The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1907-01-18
A CITY IN RUINS
EARTHQUAKE DESTROYS
KINGSTON AND FIRE
SOON FOLLOWS.

Four Hundred Dead and Thous-
ands Injured-Sir James Fer.
guson Killed-Americans
l. Escape-Other News. 4
Portland, o., Jan. 16.-The Or.
iegonian: Kingston, the picturesque
capital OF the island Of Jamaica,
fhas baen devastated by violent
earthquake.
+ Details Of the disaster are lack
ing, as direct communication with
1.-THE stricken city has been cut off.
The land lines had been reconstruct.
ed to within five miles of Kingston
Tuesday evening, and from meager
reports received through such chan
nels as were opened it has been
learned that many of the most inn
portant buildings have been de-.
stroyed and that there have been
lserious losses of life. ~ s
1 4 So far as the reports indicate the
facilities number less than one hun
dred, though the hospitals are filled
with injured and the list of the vic
ltims may be largely increased.
/ Kingston and the other points of
Interest on the island are at this
season of the year thronged with
1 tourists from both America and
England, and the greatest appre-
lhension is felt for the safety of ma
4 ny person who had recently arrived
at the Jamaican resort. The most
distinguished Of these were mem.
Il bers Of a party of English states
man, agricultural experts and
| men Of affairs, who under the lead
ership of Sir Alfred Jones had ar
rived in Kingston within the past
few days to attend an agricultural
confsrence there.
| The first great shoce was felt about
1850 o'clock Monday afternoon,
and flames sprang Immediately
Jrom the wrckage to carry on, the
| work of destruction. Tuesday af-
ternoon the fire was still burning,
although it wac believed to be un-
der control. ~ f1sls. g ~
The Myrtle Bank Hotel. the prin-
principal hotel at Kingston, which
probably sheltered the great bulk
Of visiters on the island, is destroy
ed. The great military hospital
was burned and 40 soldiers report
ed dead. -.
Sir James Ferguson is said to
have been instantly killed, but &C.
cordipg to London reports no 9th.
er Englishmen, Canadians or Amer.
leans are believed to be missing,
| The extent of the destruction
which has been wrought in Kings.
ton, city which already bears the
scars of a number Of serious vista.
tions of FIRE, earthquakes and cy'
lones in years gone bp, is still left
largely to the imagination.
The city is one of low-lyine
buildings, clustered along tht
shores of one Of the finest and mos
securely land-locked harbors in the
West Indies. The population
which numbers $4,000, Is largely
made up of native blacks.
Il Many steamers, carrying tourists
to Jamaica were on the way to tht
island when the earthquake oc
Cured, but 1t SO happened that, &C
cording to schedules, none of th'
ships from New York or Boetor
was in Kingston Harbor Monday
afternoon.
London, Jan. 15.-The colonia
Office tonight received confirmation
of the terrible disaster which ha
overtaken Kingston, Jamaica, in
dispatch from Hamar Greenwood
M. P, sent from Holland, at th
east end of the leland.
The telegram says Kingston ha
been ruined by an earthquake
(which occurred without warnin
Monday afternoon at $50 O'Clock
: A very great number of building
I and dwellings, were destroyed eth
] er by the earthquake or by the con
+ eequent frel
| The military hospital was burn
/ ed and 40 soldiers wers reported t
1 have been killed, together with sev
] eral prominent citizens and man
/ Icther inhabitants ofthe city,. 81
! flames Ferguson is reported to hav
/ been killed instantly.
! The city is quiet but discipline
I workers are needed. Up to thi
] hour the foregoing is the most co
7 rect dispatch regarding the King
| ston disaster that has been receive
8 here. The absence of details is ae
| counted for by the breakdown i
i cable communication, but the an