The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-24
A Big EARTHQUAKE
Nearly Four Thousand People
Are Killed in Japan.
THE EARTH RENT ASUNDER
Some Forty Thousand Houses Demolished
More than Three Hundred Distinct Shocks
Felt-COnflagrations in the Debris.

YOKOHAMA, Nov. pa severe and pro-
onged shock of earthquake occurred the
morning OF October IS. The greatest damage
to buildings ana loss of life occurred in the
prefectures of Achy and Gifu in which
nearly four thousand people were killed
outright and the same number seriously
wounded. In the two procedures $1,000
houses were totally destroyed. The num-
Der of provinces throughout which the
disturbances were felt is thirty one.
Two hundred thousand people were rem
dered homeless. Up to November 9th
earthquakes still continued to be felt but
the intervals between them gradually in
creased and the intensity of the shocks di-
minlshed. From the commencement of the
disturbances up to that date it is estimated
there were six hundred shocks.
The town of Gifu, on the Tokaido rail
way, with a population of 1900, was
almost entirely destroyed. Thirty-five
hundred out of a total of 4, 400 houses in
the town were overthrown or burned.
Seven hundred and fcrty-seven people
were killed.
In the town of Kane, 600 houses were
overthrown and 100 people killed
In the town of Ogaki $500 houses were
overthrown, 1000 houses burned, zoo people
crushed to death and 100 injured.
In the town Of Tokegahana nearly six
hundred houses were overtbrown and a
like number burned and over a hundred
people killed.
In the town of Kitagatiwrachi eighty
four people were killed. The entire village
Of Entakatomi was destroyed and eighty
people killed. These towns are all
In three provinces-Ezazi and Owa-
II - and represent total of
3,4OO killed and nearly forty three thousand
houses totally destroyed. Communication
has not been opened up to all the outlying
points, but IL is now known the total deaths
will exceed five thousand
The up and down trains on the Tokaido
railway were just meeting at Gifu station,
the centre of the disturbance,
WHEN THE FIRST SHOCK OCCURRED.
The shock was accompanied by a rumbling
and the movement was so violent that peo-
pie slipped from their seats: for the mo-
ment they were dazed, but looking GU. of
the windows they beheld the station in
ruins and the water in the neighboring
pond dashiug violently from side 10 side
The rumbllng movement continued and
cracks two TO three inches wide were OBJ
served opening ana Closing in all direc-
tons, volcanic mud and ashes being thrown
from some Of them. Some os the passen-
gers made their way into Gifu aud found
immense heaps OF ruins, many houses
fallen, while others were so shattered by
the succeeding tremors of the earth that
they threw them down. In almost every
house some unfortunate person was buried
and their chances Of escape greatly di-
unfinished by confiagrations in many places
The railway line was too much damaged to
allow trains 10 move and passengers &C
cordingly were compelled to make their
way on foot to the neighboring towns. The
roads were almost impossible by reason of
assures and land slides. The town of
hano was found in ruins, not house re-
naming upright. hasan8tsu shared like
fate, every dwelling being mass OF debris.
Everywhere the survivors are digging out
the dead and wounded and fighting against
contagrauons on all sides. Many survi-
vors, however, were so parelyzed with fear
they could only stand vacanuy
STARING AT THE SCENE OF DESTRUCTION.
At Yehinomya and Riyosu the people
managed 70 save few mats and were pre-
pairing to pass the night in the fields.
Throughout day and night the work of car
rylng the wounded to Nagoya proceeded, q
continuous stream of bearers passing along
the railway, which was the only available
route.
The inhabitants Of the ruined town saw
the first sensation was that the houses
were being raised and then suddenly
lowered two or three feet. The fact that
LuET6 was d MdTheu substance to the
earth's surface for a considerable area
about Gifu, indicates the latter town was
the centre of disturbance. Very
soon after houses were thrown down
and while hundreds of people were buried
in the debris, flames burst from the ruins
of a silk factory and in a short time spread
TO such an extent that the citizens were
compelled TO desist In their work of rescue
The confagration burned out in one direc.
ton, but three other fires soon breaking
opt soon joined and swept from street tc
street, famed by strong wind This was
at o'clock in the afternoon and by s in the
evening almost every part of the town OF
Gifu was wrapped in fire and the inhabit-
ants, abandoning all hope of staying this
Confagration, saved what articles they
could and fed 10 the woods and hills. The
police, aided by the normal school student:
and prisoners from the jail,
FOUGHT THE FIRE ALL NIGHT.
but it was not subdued until the forenoon
of the next DAY, when almost the whole
town was burned over. The potteries in The
prefectures of Dwarf and Mino. the erea
centres Of the porcelain manufacture il
Japan, at Seto and other towns were al
most entirely destroyed and it is reported
there is no prospect of resuming industry
this year. The shock at Osaki was 81
severe that scarcely sound house is left
standing, with the exception of the castle
5obo temple, belonging 70 the Shin sect o.
Buddhlsts was crowded with worshipper,
when it fell burying at least fifty people
The ruins took fire and the shrieking vic
tins were consumed before the eyes of ths
Mortified on-lookers.
A slight shock was felt at Nageries the
night Of Sunday, October %. Wednesday
morning while forty Christians were as
Bembled in one of the buildings of the
Methodist school, the building began Il
tOtter and the wofshippers fed One
Christian and his wife were killed and tn
Japanese fatally injured. Mr. ana Mrs
VanDyke, missionaries, and other whites
were dangerously hurt. Out of doors the
city was in an uproar. Wild shrieks anC
indescribable noises filed the air, while
every few moments came terrible thunder
from the angry earth. Many streets wer,
blocked with fallen houses and others wer,
choked with fleeing people. The threaC
factories; large brick buildings, caved in
killing hundreds of people. The old castle
despite its four hundred years, stood firm
The loss of life in the three towns which
go TO make up the city of Nagoya, is es
timated at from seven hundred and fifty b
one thousand.
Up 10 the morning of Friday, October 70
S6S distinct shocks were reported as fol
lowing that of Wednesday. AS the wounde
are brought into the city from the sur.
rounding towns, reports COZ tinue to COM
of lives lost, damage done and stirring in
cidents;
FIssUREs IN THE EARTH TWO FEET WIDE
and several feet deep; railway rail
twisted; iron bridges broken; river en-
oankments sunk or crumbled, and field
flooded, etc. A lake 600 yards long and 6
yards wide formed at the foot of Hukaso
mountain in Gifu prefecture. Great rock
beside the hills in Gifu gave way, an