Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-20
Stricken Japanese City Is,
Slowly Recovering From
It's Reign of Terror
SOLDIERS CAMPED
UPON THE STREETS
American Eye Witness tc
Destructive Eruption
Describes Scene

kagoshima,, Japan, Jan. 49,
Fresh eruptions of the volcano OF
Sakura-Jima which recently caus-
ed such widespread devastation
occurred today. They were accom-
panied by earthquakes and violent
subterranean noises.
The governor of Hokkaido to-
day estimated that about 100000
people on the island Of kiushu-
will need relief and that about $3,-
100000 will be required.
Kagoshima, Japan, Jan. 19.-This
city is rapidly recovering from the
complete prostration which followed
the eruption of Sakura-Jima. Train
service has been restored and in the
business district many of the stores
have been partially reopened The
postal and telegraph service are car
ried on in tents. Soldiers are biv-
Ouacked in the streets and parties of
bluejackets from the Japanese cruisers
are searching the ruins.
The villages of Shigotoki and Kajili,
ten miles inland, suffered very severe
ly in the catastrophe No estimate
can yet be made of the casualties.
American Eyewitness Speaks.
Toxic, Japan, Jan. ia graphic
Quakes which devasted the island of
destroying hundreds of lives on Jan
vfs,v. ter <r,1o H1rH
Hoyer of Wisconsin, who was an eye
witness. He says:
The volcano of Sakura-Jima at the
beginning of the eruption resembled
Niagara of fire from which masses of
molten stone were hurled long dis
tances.
During the night of January A.
loud explosion was heard, followed by
flash of flame and cloud of ashes,
rising many thousand feet.
Beneath the cloud of smoke and
ashes, broad streams of lava could be
plainly seen flowing down the slopes
to the sea. Forests on the mountain
side quickly caught fire and the flames
little villages nearby.
The entire western coast line of
Sakura seemed to be blaze and
strong wind carried smoke, gas and
hot ashes straight to the mainland.
From Kagoshima, three miles
across the bay, people fled in panic
stricken crowds, many of them ascend
ing the steep sides of Shirovama
and looking back from there
in terror on the scene.
"a heavy rain fell the next night and
served to settle somewhat the flying
dust and ashes. Many of the people
returned to their crumbling houses.
"Sakura-Jima was still actively
belching out flames and cinders, but
the earth shocks were becoming less
violent and soon subsided altogether
for a time. The town Of kagoshima
was filled with malodorous gases, |
however. # r 90, /
I made visit the following morn |
ing within a short distance of Sakura !
but it was impossible to reach the !
shore in the small native boat, owing !
to the great floating fields of pumice |
stone.
"The occupants of the boat could,
however, observe that the villages !
d4OA6 IuO ouOlC, Will lLcll llCc uSluS !
and gardens, had been levelled by the |
molten lava, while the surrounding |
forests had been destroyed. /
THE principal crater of Sakura- !
Jima was evident as a gap, a mile
wide in the side of the mountain,
could be seen. Below this were num-
erous smaller craters, emitting smoke
and flames. Beneath each opening
there were great plateaus of cooling t
lava. The two old craters Of the vol
nano had been forced into one by the
destruction of the dividing ridge" |