Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-19
FEAR NOW FELT
FOR SAFETY Of .
ATLANTANS


terrible toll Of death taken on the
shores of southern Japan by fires.
earthquakes and tidal waves follow
ing in the wake of eruptions by the
volcano Sakura-Jim on the Island
or Sakura, Mrs. Josephine Daniel, of
No. SO Gordon street, is making every
effort TO learn the fate of her only
daughter, Mrs. w. Harvey Clarke,
who. with her husband and five chill
dren, is in the midst of the danger
zone.
Mrs. Clarke and her husband are
BAPTIST missionaries, stationed at
Eunamoto. on the Island of Kiushiu,
only so miles from the volcano and
the city of Kagoshima, which has
been destroyed by streams of molten
lava and fire that poured from the
seething craters.
Since the first of the volcano erup-
lions and its resultant reign of ter
ror and death, Mrs. Daniel has re-
ceived no word from her daughter
and her family, although she hourly
expects a cablegram telling of their
escape from the devastated district
or their death.
Could Not Send Cable.
The last letter she received from
them was mailed in Japan on Decem-
Der is, a missive signed by her
grandchildren, Harvey and Josephine
Clarke, in which no mention was
made of any signs of activity by the
volcano.
She tried to get a cablegram
through TO her daughter, without sue
cess, and is now endeavoring to get
,JS,ot lon, wi thA Dr. ttct
Board of Foreign Missions, In the
hope that that organization, which is
in close touch with all missionaries
in Japan, may have learned the fate
Of her daughter and grandchildren.
Mrs Daniels anxiety over the safe
w of Mrs Clarke was increased Sat
urday morning by statements OF
scientists that further disturbances.
of even greater destructive force than
the first eruptions that buried the
city Of Kagoshima, with a toll of
$4,000 human lives, are to be expected
from the volcano of Sakura-Jima and
other VOLCANOES in southern Japan.
Other Volcanoes Active.
Just 80 miles south of Kumamota,
and visible from the home of Mrs.
Clarke are the mountains of Asosan,
crowned with three active volcanoes,
TWO of which have made their ap-
pearance within the past two or three
years.
IF the city of Kumamota, which
has a population of almost 100, 600.
Is menaced only by earthquakes and
fires as a result Of the eruptions on
the island of Sakura," said Mrs. Dan
lei Saturday morning, my daughter
and her family may have had time
to escape; but If there have been
eruptions from Asosan, within 80
miles Of the city, there Is little hope
that they or anyone else in the city
are alive
"Kumamota nestles in the valley at
the foot of the Asosan Mountains,
and the volcanoes are distinctly Wis
lble from almost any part of the city.
On clear days the smoke from the
craters can be seen from almost any
part of the city"
The home of the Rev. and Mrs.
Clarke is located with those of other
missionaries on the hills outside of
tile city proper, nearer the noun
tains and the volcanoes than are the
dwellings of the native Japanese. Six
years ago Mrs. Daniel visited her
daughter in Japan. and spent year
in the shadow of the volcano.
Felt Small Earthquake.
Every morning when l woke" she
said, Il could look from the window
OF my room and see the smoke rising
in clouds from the crater of Asosan,
80 miles away. At times we could
hear rumblings as the interior of the
volcano was shaken by an explosion,
ana at times there would be small
earthquakes that would shake the
city, though there had never been a
serious eruption from the volcano.
have made sightseeing trips to
the mountains of Asosan. though We
never went closer to the volcano than
d few miles, as the lava that pours
constantly down its sides and the
poisonous gases and smoke that arise
from It's crater made it dangerous to
venture close to il.
"Asosan Is regarded as one Of the
most dangerous VOLCANOES in JAPAN,
ana men familiar with such things
nave long anticipated an eruption. In
the last few years it has showed rec
neWed signs Of activity, and two
other VOLCANOES have appeared along
side the old one.
one of these, my daughter writes
is now as large and active as the orig
mai volcano and the smaller one APP
pears to be growing in size and actiy-
ity every day.
san shows signs of becoming active.
an eruption would result in a calamity
even greater than that caused by the
bursting of Sakura Jima, for Kuma-
mota, city of more than loo, 900 peo-
pie is at the mercy of the volcano.
There would hardly be any chance
OF escape for anyone in the city
should an eruption take place unless
they have been warned by the devas-
tation of the island of Sakura and
nave fled to the interior and points
remote from the VOLCANOES"
Mr.. and Mrs. Clarke have been In
Japan fourteen years, and IL they
nave escaped safely from the region
devastated by the VOLCANOES, are ex
pected home on visit sometime dur
ing the summer.
Ihey were sent to the Eastern En-
pre- by the West End Baptist Church
ana the First Baptist Church of At
Ianta. Their five children are Har
vey, Jr.. 10; Josephine, Il; jeremiah,
., Coleman, 3, and a baby Of only a