The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-07
HOMELESS N JAPAN.
OVER 10000 HOMES DESTROYED
BY FIRE.
Many Public Buildings, Including Bud
dhlst Temple and stock Exchange,
Wore Swept Away.


Osaka. Japan. August 1-Confusion
still prevails here a. result Of Satur-
days disastrous fire. Thousands OF per-
sons are homeless and hunger 10 star
ing many Of them In the face.
A system of relief has been organ
ised by the municipal authorities. but
Il II inadequate to supply all needs.
Outside cities and towns are gener-
ously sending In contributions to be
used In allevating the sufferings Of the
homeless and destitute.
The latest estimate IL that 10000
buildings are destroyed. these includ-
ing banks. the stock exchange. mu-
scum. government edifices and factor
iss. While at present It Is impossible
accurately to tate the losses these are
oiven roughly at several million yen.
II 10 feared that some OF the insur-
ance companies will fail as q result
Of the heavy losses they will have to
pay.
The connagration lasted more than
IS hours and today the burned Sec
tion presents depiorable sight. The
streets Of the city are very narrow
and the houses were mostly Of wood
construction. Under a strong breeze,
therefore. the buildings were easy
prey for the flames which jumped to
one another with great rapidity. Once
hope was almost abandoned that the
conformation could be arrested.
The firemen fought valiantly
against the odds Of lack of water and
the high wind and many Of them fell
unconscious while working bravely at
their posts. Had not the water sup
ply been curtaiIed by the existing
drought II Is believed the fire would
have been Quenched without great
damage
During the fire the greatest confu-
sion prevailed among the spinning
girls In the factory quarter. but for
tunateiy no serious loss Of life oc-
CURED there.
The belongings Of the people who
were able to save anything from their
burning homes are piled In great
heaps along the railroad tracks from
Osaka to Kobe. where they were re-
moved carly Saturday morning when
The nre broke out In the gray Of the
dawn Of Saturday thousands of per-
eons heevily laden with household eff
fects were to be seen ntting across
the numerous canal bridges and away
from sh,s fire some. When they had
reached places Of safety the burdens
were laid down and the abie-bodied
member Of families returned to the
city to assist In fighting the flames.
leaving the old people to guard their
effects from thieves. All day long
Saturday and Tar into the night the
people assisted the firemen and the
troops in quenching the confiagration.
An area of over four miles square.
containing some Of the city's hand
soonest structures. including the
Buddhist temple. the largest In the
world. was entirely burned. The stock
exchange. one OF the most important
In this country. was entirely destroy
ed. This loss. Il Is believed. will tend
considerably to dislocate the business
Of Osaka. which. with it's manufac-
turing concerns. is one OF the chief
commercial cities or Japan.
Many touching sights were to be
seen during the fire. The women
were terror-stricken and fed hither
and thitker with their children. some
OF whom later cried piteously for
food that could not be obtained for
them.
The emperor Is deeply concerned
over the disaster and II Is believed
that he will make a generous dona-
ton to the relief of the city. and that
his action will be quickly followed
by gifts from charitable people and
institutions.