Democratic messenger., 1888-08-25

cuortS ana motives Oh my neighDoIS.
| am. with sincere regard and respect,
your friend,
"AsHBEL p. FITCH.
"FIRE ISLAND BEACH, AUGUST J.; 1888. "
A VOLCANIC ERUPTION.
Six Hundred Persons Suddenly
Overtaken by Death.
News of an awful and destructive
catastrophe has just been received. In
the provence OF Tukushma, near the
city Of Wakamas,u, about I65 miles
north Of Toxic, terrible and most
calaminous eruption of the apparently
extinct Bandaisan volcano has taken
place, resulting in the burial under vol.
canic mud and rocks and ashes OF a
region OF about IS square miles, and
causing more or less damage and tie
vasatation within an area extending
over more than CTS square miles Ii
was on July 18th. The morning was
unusually ho, and sultry At this season
Of the year peasants from the adjacent
regions frequent for the purpose Of
health and recreation the little mount.
ain hamlet Of Iwasc and its three hot
springs, which are, besides few wealth
er-bcaicn and partly decomposcd SEQ.
riaccous rocks cropping out on the sur.
face, the only indications of the vol.
canic character OF a mountain that has
quiesced for about thousand years,
and the crater of which has been filled
up long ago by the slow process of ma
ture. There was no ground for apprc
tensions OF any kind. and few earth
quake shocks, felt two or three days
previous to the eruption. presented also
nothing unusual or abnormal. Earth
quake shocks and seismic tremors are
common throughout Japan. Some ol
the people were quietly enjoying the
hot baths on the slope Of the mount
aims, Others conversed with the visitors
that had come from distance, while
a majority were lying on their mats,
talking, smoking, dreaming, doing,
sleeping Old Bandai san presented
his usual appearance, and nature her
self, dreamy and drowsy, seemed abou,
to fall into slumber.
Suddenly, 4 few minutes past s
O'Clock low rumbling was heard like
the sound of distant thunder, actually
believed to be such by some. but be
fore there was tine Tor an interchange
Of words the earth was heaved up and
began to ,remblc violently. the ground
undulating like water shaken from a
bowl. From the peak Of Bandai san
there then shot up into the air, a:
though discharged from cannon:
mouth and accompanied by a noise
as OF hundred thunder. storms com
bined huge mass Of red volcanic
mud mixed with fire and rocks and
sulphur and smoke, carrying with i,
the very peak Of the mountain, and
hiding for time the broad and brill
liant canopy Of heaven, and then, in its
fall, covering the green earth below
with a blush. gray winding sheet o
volcanic mud, heavy rocks, hot water,
burning sulphur, red hot sand and
glowing ashes of a BLUSH gray. Under
this mass, varying in thickness from
seven to 30 feet, were hidden 600 men,
women and Children, dead at once or
wri,hing in the last agonies. Among
these there were no less than $50 viii
tors to the hot springs. who thus found
a horrible death in place OF the ex
pec,ed cure from sickness and disease
Within 4 fatal circle, described by I
radius Of five miles around the mount
ain, few people Were able to escape un'
hurt but even beyond that distance
persons were killed or injured. Dense
black smoke continued to issue from
the aperture through which the sub
lerranean forces had found vent, and
black clouds soon covered the sky ial
and wide, while constantly recurring
earthquake shocks increased the frigh
of the trembling fugilivcs. Who evel
could fed 4: once IN every direction
from the smoking crater. Some, star!
naked and ashy pale, ran at the top o.
their speed over the glowing cinders
women tainted and fell from sheer ex
hauslion and terror; few crazed by
fright or injured by falling beams anc
stones, hopped or crept away like Sc
many animals set at large. To increase
the horrors of the scene, pine trees, tai
and stately aud centuries old, were tori
from the ground and thrown upward
while sulphurous flames burst forth be
tween their cracking roots, presenting
to the wild and excited imagination a
the people the spectacle OF weird look
ing snakes, Kissing and wrllhng in The
unear,hly glare OF the abysmal fine
News comes from Massachusetts, tina
small file manufacturing company ha
Just been compelled TO suspend business
because il can not stand up against '',h'
persistent and aggressive warfare o
large incorporated concerns " Th'
L. .n ........ III l.aee.r laaua this Ia