The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-09-04
Thousands Of Houses Destroyed in
Japanese Cities.
MILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
Engagement Of the Crown Prince-Wireiess
Telegrarhy in Japan-Address from
French Consul.

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 s.: 80 o'clock on
quence of the strong southerly gale
blowing at the time, spread with fright
full 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 Isezakicho
and several public schools, the loss
was not so extensive as it would have
been had the fire occurred elsewhere.
Had it not been for the barrier offered
by the creeks it 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 verye 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-
tanned in seventeen streets We're to-
tally destroyed. The insurance to be
paid by the various insurance compa-
nies amounts to about 6O3 900 yen and
several companies are bound to be-
come bankrupt in consequence. Nearly
$4,000 yen has been raised for the ben
eft of the homeless sufferers. Since
the fire prices of the various staples
have risen 20 per cent on an average
and the rise in price of lumber, wood
plates, ETC., is extraordinary Carpen-
ters, plasterers, mattingmakers, 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 1890
a. m. on August goth at Toyama, where
some 5000 houses, including a number
of public buildings, were reduced to
ashes in twelve hours. The loss was
between six and ten million yen.
second fire in Yokohama on the
morning of the 18th destroyed seventy
six houses and partially burned four
teen more.
On the 10Th ult. judgment was given
in the Yokohama Chino SaibanshO
District Court) in the triple murder
case, in which an American named
Miller was accused of the crime. He
was sentenced to death, but notice of
appeal was Immediately given The
trial, being the first under the new
regime in which foreigner is con-
cerned, has naturally excited cOnsid-
erable interest, and the courtroom was
crowded by a large audience, which
Included many foreigners, when SEN
tence was passed. The prisoner main
tanned a perfectly unmoved demeanor
throughout.
The engagement of the Crown
Prince to Princess KujO Sadako, third
daughter of Prince Kujo Michitaka was
to be announced on the 31st instant,
when the Crown Prince attained his
majority. The Kujo family is one of
the five oldest and highest families of
Japan, known as Gossekke, and the
late Empress Dowager was a daughter
of the late Prince Kujo Hisatada, 28th
descendant of the Kampaku KiyO Ka-
nezane. Fujiwara Kamatari, the an
cestor of the Kujo family, is deified as
a god in Yamato Province. The I'm
perial Bride, Princess Sada, was born
in April, 1884, and is the sister of II.
H. Princess Yamashina and of the
young Count Otani, of the Hongwanji
Buddhist Temple, Kyoto.
A treaty relating to extradition will
shortly be concluded between the Brit
ish and the Japanese Governments and
also with Belgium and Mexico.