The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-01-16
CITY DEVASTATED Violent Earthquake, Fol- lowed by Fire, Reduces to Ruins Picturesque
 City of Kingston,
 Jamaica.
MANY KILLED AND INJURED
FIRST GREAT SHOCK FELT ABOUT 3:3O MONDAY
 AFTERNOON.

As in the Sam Francisco and VaIparai-
 50 Disasters Flames Immediately
 Spring From the Wreckage to Carry
 on the Work of Destruction-Sir
 James Ferguson Instantly Killed but
 London Reports Say No Other Eng
 lishman, Canadian or American is
 Missing-Exact Extent of the Dis-
 aster Not Yet Known as Direct Conn
 municatiOn With Stricken City is Cut
 Off-NOrthern Part of Island Not
 AHected--Many Tourists There.
 Kingston, the picturesque capital of the Island of Jamaica, has been devas- tated by violent earthquake
 Details of the disaster are lacking, as direct communication with the stricken city has been cut off, The land lines had been reconstructed to within five miles of Kingston Tuesday evening, and from meagre reports received through such channels as were open it has been learned that many of the most important buildings have been destroy ed, and that there has been serious loss of life.
 So far as the reports indicate, the fatalities number less than one hun dred, though the hospitals are filled with injured and the list of victims may be materially increased. Reports say that the northern part of the island was not affected.
 Kingston and the other points of in- terest of the island are at this season of the year thronged with tourists from both America and England, and the greatest apprehension is felt for the safety of many persons who had re- gently arrived at the Jamaican resorts. The most distinguished of these were members of party of English states men, agricultural experts and men of affairs, who, under the leadership of Sir Alfred Jones, had arrived in King ston within the past few days to at tend an agricultural conference there. Among those in the company were Hall Caine, the novelist; Viscount Montmor- res, H. o. Arnold-Forster, M. P; Sir Thomas Hughes, Sir Thomas Sham, Lady Moore, James Parkinson, mem Der of the Liverpool Cotton Growing association; Mrs Oliver, Howell Davies and others of equal prominence. The Earl and Countess of Dudley were also passengers on the Port Kingston, which carried out the Jones party.
 The first great shock was felt about 3:30 o'clock Monday afternoon, and, as in the San Francisco and Valparaiso disasters, flames immediately sprung from the wreekage to carry on the work of destruction. Tuesday afternoon the fire was still burning, although 1t 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 island, is reported destroyed, The great military hospital was burned and fort ysoldiers are reported dead.
 Sir James Ferguson is said to have been instantly killed, but, according to-. London reports, no other Englishman, Canadian or American is believed to be missing.
 The extent of the destruction which has been wrought in Kingston, a city which already bears the scars of number of disastrous visitations of fire, earthquake and cyclone in years gone by, is still left largely to the magma tion The city is one of low-lying build ings, clustered along the shores of one of the finest and most securely land- locked harbors in the West Indies. The population, which numbers 5OOO0, 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 happens that, according to sched- ules. none of the ships from New York or Boston was in Kingston harbor Mon- day afternoon