The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-09-29
EARTHQUAKE HORRORS.
Scenes During the Recent Erup-
tions in Japan.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MANGlED.
The Natives Crushed by Falling Build
iDGs, Scalded by Boiling Water
and Roasted by Molten Lava
Official Report of the
Disaster,

LONDON, Sept. 2I.-There is a terrible
story Of woe and desolation in the ad-
vices received to-day at the foreign Of
flee from Shanghai, and which give the
first relia$,4e reports of the recent vol
canic eruption in Japan, in which over
1000 natives were killed outright and
1000 terribly injured. The scene of the
awful affair was Bandaisan, the terminal
peak of II small block of hills about $500
feet in height. 1t is close to the north
ern boundary of Lake Tnawashiro, less
than 80 miles from Yokohama and
has long been famous for It's not
springs TO which the Japanese resort in
around the foot of the mountain are
number oil villages containing IN the
aggregate population of 10000.
On the morning of July 80, just about
the usual breakfast hour, the villagers
were startled by on unusually severe
shock of earthquake. half crazed with
fright they rushed out of their houses
and made for the foot of the mountain,
some OF them stopping long enough to
gather their money and other valuables,
hut the large majority flying, falling,
shrinking and fainting, with but one Oh
ject-to save their lives. Down they
flew over the steep paths of the hill,
which trembled and heaved beneath
their feet. Suddenly a great dense
black pillar rose with an appalling
bound from the apex of the mountain,
reaching the sky, which became as
dark as night. The flying people came
to a halt, transtiXed with terror, and
then fell prone upon the heaying
earth. Black and blacker grew
the sky, the ground undulated like the
sea; the fearful war of the volcano IN
creased momentarily. NoxlOus gases
filed the air. Then the black pillar
spread out like an umbrella over the en-
tire horizon, and shower upon shower
! of red-hOt ashes, massive stones, sui
phur and volumes of boiling water fell
upon the earth for radius Of five En-
glish miles.
Men, women and children were roast
ed, scalded, paEboiled, in their tracks.
| Hundreds were killed outright. The
air was filed with shrieks, and means,
and piteous supplication for relief or
death. Some tried to crawl on all fours
| for it was impossible to stand on the
rocking ground-tO a place of safety.
| The bodies of horses, sheep, cattle and
| other animals were mangled among the
crushed, burned and parboiled rem
nants of humanity that strewed the
ground. Nearly every house was in
/ ruins.
Rut tho worst was vet IN come From
| the rents in the ground fountains of
| fame, water and ashes burst forth to
| such an height that they could not be
| reached by the eve. Hundreds of the
| poor unfOrtunates were caught by the
| Jets and projected high in the
| air, then falling broken, black
| ened and in many cases bereft
| of human semblance. For over two
| hours the eruption continued. At
! last the crest of the mountain seemed
! to be lifted bodily upward and then
| fall with a terrific crash while hug
| flames Of dazzling crimson and purple
| played about the mouth of the crater
1t was hours before daylight Ie-
| turned, and the full extent of the catas-
| trophe became apparent. The hill on
! all sides was strewed with the dead and
! diving, and in many places the bodies of
| men and women, scarcely distinguish
| able from each other were found sus-
! pended across the limbs OF the trees.
/ Relief soon came from the surround
ing villages and the survivors were
| tenderlv carried to Tnawashiro and
many OF them died upon the way. The
| latest estimates put the total loss of
| life at 1000, but the exact numbers viii
/ never be known. Another thousand
| are manned for life, while 1900 more
will carry the marks of burns and scalds
| to their graves.