Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-16
NEWS CONFIRMED.
London Hears Kingston Is Ruined
With Much Loss of Life.

London, Jan. 1.-the Colonial office
tonight received confirmation of the
terrible disaster which has overtaken
Kingston, Jamaica, in Il dispatch from
Hamar Greenwood, NJ. p, sent from
Holland Bay at the east end of the
island.
The telegram says that Kingston has
been ruined by an earthquake which
occurred without warning about $50
Monday afternoon. A very great num-
Der of buildings and dwellings, were
destroy either by the earthquake or
w tn cons qucnt fire.
III h military hospital was burned
..t % soldiers are reported to have
.r.I. killed. together with several
| ..rs.ni ut ,itiZens and many other Of
IN i habitants of the city. James
f. rGuson is reported to have been in
sta lily killed but no other Englishmen,
;,nadians. or Americans are missing
'Ehr city is quiet. but disciplined
ork RS are needed. The governor of
the colony Sir Alexander Swee tenham.
| assisted by Sir Alfred Jones. is direct
, ing affairs.
! the steamer Port Kingston Will leave
Z
/ the party who went out with Sir Al
! red Jones 20 attend the agricultural
coat r.rce.
/ j. n" ;it- ..,a', tn, for IL. il III
! .... ,.Ar't dispatch regarding til,
! XII t.tau It's STR that has been re-
! iV"i here. The absence Of details is
trccounted for BY the breakdown in
cable communications but the am
nouncem"nt that II" Englishmcn. Cana
dams or americans are missing will
greatly reassure the public concerning
/ the fate of the unusual number OF tour
! lists and others who are spending the
! winter in Jamaica. or who We're at
tractcd there by the agricultural an |
cotton conferences
! The party on board the Port King
! stem only arrived at Kingston on
! Friday last. The Port Kingston, in ad-
| "ltion to the members of Sir Alfred
; ones party. had other guests and pas
S"0G"rs III hoard which gave her 4
! t tai passenger list of more than 100
! &c, rsons.
Tho news of the disaster arrived N
! i-""don too late tonight to become gen.
orally known to the public, but it is
! certain to cause widespread constcrna-
ti"n and anxiety, and it will bring
| nome to the imagination of the British
! people the tcrrorS of an earthuuake in
ia way that even the San Francisco
I catastrophe fniind To do
! Owing to tn" active efforts in recent
years of Jcscch Chamberlain and Sir
Alfred Jones. the commercial deyclop-
! mcnt of jamaica has made the island
much better known. and it has been
greatly in favor as Il winter resort.
| The Right Hon. Sir James Ferguson
mentioned in the foregoing despatrh
! was Il man Of considerable prominence
! lie served in the trimean campaign
with the GTenadier Guards and was
| present at the battles Of Alma and In
| herman. where he was wounded. and
at the Seige Of Sebastopol. He was
several times member of the House
OF commons. He was under-Secretary of
| state of India and the Home depart-
! ments of Lord Derby's third. and in
Mr.. DiSracliS first administration. He
was male governor of South Australia
! in 1868. governor of New Zealand in
lS'3 and governor of Bombayin 1885. He
was under-Secretary Of state for foreign
AFFAIRS III 1S>6. and from 1S9lto 1892 he
served as postmaster general.
Sir James Ferguson left here for
Jamaica the middle of December. He
| was expected to return the end of jan
uary. 1t is not known definitely what
took him out to the West Indies.
| but he possibly was interested in one
! Of the conferences
| Inquiry was made at late hour to-
| night at the residence of Sir Alfred
Jones and Henniker Heaton but moth
/ ing had been heard from either.