The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-01-21
Crushed Men, Women and
Children to Death,
JAPANs TERRIBLE CALAMITY
Victims Perish While Trying
To Save Babies And
Aged Friends.
LATEST FRrGHTFuL DISASTER

Tokyo, Jan. 16.-Enormous losl
of life and the practical humiliation
of Sakura-Shima by the volcanic
eruption and earthquake which be
gan Saturday and has continued
ever slice, are reiterated in brie
messages which have come from va
rious sources during the day.
The Governor of Miyasaki, neal
the east coast of Kiushiu, telegraphs
that the hundreds of terror-stricker
refugees who have managed to reach
Miyasaki say there has been terrible
loss of life because thousands of the
Inhabitants ON the island were una
BILE to reach the mainland before be-
ing overtaken by fire and lava.
1t is stated that no accurate esti
mate of the number of casualties
will be possible for several days be-
cause of the interruption of rail
telegraph and all other means Of
communication throughout the at.
fected area, which impedes the work
of rescue. Most of the communica.
lions SO far received have been by
wireless.
So sudden was the eruption that
many persons were overcome by vol
canic gases before they could escape
from their places of habitation. and
Others were cut off from escape nv
streams of lava pouring down the
sides of the mountain.
The city of Kago-Shima Is covered
with Is feet of ashes. Enormous
assures of great depths run in all
directions. Even the bay partially
is filled with ashes and other mat
ter hurled up from the crater.
1t is officially reported that 500
houses collapsed during the earth
Qiake.
Any estimate of the number of
dead must include large number of
refugees who were drowned while
trying to swim to the city of Kago-
Shima.
At Kumamoto, north of Kago-
Shima more than 1000 refugees
haze arrived. and the authorities are
&eed with the difficulty of housing
and feeding the sufferers from the
disaster.
Dispatches showed that animals
and birds to the south of Satsuma
were suffering grom abnormal un-
|SAsiness for several days prior to the
disturbance.
The famine in the northern part
of Japan continues to give the Gov
eminent much alarm, and relief
measures on a tremendous scale Will
be necessary.
Sakura- Shima, at the height of its
eruption, is pictured in reports as a
terrifying mountain of fire. The air
for miles around is thick with ashes
and smoke. The police and soldiers
of Kago-Shima, soon after the dis
turbance began. made many rescues
from the Island of Sakura-Shima.
The people at first did not seem to
realize their danger and were slow
in trying to escape. 1t is feared that
many were killed before reaching
the seashore. Thousands pursued
by q rain of fiery stones. knelt on
the beach. half submerged in water.
and gesticulated wildly to the steam
ers and fishing boats for aid. One
small steamer saved 800 persons
while the other boats also did noble
rescue work.
"The disaster was almost hides
cribable," declared Judge Urabe,
refugee. who arrived here to-day.
"On the evening of the disaster
the buildings in Kago-Shima crumb-
led up and fell. | saw men crushed
10 the earth as they were fleeing
from their houses.
"All points to the north of Kago-
Shima were crowded with despairing
refugees as l passed through. Many
of these people were so stricken with
fear that they resembled clay fg-
ures. Weeping women. begrimed
with ashes, struggled along, carrying
infants in their arms. Others were
dragging with them the sick and
aged. :,
"Qne nonagenarian on the Island
G arf'xura-Shima refused to allow
- klf TO be rescued saying he
Az to die on the sacred isle. He
However. forc.d along with the
Ltugitives.
MI tAgee gives graphic picture
ta9 % Overwhelming of villages by
'earkthquake and eruption:
"The earthquakes began Sunday"
he said. "and the people spent
fearful night In their gardens. In
the morning flaming boulders des-
cended and set fire to the houses.
Women and children fed and were
followed by the men. Red-hot ashes
blinded and burned them.
"There We're no boats on shore,
and rost OF the fugitives had to
wall the coming of rescuers; others
with lamentations Hung themselves
into the sea. One by one swimmers
were drowned or killed.
"Pumice stone and lava spurted
from the craters; a scarlet vapor OBJ
rcured the heavens; the roar OF the
volcanoes was like the sound OF q
|>housand thunders. The whole Is