The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-04-15
The Great Fire In Japan.

The Japan Gazette gives the following
account of the destructive fire at Toxic
by which over $50 persons lost their
lives: The fire broke out at twelve
O'Clock in the central part Of the city,
close TO Nihonbashi. 1t was blowing q
gale at the time, and within thirty min
utes of the.outbreak the city was on fire
in seven different places; burning shin.
giles were flying about as thick as hail,
and were carried long distances by the
wind, settling on other houses and set
ting fire to them. The scene is said to
have been terrible. Strong men were
running. about in state Of bewilderment
with old men. old women and children
on their backs; mothers dragging along
their little ones, bent only on saving
their lives. All day the fire ragged with
the utmost fury. The whole Of the build
ings on the island Of INhikawa, at the
mouth of the Sumids river, including
the dockyard and prison, were burned.
So rapidly did the flames travel that it
was with difficulty streets were cleared
ofpeople before the houses ignited; and
in so many places was the fire raging
that they knew not which way to run.
Anxious to save tutoss and wearing ap-
parel the poor creatures sailed forth
from suei1 homes with bundles on their
shoulders to fly they knew not whittier.
The streets became. blocked with the
sarging masses; women and children
were trampled under foot, and many
who; fell in the crowd never rose again ;y
little children were seen looking for
their parents, parents looking for their
children, while the air was rent with
cries of rage, anguish and despair. Still
they clnng tenaciously to the few worldly
possessions they had succeeded in bring
ing from their burning homes, thereby
almost completely blocking up the mar.
row streets through which the masses
were slowly treading their way. At
length the police interfered and caused
numbers to throw their bundles into
the river, OF. anywhere else out of the
way, so as to facilitate the escape of the
people from the frightfu] death which
threatened them and which was gaining
on them fast. The native papers say
that sixty-eight streets, containing H.
,4s4 houses, were burned, rendering over
40, 900 persons homeless. A relief fund
was started, toward which their males.
ties the emperor and empress subscribed
1900 yen EACH. Long before the fire
reached the foreign settlement of Tsu-
xiii, the residents feltanxious and began
to pack up. But this appears to have
been almost q needless task !; for when
the fire did reach them there was no one
to be found to convey their goods and
chattles away. Everything had been
got ready for fight, but had to be Left
in the house, as no coolies were to be
found willing to undertake the task Of
removing even the boxes Of. clothing.
The American legation was in imminent
danger for some time, and Mr.. Clataud"
hotel ignited seven different times, but
each time the flames were successfully
suppressed. The residence of Bishop
Williams, of the American Episcopal
mission, was burned. It was the prop
erty of the bishop, and was uninsured;
personal effects saved. The Methodist
Episcopal church, partially insured, was
consumed.