New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-01
THE EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN.
DETAILS OF THE GREAT DISASTER.
A PRIVATE LETTER GIVES SOME CURIOUS AND
MELANCHOLY FEATURES OF THE
OCCURRENCE


Washington, Nov 30 CspeciaIj-Compete ara highly
interesting details OF the great earthquake disaster In
Japan have JGst reached this city, and they show that
the magnitude OF the calamity had been undersated
rather than exaggerated earlier telegaphic reports
The earthquake IS declared 20 have been the most
severe which japan has suffered during the present
century, and the number Of lives lost In the series OF
shocks beginning the morning Of october % Is
estimated at from 1000 TO 5000. The territory
affected by these devastating shocks was about 100
square miles in and embraced thirtyoue provinces
OF the Empire, though its greatest force felt In
only three those OF Echigen, MlnO and owsH. The
latest official returns, complied AT Toxic, and repro
duced in the correspondence reaching Washington TO
day. show that In the two procedures Of Aield and
Gifu alone, 1924 persons killed and 0,456 In
jured, while 81 1913 houses were destroyed The
police returns of the killed and wounded are thus
far however only from the centres Of population and
along the main thoroughfares, and the loss OF life In
the outlying districts, where there are hundreds OF
small hamets and villages is known also to be great
though the authorities have not yet had time 10 ascer
tain the loss accurately.
The following extracts from a Toxic letter, dated
November Z, give good idea Of the severity and ex
tent OF the disturbance, and Of tie havoc 70 wrought
TO Life and property:
No fewer than thlrty-one provinces of japan
more or less violently agitaed-in other words. the
earhs crust smartly shaken for several minutes
together over area equal 20 that OF England There
has been nothing like II since the great Yeddo earth
quake Of thirty seven years ago. Heavy as is the
record Of death and havoc 1t enormously swened
later by the fall OF tiles and other wreckage and Of
tottering buildings, under the effects Of subsequent
mder shocks and especially by the ravages OK fire.
Roughly speaking, the area Of maximum disaster
measures twenty five miles from north 10 south, by
twenty miles flOm east 20 west, and Is centred In
the provinces OF Mino and Dwarf, the whole OF which
suffered less cruelty by the catastrophe. More
than 100000 people have been suddenly rendered
homeless. In some places andslps have damned
the streams creating lakes producing nundations;
hundreds Of wells have been destroyed, springs have
ceased flowing, and the entertainments OF the larger
rivers have been grievously damaged that rainfall
might at any time lead TO disastrous flooding Of the
adjacent lowandS.
The great earthquake began at about 80 a. m.
and II without previous warning. As far as can
be gathered from the accounts of survivors, its CHEZ
features were two very shocks in quick success
sion, with eastward ihrow-the second greater than
the frst-foowed Immediately by yet stronger re-
turn wave, or back-throw, directed westward. IL was
this third Shock they say, that wrought most OF the
earlier mischief That there was violent heaving as
well vibration is certain. Que observer claims to
have determined a vertical motion Of eight and half
inches and horizontal motion Of foot. The shocks
were immediately preceded by deep muffed booming.
The fact OF this sound preceding the shocks indicates
that the velocity Of propagation of the latter though
that part OF the eafJS crust was less Jau Tue 'eVos
OF sound. 1t is curious that the vorst effects
were partial, areas comparatively unscathed being
mixed up in ths strangest way with scenes OF awful
destruction.
The whole region c5ous Glfu and Ogah bears the
marks OF fearful commissions. Many villages and small
towns absolutely wiped out, not house being
left standing. In places the soil sank several feet
over considerable areas, sometimes carrying down
with it houses and their inmates Earth assures are
seen everywhere, some of them many as SIX feet
wide and twenty feet deep. The effects
produced on engineering structures in many cases
extraordinary. One brick railway arch between
Nagoya and Gfu collapsed in consequence OF Its
ADJUSTMENTS fourteen feet high and five and onequartei
thick having thrown apart in opposite directions
The roadway beneath has a transverse crack four
inches wide.
Generally the effects OF the earthquake confirm
cepted theories. Taper mill chimneys for example,
We're broken across the middle, which TO be ex
pected their tops being free sway. Bridge columns
on the other hand. being Of uniform section and
loaded, went naturally at the base.
Ii only remains 10 say that the relief OF the dlstrss
and bodily suffering caused by this great National
calamity is being actively and literally carried out In
part by public funds held available for such purposes
and in part by National subscription TO which viii
be added substantial contributions by the foreign
residents.