Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-17
Reports from Kingston.


 New York, Jan 17.-Reports of the damage done ill Kingston, Jamaica, by earthquake and fire. and as to the loss of life and the number injured were still of conflicting character early to-day. This Is probably due to the confusion in the stricken city, such as always ensues after a great disaster. Newspapermen and others who have arrived at the telegraph station connecting with Holland Bay, all have different versions of the catastrophe and of the loss of life. Statements as to the latter must, of necessity, be largely conjectural until a search of the ruins has been made and this must take some days
 Estimates of the number of dead vary from 100 to 1000, while the number of injured may run into sey- eral thousand. The report from St rhoIN,s that 9O0OO were homeless is on it's face m exaggeration as the population of Kingston did not great ly exceed 80,0OO.
 According to the latest advices the city was not destroyed, but nearly every building in the place sustained some damage. Practically the entire business section, however, was ruin ed by the quakes or by fire. When the first great shock came Monday afternoon many buildings all over town collapsed, burying hun dreds of persons in the debris Of these some were killed, but the great- CT number were injured and these later were rescued. The first shock was followed by lighter tremors and then fire started in the, ruins along the water front. The flames spread rapidly as the water pipes had been broken and there was nothing with which to fight the flames.
 A strong wind was blowing and this helped to spread the flames. The fire ragged until an early hour Tuesday morning when luckily the wind changed and the fire having nothing further to feed on, burned it. self out.
 The advices received here indi- cate that order was soon restored in the city so that the work of rescue could be begun. The two regiments of soldiers sntioned in the city were called on to do police duty. There have been some reports of footing, but, late advices say, this was con- fined chiefly to petty. thievery and even this was speedily suppressed. The rescue work was undertaken under the direction of the soldiery and municipal authorities. The gen. eral hospital. which was not serious ly damaged by the earthquake, was soon filled with hundreds of in- jured. as were several temporary hospitals. When these places were filled others of the injured were ta- ken out 10 boats in the harbor. E X camp for refugees was located on | the raeotrack and there several thou sand negroes are now sheltered. Thousands of others are homeless and are camping in the surrounding coun- try. Besides Sir James Ferguson. the most conspicuous white men killed were Captain Constantine and Young of the Royal Mail Steamship service. Other whites killed include Major Hardimap, Dr. Gibbs Varley, pr
 Nienier pr Robertson and wife, Miss | I.ockett, E. yarley. J. W. Bradley and four children of a family named | Livingstone. Several others are re- ported missing and are believed to be dead
 It is stated that there is no imme- diate dai,ger of a serious food fam | inc. Fruit is plentiful and surround | ing towns have already begun to send in food.
 A late despatch received here to- day stated that 31O bodies have al- ready been buried. It also reports the destruction of the insane asylum and says hundreds of lunatlcs escap- | ed ani are roaming at large.
 The damage outside of Kingston IS
 reported as not being great. Trains
 are running to Titchfield. Port An. tonic is reported little damage and
 Spanish town the same.