The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-01-18
TERRIBLE DEVASTATION WRUUGH1 by
EARTHQUAKE AND CONFEDERATION

shock which was the heaviset experi-
enced in Jamaica in many years. In
1892 a great earthquake destroyed Fort
Royal of whose 1000 houses only 200
were left standing This catastrophe
which led to the founding of Kingston,
many of the survivors removing to the
plain of Liguanea and settling on land
belonging to Colonel Breeston, where
T Kingston now stands.
In 1882 severe cOnfagratiOn visited
Kingston destroying property to the
value of 81, 100000. and in 1843 another
fire caused damage to the amount OF
about $150,000.
In August, 1880, a cyclone passed
over the eastern half of Jamaica, de-
stroyed nearly all the wharves in the
harbOr of Kingston and also caused
much damage to the shipping in the
harbor. The storm lasted about i've
hours but little rain fell in Kingston
and there was moonlight throughout.
There was a double shock of earth
quake at Kingston, each consisting Of
a large number Of tremOrS lasting
seven Or eight seconds, on December
7, 1880 The shocks were felt through
out the island.
A tremendous hurricane visited ia
! maica in 1916. The whole island was
| deluged, hundreds of houses were
! washed away, vessels were wrecked
and about 1000 persons were drowned.
| The city Of Jamaica is laid out with
| regular and wide streets. and the bet
ter class of houses are neatly built
| with wide verandas and surrounded
| by handsome gardens. Street cars run
| to the suburbs and two lines of rail-
ways connect the city with the north
| ern and eastern parts of the island.
Kingston has a botanical garden, Ii
| brary, museum, hospital, and various
other public buildings and is the seat
of an Anglican bishOpric.
! The harbOr of Kingston is consider
! ed to be one of the finest in the world
and is protected by forts There is Il
naval arsenal at Port Royal.
Nearly all the trade of the colony of
| jamaica centers at Kingston. King
ston and the commercial houses Of that
city have extensive relations with
southern Cuba and Central America as
we'll as with the United States and
| Europe The exports are mainly rum,
| coffee, dye woods and fruits.
! The streets of Kingston run at right
/ angles to the sea.
London, January 15.-The only news
of the earthquake at Kingston, Jamai
ca, thus far received in London is con-
tanned in a brief despatch from New
York.
In addition to great number Of
Englishmen in business at Kingston,
there is at present party of distin-
guished persons, headed by Sir Alfred
y;cit %~ n%f
agricultural conference. There is much
uneasiness here en- their account
st. Thomas. D. w l., January 15.-
According to further, though still
meagre details of the Kingston earth
quake received here, it would appear
that the first reports that the city had
been destroyed" were exaggerated
The fire which followed the shock was
still burning Tuesday morning, al
though it had been confined to GER
tain limits. The work of fighting the
flames was still being pushed with en-
ergy, and in this respect the situation
seemed to be improving. 1t was
seemed to be improving. 1t was
troll tonight.
The statement is made that the total
loss of life has not yet been ascertain
ed but a first count gives the number
Of dead at less than one hundred, and
the number of injured at several hum
dred. The hospitals are filled with
injured persons, and everything pos
sible is being done for their comfort.
The principal hotel of Kingston
(probably the Myrtle Bank HoteD
and other important buildings have
been destroyed Other houses in
Kingston sustained considerable dam
age. The flames are apparently con-
fined to the docks and the warehouses
in the city. If this is SO only a small
portion of the city has been burned
over
No mention is made of a continu-
ance of the earth shocks.
Boston, January 15.-The officials of
the United Fruit Company received a
cablegram from the cOmpany's repre-
sentative at Port Antonio tonight,
stating that an earthquake occurred
at Kingston on Monday and that part
of the city was on fire. No mention
! was made of any loss of life.
The cablegram was sent from the
cable station at Holland Bay, which
is located in the swampy section of the
island, some miles from Port Antonio.
From the tnOe of the cablegram. the
| officials of the company in this city
say they are of the opinion that the
| reports of the calamity have been eX-
aggerated
Allen A. Ainslee, of the firm of Aims
lee & Grabow, proprietors Of the Titch-
field hotel at Port Antonio, received
a cablegram tonight from his partner,
Edward S. Grabow, at Port Antonio,
stating that Kingston was shaken by
earthquake yesterday afternoon and
that fire was raging there.