Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-08-07
JAP CITY DESTROYED
TERRIBLE FIRE AT OSAKA,
JAPAN, SUNDAY MORNING.
over $4,000 Buildings, Covering an Area
Of -Four Miles Square, Swept by
Flames-Was Great and Beautiful
City of More Than Million Inhah-
itantsEDynamite Stays Flames.


Osaka, Japan, Aug. AT 6 O'Clock
TINS morning the terrible conflagra-
tlon which has reduced to ashes large
porIon OF this city was under control.
UP to that hour $4,000 buildings had
been destroyed. An area four miles
square was swept by the flames.
Charred and blackened ruins car
peting several square miles of burned
bridges, demolished warehouses black
ened and sunken shipping, refugees
pouring from the city through cor
dons OF troops and over all heat-laden
curtain OF smoke made picture of ter
riole desolation In fre-ridden Osaka
at dawn today.
The great and beautiful "imperial
city, of Osaka, with more than 1.0oo.-
ooo inhabitants, "a hours before lay
calm and restful. Today an omnipo-
tent power has brought such destruc-
tion as shall make the name Osaka ia
nous In the world g stories of death
and devastation.
No Water Available.
throughout the night hundreds Of
soldiers sent to relieve the overworeea
and depleted fire forces toiled to stav
the flames. Dynamite was used with
little effect on the confagration and
in many cases provided splintered fuel
Tor the fire. Thousands of homeless
men, women and children watched
their houses disappear in the swir,
OF fire without being able to save any
OF their household effects, SO intense
was the heat accompanying the blaze.
Osaka, veined with canals and prac-
tlcally enclosed by water, had moth,
ing but dynamite with which to fight
the fire. The huge city aqueduct was
almost the first structure to go, and
later the water in the canals was
brought to the boiling point by the
water front fire and made too hot for
the fire fighters to use.
With the perfecting of police work
by the troops reports of looting be-
gan to arrive at headquarters Orders
were issued Immediately to the soldiers
to shoot down all hooters, and notices
were posted warning all persons not
to attempt entrance to the fire lines.
Temporary morgues have been estab-
lished by the soldiers and many bodies,
unrecognizably blackened, have been
brought in. 1t is believed that several
foreigners are among the dead, but no
identification can be made.
Rolled Tn Death
In many cases crazed and grief
stricken men and women plunged ntc
the seething hot waters of the canals
and were literally boiled to death
! Other bodies were found in small parks
to which many fed, hoping to be safe
from the flames.
Although the number of dead is as
yet unknown, preparations are being
made TO prevent the outbreak of an
epidemic 1t is feared that as soon as
: the fires have died out the stencil from
; bodies of men and animals in the ruini
may stop the work of caring for the
injured, who are thronging military
hospitals, and many urgent calls fol
disinfeetants have been sent out.
Medical supplies are needed badly
7 Every hour increases the number o.
: burned and blistered men, women ant
I children lying in the hospitals. Over
:. worked surgeons and nurses hav,
: bravely stuck to their pests and ar,
o being relieved by incoming volunteer
j from surrounding cities.
Largest Buildings Burned.
An area more than four miles square
:, containing some of the city's hand
a soonest structures, including tn
a Buddhist temple, the largest in tn
y world, was entirely burned over befor
. the fire was brought under control. Tn
/, stock exchange, one of the most in
portant in Japan, was entirely dc
stroyed. This loss, it is believed, wi
% tend greatly to dislocate the bushes
of Osaka, which, with it's manufactnl
It ing concerns, is one of the chief con
d mereial cities of Japan.
r Women were terror stricken by tE
" fire and fed hither and thither wit
their children, some of whom were CT,
II ing for food, which could not be Of
8 tanned.
a. The emperor is deeply concerned cv'
Iy the disaster and it is believed he wi
n make generous donation to the refis
u fund and that his action will be quicl
IL ly followed by gifts from charitab
m people and institutions.