Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1882 — A TERRIFIC BLAZE. [ARTICLE]

A TERRIFIC BLAZE.

Destruction of the Greater Part of the City of Kingston, Jamaica. The Loss of Property Estimated at $30,000,000 —Hundreds of Families Rendered Homeless. [London Telegram to Chicago Daily News.] Advices were received from Kingston, Jamaica, announcing that a terrible fire destroyed the entire business portion of the city. The aggregate loss is estimated at not less than $30,000,000. The origin of the fire is not known, but the flames gained such headway that the efforts of the firemen to subdue them were without avail, and the fire only stopped when there was nothing more to burn. Beside business houses many dwellings were destroyed, and hundreds are homeless. All the wharves, warehouses, stores and banks burned, and all the provisions in the city have been destroyed. In consequence, food and supplies are sadly needed bv the people, who will soon be in most destitute circumstances unless relief is sent to them speedily. Immediately after the fire a local Relief Association was organized, with W. K. Azbill as Secretary. He has sent out telegrams to this country and America appealing for aid. Among the buildings swept away by the flames are the large victoria market and the public landing place at the foot of King street; the Court House in Harbor street, which was a handsome building; the public hospital; the law library; the Chancery Register’s office; the court of the Vice Admiralty, and the public library and museum, all in East street There were but two banks in the city, and both are destroyed—the Colonial Bank and the Government Savings Bank. The city was built on a plan which rises with a gradual ascent to the foot of the Liguanea mountains, and the business portion was packed closely together along the shore. The wholesale houses were close together on Port Roval street and the retail establishments on Harbor street The buildings ]yere without any means of protection against fire, and burned like tinder. THE CITY. Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, is built in the form of an amphitheater, "with rude and irregular streets; the houses mostly of two stories, are solidly constructed of. brick or wood and painted green and white. The houses in the center of the city formed blocks or squares and in the principal streets were furnished with verandas below and covered galleries above. Among the notable buildings are the English church, a Scottish, several Methodist, and a few Roman churches, a penitentiary, theater, barracks arid jail, but none of them possess much architectural beauty. The town was founded in 1693, after the destruction by earthquake of Port Royal. It has before suffered from conflagrations. It was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1752, and was visited again bv another disastrous fire in 1562. The population of the place is about 50,000. It is an important commercial point, and its exports and imports aie large.