The Penn's Grove record., 1907-01-18
KINGSTON, JAMAICA, DEVASTATED
BY EARTHQUAKE and FLAMES
Whole Island Riven by Tremor Which
Causes Heavy Loss Of Life
and Property.
SURVIVORS CAMP OUT AND SUFFER SEVERELY

improvised affairs were soon crowded
with victims, while many of the in
jured were cared for in the camps of
refuge that were established.
1t is stated with authority that only
one Englishman among the visitors
in the city was killed, Sir James Fer
guson, who was crushed to death I'M
der a falling wall, and it Is stated
with equal authority that no Ameri-
can Or Canadian tourist was killed.
One disheartening drawback to the
work of succor was the fact that one
of the first buildings to collapse vas
the big military hospital. In the
main ward were thirty invaded Brit
ish soldiers, and not one of these es-
capped. They were burned to death
in their beds.
A heroic but unavailing effort was
made to save the imprisoned soldiers,
numbers of the comrades of the
doomed men being seriously burned
in the attempt at rescue.
The first buildings to go up in fire
were the wrecked warehouses on the
harbor front. Here are the offices of
the United Fruit Company, and these
speedily went. Near the Fruit Com
pany's offices were two hotels, and
these followed in a rush of flames.
The Episcopal Cathedral and the big
Catholic Church are also destroyed.
In the streets were tangles of cleo
trio wires, and in these many persons
were shocked to death, the blue cleo
trio flames burning their bodies in a
terrible ann
The Government Stores are also
gone, SO that a crying need in the
desolated city is that of food supplies
and medical stores.
Most of the Inhabitants fled to the
hills surrounding the city, and are
there being sheltered under military
tents set by the direction of the Gov
ernor. There the suffering from hun
ger has begun already, the supply of
provisions being totally insuf cient.
The explanation of the security of
the foreign visitors lies in the fact
that they were staying in the hotels
that are situated at the Springs out
side the city limits. These hotels
are reported to be unchanged.
A late dispatch says that the prin-
eipal hotel of Kingston City and prob
ably the Myrtle Bank have been de-
stroyed. .
There is a great demand for work
ingmen to aid in restoring the city
and clearing away the debris IS soon
as all the fires are out. Food, med
icine supplies, doctors and nurses are
also needed.
Hamar Greenwood, M. P, one of
Sir Alfred Jones party, sen the fol-
lowing dispatch from Holland Bay to
the Colonial Office, London:
Kingston has been ruined by an
earthquake which occurred without
warning Monday afternoon at $50.
A very great number of buildings and
dwellings were destroyed either by
the earthquake or by the consequent
fire.
Several prominent citizens and
many other of the inhabitants of the
city were killed. Sir James Fergus
son is reported to have been instantly
killed, but no other Englishmen, Ca
nadians OF Americans are missing.
THE Governor of the colony, Sir
Alexander S~Wettenham, assisted by
Sir Alfred Jones, is directing affairs"
Kingston, Jamaica, is a city of
ioW-lyluS DuilulHSS, CiuSI0feu along
the shores Of one of the finest and
most securely land-locked harbors in
the West Indies. The population,
which numbers $4,000, is largely
made up of native blacks. Many
steamers carrying tourists to Jamaica
were en- route to the island when the
earthquake occurred, but it SO hap
pened that, according to schedules,
none of the ships from New York or
Boston were in Kingston harbor at
the time of the catastrophe.