The Washington herald., 1908-07-29

Kingston Jamaica. July H--Out OF the
ruins and the ashes Of the terrible earth
quake and the devastating fire OF Janu-
ary u 1871. there Is arising new and
more beautiful Kingston than ever stood
at the southern side Of the fair island
Of Jamaica. but It rises slowly While
less extensive than our own great San
Francisco horror, the destruction Of the
business portion Of the city was, never
theless. such q blow that II has been q
hard task for the city to rally from IL
The people OF Kingston are not used TO
facing great problems: they are not ac-
customed TO handling serious situations
The tropical climate, the easy ways OF
getting a livelihood or a competence, the
comparative smallness OF the business the
average man handles. makes the white
J3maican a stranger 10 such strenuous
things as come TO thousands Of Americans
every day Add to this the fact that
practically all the real work OF rebuild
Ing must be done BY negroes who have
been used only 70 manual Iabor-the car
ryfng OF coal into G calling ship. the
handling Of bananas and other fruits 4
the United Fruit Company-and one viii
begin to understand why the process OF
rebuilding and rehabilitation is slow.
Then. TOO. the people are suffering the
disadvantage Of not realizing on their in
surance- Unlike the American Insurance
companies which paid the earthquake
losses at san Francisco without ques-
ton, waving the technical point as 10
whether the fire was preceded b. the
earthquake OF not the British companies
insUring Kingston property refused to
pay the losses They claimed that their
policies contained an earthquak ke exemp-
ton clause which applied in The Kings
ton case. They finally agreed that the
poIicy-holders should be allowed six
months IN which 10 bring actions at Law.
It was mutually agreed between insurers
and insured that there should be four
test cases. covering all the principles IL
volved IN all the pending claims Bar
risteTs from England were brought over
and merry legal war began
Two cases were heard The first was
a simple one and was promptly decided
in favor OF the porcy-holders. The sec
ond involved the question OF whether the
FIRE started in King street. and which de-
veIoped into the general conhagration.
was a pre-earthqua1e FIRE OF not After
hearing comprehensive testimony Or the
question the Jury decided that Il vas,
and that the poHcy-holders were entitled
% recover the ful amounts OF their sew
eraI policies. After these cases were
heard Il was agreed that the Others
should be postponed and that the ones
already heard should be expedited IN The
supreme court OF the island II this
court there was a divided opinion, bur
the decision was again in favor Of The
poIcy-hoIders. The matter was ther
taken 20 England and the decision OF the
jamaican courts reversed The whole
question IS now before the court Of last
resort Of the United Kingdom. and il IS
believed here that the Kingston policy
I holders stand a good show 20 lose al o..
their insurance, which wiu delay the fna
restoration OF the city for many years
The fire left the city In such a shap.
that the legislative council Of the island
| had 70 appeal 70 the mother country 70
aid In a resolution unanimously passes
| Il was set forth thst without imperial a5C
Il would be impossible 10 restore the citl
I ot Kingston and lower St Andrew AZ
/ earnest appeal was made 70 the Brit
I ish government and il resulted IN q fre,
grant Of S750000 and a loan OF aboU
I 81. ooo.0o0- This latter loan has been place.
I in the hands Of a loan board. and IS be
I Ing administered as literally as safe busi
ness principles vii admit
l There are evidences OF the calamity OF
every hand Hundreds OF homes stil
stand as the earthquake let them. som
OF them partially shaken down. and 9th
ers as fat on the ground as brick. NOR
/ ta-. and other debris can lie. In the bus!
! ness section the work IS proceeding slow
I y. attention being given first 20 the erec
ton OF business houses The churches
I the theater. and most Of the public build
I ings have not been repaired OF rebuii
yet. As they are getting the more Urgen
work out of the way these will be sivei
attention The parish church stands s.
about the same condition the earth
Z quake left Il. and the theater. original,
about the finest building on the island. :
still a pathetic ruin
As far as possible The buildings are be
inE made earthQvaze-proof. Some o
I them have thick walls OF brick and s-Cn
for the first storv. but the second stor,
I IS usually OF WeIl-5T1CCd. REINFORCED con
I crete or frame construction None Of tn
t houses in the heart Of the city IS besni
built ever two stories high There IS a.
Z occasional house using iron and stee
. framework in It's construction. but this !
I the exception rather than the rule Ever,
/ possible pre-sUtion is being taken 10 hav
the buildings as nearly freproof as IN
7 limited resources Of their owners WI
allow
/ Born Of an earthquake herself. the cit
OF Kingston has had many experience
with these mysterious earth t-emors
/ During the year intervening between n
big quake OF January Il 1907. and Janu
airy ,. 1905. there were no less than =
distinct shocks. the one of January .. thi
year. causing g few walls 10 fall Prio
to 1872 the great city Of Jamaica and o
the West Indies was Port Royal but II
earthquake Of that year caused the eft
10 sink 10 the bottom Of the sea Eve
to his day il IS said that on clear day
one sailing through the entrance o
Kingston Harbor. can see the houses De
low them as they so. Just as n Olde
days sailors passed over the fabied cit
Of Is But this story Is probabi
.apochrvphaI When Port Royal fell. IN
2 survivors Of that dreadful catastroph
settled on the LIsuanea pain. bUildin
Kingston They laid their little city ou
in he form Of 4 cross. and such IS tn
plan OF Kingston TO-DAY. the two mai
streets being King street and QUee
street Four big fires have visited
% r-.e