The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-09-05
TERRIBLE FIRES
Thousands Of HGlses Destroyed IN
Japanese Cities.
MILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
Engagement Of the Crown Priaee ess
Teiesrsphy In Jasas-Address from
French consu.
MILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH

The following advices were received
by the Pacific Mail steamship Rio de
Janeiro last Saturday:
Fire broke out in the neighbOrhood
of Kumoicho in the native town. at
Yokohama, at about $3.50 o'clock on
Saturday night u2th) and in conse-
quence of the strong southerly gale
blowing at the time, spread with fright
ful rapidity over an enormous area of
streets, involving the loss of several
lives, thousands OF houses and much
valuable property. The quarter over
which the fire spread, however, being
one of the poorest in the city, with
some exceptions, including 1sezakicho
and several public schools, the loss
was not so extensive as 1t would have
been had the fire occurred elsewhere.
Had it not been for the barrier offered
by the creeks 1t Is safe to say that al
most the whole of the native town
would have been included in this
wholesale destruction. Fortunately,
the flames were unable to overleap
these extremely narrow boundaries, so
that the area of devastation was re-
stricted and very clearly defined. The
fire ragged until morning and only sub
sided when there was virtually moth
ing left to burn within the area men
toned Fifteen lives were lost and a
large number of people injured. Sew
eral native theaters and other large
buildings were burned. The official
reports show that 3,173 houses con-
tained in seventeen streets were to-
tally destroyed. The insurance to be
paid by the various insurance compa-
MES amounts to about 6O3, 900 yen and
several companies are bound to be-
come bankrupt in consequence. Nearly
60 900 yen has been raised for the ben
eft of the homeless sufferers. Since
the fire prices of the various staples
have risen 90 per cent on an average
and the rise in price of lumber. wood
plates, etc. Is extraordinary. Carpen-
ters, plasterers, ,matting-makers, stone
cutters and bricklayers, etc, now ask
20 or 30 per cent more wages and still
the supply Is unequal to the demand
| Another big fire occurred at IL: 81
a. m. on August 2Oth at Toyama, where
some 5000 houses, including a number
of public buildings, were reduced tC
ashes in twelve hours. The loss wal
between six and ten million yen.
A second fire in Yokohama on thu
morning of the 18th destroyed seventy
six houses and partially burned four
teen more.
On the 10th ult. judgment was giver
in the Yokohama Chino Saibansht
District Court in the triple murde
case, in which an American named
Miller was accused of the crime. HI
was sentenced to death, but notice o
appeal was Immediately given. Th'
trial, being the first under the new
regime in which foreigner Is con
cerned has naturally excited consid
cradle interest, and the courtroom wa
crowded by a large audience, whicl
included many foreigners, when sen
tence was passed. The prisoner main
tained a perfectly unmoved demeano
throughout.
The engagement of the Crow
Prince to Princess Kujo Sadako, thir
daughter of Prince Kujo Michitaka wa
to be announced on the 31st instant
when the Crown Prince attained hi
majority. The Kujo family is one q
the five Oldest and highest families
Japan, known as Gossekke, and tn
late Empress Dowager was daughte
of the late Prince Kujo Hisatada, 2St
descendant of the Kampaku Kiyo Ka
nezane. Fujiwara Kamatari, the an
cestor OF the Kujo family, Is deified a
god in Yamato Province. The I'm
perial Bride. Princess Sada, was Dor
in April, 1884, and is the sister OF Il
II. Princess Yamashina and OF tn
young Count Otani, Of the Hongwan!
Buddhist Temple, Kyoto.
A treaty relating to extradition WI
shortly he concluded between the Brit
ish and the japanese Governments an
also with Belgium and Mexico.