The Osceola times., 1881-10-01
EARTHQUAKE RECORD.
A Japanese Chronology Purporting to Go
Rack Two Thousand Years.


complete record of earthquakes ever
published. We have accounts of some
of the great earthquakes which have de-
vastated cities in Europe, but there is no
record going back two thousand years.
If European record could be produced
as perfect as that which the japanese
have kept it would have special interest.
Probably we should find that these agi-
tations Of the surface Of the globe were a
normal condition, and that perfect rest
was an abnormal one. II may be noted
that during the last two years earth
quakes have been frequent in parts OF
the country where they were hardly
known in previous years. Thus, in the
New England States there have been
frequent shocks, and the first which old
citizens have ever known. There is no
part OF the globe now exempt from
earthquakes unless it may be the coun-
try about the poles and as to that we
have no knowledge.
The first entry in the japanese chron-
ology is POS years Il. c. In the fifth
year of the reign of Korel-tel, the seventh
emperor, the earth in the province OF
O-nai sank down, and in one night was
changed into lake During the same
night Fuiiyami was upheaved. This was
the first earthquake" The presumption
is that this was the first of which there
is any authentic record in Japan. We
here have the origin of the famous and
sacred mountain of Japan, provided the
account is correct. An earthquake which
made part of one province into lake,
and raised a mountain 1900 feet high,
certainly ought to have an authentic
record 1t is known that mountain was
lifted out of the plains in one. of the
states of Mexico in comparatively mod
ern times. The next notation is about
the year 4l2 A. d., when there was
"strong earthquake" Here is an inter
val of about seven hundred years in
which no convulsion was severe enough
to make a part of the ancient record, or
if so the record as now read Is silent.
From the year 600 a. ID. earthquakes
were frequent. Coming down to the year
976, the record says there was "the
greatest earthquake that ever took place,
and the shaking continued for over two
hundred days" In the year 1910, il is
noted that the shaking continued seven
ty-iive DAYS, and during this time a stone
portal of one of the great temples was
broken down. A great earthquake is
noted in 1895, during which large tenn
pie was destroyed. In 1903 ''the earth
shook for two hundred days in Kuanto, or
the eight eastern provinces" In 1907 Il
great earthquake took place in Osaka
"Men and women escaped in boats, but
they were all drowned by the sudden
rising of the waves" In the southern
and northern divisions of the town, 92O
dwelling houses were destroyed by the
shock. The number of the killed in the
southern division of the town was 1920 F;
in the northern, 1881. The number Of
the killed by the waves in the southern
division was 1900 sous, and in the
northern,s 2,030; - bridges were des-
troyed, and the waves rolled up with
thousands of ships as far as Dotrmbori.
The number of the killed was counted in
all at 299sl. At this time blue mud
gushed forth along the shores OF the
provinces of Xii, Ise, Milkawa and To-
toni. And many lives were destroyed
by the sudden rolling of the high waves.
Fuiyama shook and erupted. Ashes fell
in The neighboring country. AT this
| time Hoyeizan was created. Hoyezan
| is a parasite cone on one side of Mount
Fuji.
The intervening earthquakes are not
here noted, because there is no statement
of any destructive results. In l75l an
earthquake is noted at Takata. During
this time the mountain slipped down,
and 10000 lives were lost" During the
earthquake lS47 many persons were
killed. In 1854 there was severe shock.
THE dead were innumerable. Those
who died by the high waves at Okata
were numbered at over 5000" A list of
the towns and provinces is given where
the earthquake was the most severe.
This was apparently the greatest earth
quake ever known in Japan;
an Osake great many ships were
DESTROYED and persons killed by the high
waves which rose after the earthquake.
In the River Alikawa IA junks and 1870
boats of various descriptions and about
$50 persons were destroyed. Up to the
eleventh day of the eleventh month
(lS54, Dec. 800 over 600 bodies were
drawn out ofthe river Counting the over
5000 dead ofvarious provinces there were
In every part of the city buildings of
various descriptions, such as Buddhist and
Shinto temples, towers, bridges, theatres,
etc, were destroyed and burned. Con-
sequently in many quarters of the city a
vast number of human beings died. The
sea shores and river sides were damaged
and ships of every kind were destroyed,
while the men who were in them almost
without exception lost their lives. In
the neighborin1 countries or villages the
| damage was eqnally great. The com
mencement of the shake was at half
past the 9th hour-that is, at o'clock in
the morning OF the 10Th. From this
| hour the shaking continued almost un.
ceasingly until o'clock in the afternoon
of the 18th day, when tae greatest shock
occurred. After this no more severe
shocks were felt. Several buildings were
destroyed, and men We're killed. AT
Nagoya, in the province of Dwarf, the
shaking was severe on the 4th and 9Th
DAYS of the llth month dec. 20 and "a,
1871 Great numbers of houses were
destroyed, many being attacked by
waves. High waves of about twenty
feet in height rolled over the rice fields
of Chitagori, and in three places large
dikes were injured. Houses at Susaki,
OF, and Kamezaki, etc, were destroyed.
In Yawata, in the province of O-mi,
! buildings of various descriptions, such
as dwelling houses, Buddhist and Shinto
| temples, etc. were leveled to the ground.
The damages in EIikone and Nagahama
were about equal. The damages at
! Samegai were also great. Mount Ior-
ozan slipped down, and the clear water
in the neighboring streams became
muddy. Seven or eight-tenths of Kano
and O-gaki were also injured. More than
one-half the houses in Sunomata suffered
and mud gushed forth from fissures in
| the earth. Two-teuths of HaglWara and
eight-tenths of Inaba were also destroy,