New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-14
uried. Further north the hamIets of

to be buried. Further north the hamIets Of
Hosono. osukozawa and Alumoto forming 10
thirty to fifty feet beneath l the ere ground Here
only five people escaped because away from home.
or wayfirng men, six were Killed ana hve
Returning in q circle we pass back again over
the mud streams and the heath. but at higher
altitude, and now reach and pass through the
Mine village. inspecting more closely the SAD scenes
Of devastation wrought upon homestcads; hcids;
meadows groves and valuable forests, Inc mud
houses. thirteen have been completely destroyed.
Terrible odors ascend from the cracks OF the mud
stream. but the recovery OF the dead II as I'M
possible as is the removal OF the rubbish FROM
one Of the buried pine-trees, the top OF which
lust looks out upon the surrounding chaos, we cut
a stick as little souvenir.
Ilere too. zee the largest stone elected,
about 200 tons in weight. On the whole way
we have seen no lava and no cinders large holes
were frequently visible, looking like vents from
which had burst the pent-up steam OF the interior
In fact the whole mountain had been apparently
lifted up by the steam below, and all the avail
able evidence goes to show that TINS catastcophe
was not a regular eruption, but rather something
like o huge steamboiler explosion. throwing up
ward all superintendent impediments and pour
ing out the boiling contents Of the earths interior
upon beautiful, fertile and populous valley;
The people about here look dazed and show
little of that curiosity peculiar TO japanese VII
layers when seeing foreigners ihev repuln lnelr
DESTROYED housss in CHI cries but resolu mann Z,
and generally at the very places where theS stOod
before. Nature herself seems TO second them In
this :" try again mood. On the mud strealns
little grass blades begin TO peep forth. few and
far between it is true, but still there. The busy
ant, too, since Soomons time an example TO the
sluggard. sets her house in order and begins anew
her mysterouslv interrupted work. Soon new
life viii grow upon the ruins.
AS to the extent of the damage, more IMAM
90 600 acres have been covered by the erected
matter, most OF il fortunately forest land ana
heath. The cultivated land has In COMPARISON
suffered much less: but about 5000 acres oil rice
fields are even now threatened with destruction,
owing to the loss Of the usual water supply.
What is most appalling is the list Of casualties:
Dead, 595-349 males and GAG females; IN ured'
81 horSes killed. As houses buried or crushed.
1914 words lightly spoken, but full OF unspoken
and unspcakable woe.
For the relief of so much suffering money and
provisions have been freely given by the emperor,
as well as by some Of his poorest SUBJECTS, tne
journalistic mercantile and official world wing
with each other in noble rivalry. Counts M
roda. Ito. Okuma and Matsulyata. as well as Wis
count Mort formerly embassador at Washington,
and the Other ministers have all most literally
and promptly contributed in aid OF the sufferers
while OF the observation-disclosures press " The Janan
Mall The Nchi Nich Shimbun' and The
Jill Shimpo- have been, according TO the latest
accounts the most successful collectors for the
Bandai Relief Fund. The calamity has been great
and so has beer also the readiness OF the people
10 give aid and succor to the victims OF catiis-
trophe such as has not been seen in Japan SINCE
the Asama eruption in Ts3 and such as we trust
will not again occur for centuries TO come.