The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-09-20
FIFTEEN THOUSAND DEAD.
japan Has a Flood More than Rival
ling Johnstown'a Aoyror.

SAN FRANCISCO, September 19-The reg
ular mall steamer Gaelic has arrived from
Yokohama, bringing details OF the over
whelmlng disaster in Japan. The province
OF Xii, In the southwestern part Of japan,
has been visited by the greatest tragedy In
the history Of the country. Probably more
than 1900 people have been killed. several
towns have been wiped completely of the
face OF the earth, and others have been near
ly demolished. The catastrophe was Oeca-
stoned by floods In the western part OF the
province and by the erumbling Of m0un-
tain which buried six villages under huge
mass OF rocks and earth.
The early part Of August was remarkable
for its rains, and the rapid rise OF the rivers
soon became alarming. The banks Of the
kinOgawa river, a stream over 100 miles in
length. broke near the city OF Wakayamo on
August 10. and mountain OF water, like
that which swept through the Conemaugh
valley when the dam above JOhnst0wn broke
rushed out upon the fields and towns, wreck
Ing houses, bridges, fences, temples, and all
things In its path. In this district 200 houses
were carried away and 5000 were ruined by
the water, leaving 10000 people dependent
upon the local officials for food.
A special correspondent, who made his
way laboriously over the ruins, says: "Vil
lages Of Nagato-N No-Mura, Tanise-Mura,
Uyenoike-Mura and hayashi-Mura, along
| the course Of the T0tsugawawOc, were all
buried under ground by the crumbling away
| OF the Umiyabara Mountain. All the villages
Of vi, Nagatono, Nuniata- Hara, and Asahi, at
the entrance OF the T0tsugawa-GO, face each
other, and can be seen across the river, but,
there being no boats between these place. no
help could be rendered. The villages Of
Uyeno-Chi, Takatsu, Kawatsu, and several
others were all either swept away or buried
under ground. The number Of deaths In
these villages has not yet been ascertained,
but, as all outlets were bl0ckaded, the loss
OF life must have been appalling
THE villages Of Kaseahaya, Uchllhara,
Takigawa, Nojiri, Yamasaki and Taana
were also entirely swept away or buried Dy
the overflow Of rivers and the crumb.ing.
mountains; The damage along the lower
course OF the river and the villages skirtlng
1t has not yet been ascertained, but 1t is sup
posed that out Of 30 villages COMPRISING
Totsugawa-Go all have suffered more or less
from the disaster, and 1t is mooted point IL
one has escaped. .4
"In all these villages farms, rice fields and
houses are supposed to have been nearly or
quite destroyed. The exact number OF
deaths in this small region is not yet known,
but the district officials place it between 1000
and 5000"
The coal mines at Tatezato-M -Mura, Yosh.
ino-GOri, also caved In, and 40 miners are
missing. In ShionO-Mura landslide Oc-
CURED, crushing to death eight persons. be-
sides which 40 are missing who are supposed
to have been buried alive. While the extent
Of territory affected here Is not so great, the
suffering In this district is appalling. 1t Is
impossible to furnish aid to all the thous-
ands OF sufferers, and many must die Of hun
ger and thirst. The losses in lives and
money will never be known, as whole towns
have been wiped from the earth, with no
survivor to tell the story.
As an instance Of the disaster II may be
mentioned shat the Portuguese gunboat Rio
Lima, on her voyage along the coast, was
greatly obstructed by the wreckage OF roofs,
timbers OF houses, etc., so that on several 0c-
casions, she had to stop to prevent damage
to her screw. This debris extended at least
greatest disaster Japan has known for CEN
turies, and further details can only bring
stories of more desolation and more suffering
than have thus far been related. The
Japanese newspapers, after careful estimate,
1900.