The San Francisco call., 1899-08-31
YOKOHAMA ..
IS SWEPT
BY FLAMES
Twenty Streets Destroyed
and Thousands Left
Homeless.
MANY LIVES LOST
Cities Of Toyama and Hakodate Also
Wrecked by Flames and Kobe
Is Visited by Typhoon.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

VANCOUVER, B. c., Aug. 30.-The
steamer Empress of China arrived this
morning from Hongkong and Yoko-
hama. She reports that Japan has suf-
fered severely from three or four ter
rible fires. The most extensive fire for
many years in Yokohama occurred in
the native town August II. About
twenty streets We're destroyed, includ-
ing the business part of the town. The
number of houses destroyed is report
ed to be about 10000, including four
theaters, an elementary school. the
Postoffice and telegraph office and a
police station.
Sixteen lost their lives in the flames
while many others swan across the
canal and had narrow escapes. The
losses of insurance companies are esti-
mated at some S400, 900, while the actual
loss is several millions.
Globe trotters will regret to hear
that the famous theater street is de-
stroyed from end to end. AS a system
of fire insurance has not yet gained
much hold in Japan on account of the
infiammable nature of the houses the
disaster falls heavily upon the home
less people. Some of them, strongly
imbued with Western notions of lynch
law, formed a mob and proceeded to
attack the owner of the house in which
the fire originated, and the man has
died of his wounds.
The city of Toyama was destroyed
by fire the same day. Six thousand
houses were burned.
The Kencho police department, pre-
fectural, assembly hall, police station,
middle school, commercial school, post
and telegraph office, city offices. hospi-
tai, three newspaper offices, exchange
building and the building of the Kwan-
sal Industrial Exhibition to be held
next year, which was in course of con-
struction, are among the places re-
duced to ashes.
The distress in Yokohama and To-
yama is very great. subscriptions
were raised. Their majesties the En-
peror and Empress presented $500
toward the relief fund at Toyama and
$500 for the same purpose at Yoko-
hama.
Commander Kataoka has been Or
dered by his Majesty to visit Toyama
and report on the condition of the suf-
ferers, and Viscount Horota has been
ordered to visit Yokohama for sim
liar purpose.
1t is stated that the number of suf-
ferers from Toyama who are receiving
relief is over 1900. The losses of the
municipal authorities of the city are
estimated at Sl40,000, and the losses 4oI
the inhabitants burned out are esti-
mated at $4,000, 900 for houses only.
At Hakodate on August IL eleven
houses were destroyed by fire Five
persons were burned to death. On
August 15 fire broke out at Shiori,
Yokohuka, and about fifty houses were
destroyed.
A disastrous fire is reported from
Formosa on the 5th inst. Fire broke
crol q
blowing the flames in all directions
with startling rapidity, and some 200
houses were burned.
At Kobe, on August Is, considerable
damage was caused by typhoon. The
steamer Argyll dragged her moorings
and was carried broadside on the sand.
She was apparently undamaged. There
will be delay in getting her off and dis
patching her to her destination. New
York