Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-11-26
UNTOLD HAVOC.
Details Ofthe Appalling Catastrophe
That Recently BefelI Japan.
Last Months Earthquake Shocks Killed
Between 5000 and 1000 Persons
10000 Houses Demolished.
WHOLE PROVINCES IN RUNS.

WHOLE PROVINCES IN RUINS.
SAN Francisco, Nov. 25.-The cable
brought the main outlines of the great
earthquake IN Japan on October 2s, but
the condensed reports gave no idea of
the terrible features Of the calamity.
The earthquake was strongest in the
prefectures of Gifu and Aichi, where
towns have been overthrown, the coun-
try submerged and mountains are in
cru ption and railroad communication
is interrupted Up to November 9 sta
tistics showed 1924 persons killed and
9,45S wounded, while 10000 houses had
been destroyed Upward of G, 900 shocks
We're felt during seven days
Slain by Thousands.
The town of Gifu, on the Tolaido
railway, with a population of $4,000
people, was almost entirely destroyed;
$500 out of total of 4, 400 houses in
the town were overthrown or burned;
747 people were killed. In the town of
Kane 600 houses were overthrown and
100 people were killed. In the town of
Ogali $500 houses were overthrown
and 1000 houses burned. Seven hun
bred people were crushed to death.
Thirteen hundred were injured in the
town of Tokogahama and nearly 600
houses were overthrown and a like
number burned. Over 100 people were
killed In the town of Kitagatinachi
eighty-four people were killed. The
entire village of Entakatomi was de-
strOyed and eighty people killed. These
towns are all in three provinces, Ezozi,
Mino and Dwarf, and represent a total
of 8, 400 killed and nearly $4,000 houses
totally destroyed. Communication has
not been opened up to all outlying
points, but it is now known that the
total number of deaths will exceed
1000.
Fissures in the Earth.
There are twenty-eight places in
Gifu where the soil sank more than 3
feet, the total area of this subsistence
being nearly three acres. Fissures in
the ground are also frequent. They
vary from l to > feet in width, and
some are Is feet deep. The banks of
the Niagara river are totally destroyed.
In one place near the river there is a
subsistence of over 20 feet In some parts
of the town boiling mud spouted out Of
assures to the height of 10 feet.
Fearful Damage in Kano.
Proceeding from Gifu to Kano the
latter place was found wholly in ruins,
not house remaining upright The
town of Kasamatsu Jared like Kano,
every dwelling being mass of debris.
Everywhere survivors We're to be found
digging out dead and wounded and
fighting against conhagrations that
broke out on all sides. Many survivors
were so utterly confounded and terror
stricken that they could only stand va
cantly staring at the scene of destruc-
ton. At Ichinomya and Kiyosu peo-
pie had managed to save a few mats,
and were preparing to pass the night
in the open fields, both villages being
wasted by fallen houses, which the
flames were rapidly devouring.
Fire Adds to the Horror.
The condition of Kasaoka- Cho after
the earthquake and the confagration
was appalling. There were $50 houses
in that district and over 1000 inhab-
itants The shock overthrow nearly
all the houses, and when the survivors
were struggling to rescue the in
jured fires broke out ON all
sides. From the fall of the houses
to the outburst of the confagra-
ton there was an interval of
only twenty minutes Only twenty
nine houses remained standing when
the flames were extinguished and 200
,1aAVNla haI haa,- ha,.
burned to death. In some cases whole
families of eight or nine persisted
Starving people may be constantly
seen wandering over the cracked fields
in search of potatoes, turnips or any
other edibes 1t is terrible state of
affairs.
The Catastrophe at Ogaki.
The worst calamity in Ogaki was the
burning of the Gobo temple with more
than fifty people. The building yield
ed to the shocks and fell, all worship.
ers being buried with it. At least fifty
persons were ingulfed in the fallen
ruins, and all chance of escape was cut
off by the flames. Nearer and nearer
the terrible flames drew on, and the
shrieks from poor imprisoned wretches
rent the air.
A Mountain Split.
At Osaka a large mill collapsed and
over forty women and girls persisted
miserably One of the most remark
able freaks of earthquake was the
splitting of the summit of Fuziyuma,
the sacred mountain Of Japan, which
presents such beautiful sight from
Yokohama Its summit is always
snow-capped just after the earth
quake large dark patches were noticed
on the snowy side and investigation
showed that portion of the mountain
1900 feet in breadth had sunk 500 feet
Steam issues from the cavity.
Methodist Missionaries Seriously Injured
The town Of Enagerio escaped light
ly in comparison with the region west
of there aru braciner Gifu COali and