Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-11-24
THE JAPANESE
EARTHQUAKES.
A ViYid Account Of the Re-
cent Horror.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE KILLED.
In Some Cities Nearly All the Houses
Were Demolished.
FIRE ADDS ITS AWFUL TERRORS.
Hundreds Burned to Death in the Ruins Of
Their Own Homss-Ths Newer Frams
Buildings Held Up Last-saping hs-
sur.s in the larih-Wsll Water
Turned Brown.
FIRE ADDS ITS AWFUL TERRORS.

YoKAHoMA, November "a severe
prolonged shock Of earthquake occurred
October 2S. A few minutes before sew
en- o'clock in the morning. 1t wa' the
severest experience since the terrible
catastrophe OF 1856 and must be ranked
as national calamity.
The greatest damage to buildings
and loss of life occurred In the prefec-
lures of Gifu and Acby, in which near
ly 4, 900 people were killed outright ana
4, 900 seriously wounded. In those two
prefectures $4,000 houses were totally
destroyed.
The provinces throughout which the
disturbances were strongly felt number
thirty-one. The centre seems TO nave
been In Mino and Arowab, but as far
south as Higo, aud Rikushuin In the
north the disturbance was sensibly felt.
The destruction OF 10000 houses means
oO0. 900 people are rendered homeless. u
Up to November 9Th the earthquakes
still continued TO be felt, but with inter-
walls between them as gradually the In
tensity of the shocks diminished. FROM
the commencement of the disturbances mp
TO that date 1t is estimated that 5000
shocks. or more than one every two
minutes, were felt.
Many survivors were so utterly con-
founded and terror-stricken that they
could only stand vacantly staring at the
scene OF destruction.
At Ichinomya and Kiyosu the people
had managed TO save few mats ana
were preparing to pass the night In
the open fields, villages being waste
of fallen houses, which the fiames were
rapidly devouring. Throughout the day
and night the work OF carrying the
wounded to Nagoya proceeded. A con-
tinued stream OF bearers passed along
the railway, which was the only avail
bic route.
The inhabitants OF the ruined towns
described the shock as conveying an
impression that the houses were first
raised and then suddenly lowered
through a space Of from two to three
feet. The fact that there was
marked subsidence OF the
earth's surface for considera-
BILE area about Gifu indicated that the
later town was the centre OF the dis
turbance.
Shortly after this shock had leveled
thousands of houses In the town and
hundreds of people were lying buried
in the debris. flames burst from the ruins
OF the silk factory in Gifu, and In a
short time spread TO such an extent that
the citizens were compelled to desist In
their work OF digging out the wounded
and dying.
This confiagration burned out In one
direction, but three other fires immedi-
atelv broke out and Joining into
one, swept from street to street,
being famed by a strong northwest
wind, which began to blow at 2 o'clock
in the afternoon.
By o'clock in the evening almost
every part Of the town OF Gifu was
wrapped in fire, and the inhabitants
abandoning all hope OF staying the
confagration, saved what few articles
fhey were able to, and fled the town,
taking refuge In the woods and on the
hill sides. The police, aided by the
Normal School and eighty prisoners
from the jail. fought the fire through
ont the night, but II was not subdued
until the forenoon OF October 2sth,
when IL had been burning for 2S hours
and almost the whole town had been
burned over.
Potteries in the prefectures OF Dwarf
and Mino, great centres OF the porcelain
manufacture In japan; al Seto, and
other other towns, were almost entirely
DESTROYED, and there Is reported TO be
no prospect Of resumIDg the industry
during the present year.
The tip OF the Sacred mountain OF
Fusiyama has been rent asunder for a
distance OF 1,2O0 feet in width and six
hundred feet In depth.
Much of the destruction Of the houses
is attributed 10 poor material entering
into the construction OF brick
and stone buildings and the excessive
weight OF their roofs. Well built wood
en- buildings suffered but little, except
as 10 plastering and tiled roofs.
Up and down trains OF the Toxic
railway were just meeting at Gifu
Station, the centre Of the Seismic
distur bance, when the first shock oc-
Cured. The shock was accompanied
by a rumbling and the movement was so
violent that passengers slipped from the
seats. They were thrown into state
of great alarm, believing that a coils
ion had taken place.
From the windows. however, they be-
held the station IN ruins, and the water
In neighboring pond being dashed yIo-
lently from side to side. The rumbling
movement continued, and large cracks,
from two 10 three feet wide, were observ-
ed opening and closing In all direction.
volcanic mud and ashes being
thrown from some OF them. So numer-
Gus we're these assures that 70 step In
suy direction threatened destruction
aud the passengers feared TO leave the
train.
Passengers, who made their way into
Gifu, found immense heaps OF ruins OF
fallen houses, while others were
so disIocated that each succeeding
tremor threw some of them down as II
crushed by descending weight. liz al
most every house some unfortnnates
had been buried and their chances OF es-
cape were greatly diminished by con-
fagrations which broke ont In many
places.
It was ascertained that the railway
line had been too much damaged In