The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-08-26

the tidal wave has been issued as fol-
lows:
ION the 18th inst. the weather was
misty from morning and the ther-
mometer auctuated between eighty
and ninety degrees Fahrenheit, about
ten degrees higher than in ordinary
years. People suffered much from
this unusual heat, but did not think it
particularly strange, the weather be-
ing generally tickle in the Baiu (spring
rain) season. The 18th, coincidiIg
with the May festival, according to
the old calendar, feast WAS held in
every family, and the hours were pass.
ing merrily, when, at dusk, repeated
shocks of earthquake were felt, and
at about 8 o'clock in the evening a
sound as if made by the firing of big
cannon was heard from the direction
of the sea, off the coast of Eigashi Hei
district. Such sound from the sea
not being uncommon, the inhabitants
did not pay much attention to it.,
thinking that it might be caused by
men.of-war practicing gunnery. Only
few minutes had elapsed when a
seismic wave suddenly rolled in with
terrible force, and towns and villages
along the coast. through distance OF
175 miles, were inundated. In mo-
ment men, cattle, buildings, ships,
etc., were almost entirely swept away,
so that towns which had been thickly
populated only the day before were
turned into sandy wastes. Corpses
were piled in heaps, houses were COM
pletely wrecked and the whole scene
presented the m ost ghastly and heart
rending aspect, impossible to describe.
It is reported that the wave was as
high as eighty feet, and that, though
more or less variation occurred &C.
cording to locality, the devastation
and damage inflicted by the wave were
most serious in places facing the
southwest. Strange to say, fishermen
plying their trade about five miles of
the coast noticed merely slight swell
and had no suspicion OF the occur
renee Of such catastrophe. ~ soon
as reports of the calamity were re-
ceived steps were at once taken to ex.
tend succor to the sufferers.
The local Chief of Police was direct.
ed to visit the scene of the disaster,
the Secretary OF the Prefee ture was
dispatched to Higashi Hei, the Coun.
cilor to Kisen and Minanmi Hei and
the Chief Tax Collector to Kunohe.
At the same time thirty-three clerks
and police inspectors, together with
1l3 police constables and $50 coolies,
were sent to various afflicted districts,
to succor the survivors, to dispose OF
the remains of the killed and to re-
store order. Neighboring towns and
villages that escaped unhurt offered
the services of their fire hrigades and
coolies, and the number OF working.
ingmen available altogether amounted
to above 1000. The disaster having
proved fatal to many medical prao-
titloners living along the coast, and
the survivors having lost their supply
of drugs and instruments, the greatest
difficulty was experienced in extend
ing efficient aid to the sufferers. A
large quantity of carbolic acid, bon.
dages and such things was quickly
sent, and at the same time fifteen doc
tors and fifteen nurses were expressly
engaged and dispatched to the scene
of disaster. Even this proved lnsut-
fcient, IN consequence of the multi
tude of sufferers. but how to meet the
urgent need of the moment was per-