destroyed. The
great military hospital was burned and
10 soldiers are reported dead.
Sir James Ferguson is said to have
been instantly killed, but, according to
London reports, no other Englishman,
Canadian or American Ia believed to be
missing.
The extent OF the destruction which
has been wrough: in Kingston, city
which already bears the scars of num-
Der Of disastrous visitations Of fire, earth
quake and cyclone in years gone by, is
still lief; largely to the imagination The
city is one Of low-lying buildings. clus
tered along the shores OF one of the fine
est and most securely landlocked harbors
10 the West Indies. The population,
which numbers 90, 900, il largely made
up of native blacks.
Many steamers carrying tourists to
Jamaica were en- route TO the island
when tho earthquake occurred, but it 30
hampers that, according to schedules,
none of the ships from New York or
Boston was in Kingston harbor Monday
afternoon.
Latest estimate of dead as made from
dispatches received today says 1t will ex-
coed 800. 1t is feared search of ruins
will greatly increase this.
| Thirty negro soldiers we're roasted 10
death in the military hospital. Three
hundred wounded, mostly colOred, have
been collected in the city hospital, which
| is intact.
Sir James Ferguson wac killed By fall.
ing wall. Looting has been attempted
by thieves and several arrests have been
made
The fire is sill burning among the
warehouses and wharves, but it is ex-
pec:ed to die out soon.
The shipping in the harbor it is re-
ported escaped practically unchanged.
The shock came at S: 80 Monday after
noon without warning while the weather
was pleasant and the sky cloudless
Minor shocks continue at intervals.
Order las been restored, but panic
stricken negroes are afraid to return to
their home and are living outside King
ston.
Captains Constantine and Young, Of
Royal Steam Packet Company, are re-
ported killed
The Colonisl Bank vas burned, but
the vault containing books and cash
are safe.
The Britt d Colonial Office ia prepar-
ing to send relief from Trinidad and
other British West Indian colonies.
The principal burned district Is a
triangle formed by the water front, and
King and Queen streets which is the
most congested section 10 other quar-
tiers the houses are more detached. This
prevented greater destruction by fire.
There was only a slight breeze.
London, Jau. l6.-It is announced
officially that Sir James Ferguson, dep
uty chairman of the Royal Mail Steam.
ship Company, was killed in the Kings
ton earthquake.
Boston, Jan. lG.-Advices received
by the United Fruit Company from its
representative at Port Antonio, Jamai-
ca, cause the officers of the company to
oeliege that reports Of the earthquake
calamity have been exaggerated. The
csblegarm sent from Holland Bay, says
the compsnys steamer. Admiral Samp-
son, which sailed from here last Wed
nesday, with large number Of passen.
gers, arrived safely at Port Antonio on
Monday, The big Hotel Ltch6sld at
Port Antonio is safe and no mention was
made OF any damage in that part of the
island. The Sampson, in command of
Captain Henshaw, sailed from Boston
las, Wednesday.
London, Jao. &c The Royal Steam
Packet Company has received cable
from Kingston sts,ing that Captain
Young and Captain Constantine, of that
company, we're both killed 10 the earth.
quake.
London, Jan lG.-Tbe streets of
Kingstoa are today wholly unsafe owing
to the lettering condition of the build
Jugs, according to a csblegram received
today by the manager Of the West To-
dian and Panama Telegraph Company.
The message was sent from Bull Bay