The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-14
HUNDRED THOUSAND
. DIE WHEN VOLCANO
ANN|H|LATES CITIES
Kagoshima. Japan. and Three
Villages Wiped Out by
Flood Of Fire Pouring From
Sakurashima.
Greatest Volcanic Disaster
Since the Eruption of Nit.
Pelee. Whole Range Bursts
into Activity After Century's
Quiescence.

n.
0t@S~A'C'
-----
TOXIC. Jan. lathe city of Ka-
Hoshima- with $4,000 Inhabitants, was
totally destroyed by flood OF FIRE
from the Saknrashin1a volcano, which
burst into activity on January nth.
Inc three villages on the Island OF
n4kurAsninha were oiotted oui oy the
Aio..en ava when poured from ths
SIassI. alsu io.oVo persons are peheVeu
70 nave per3sneu there'
Nearly avg. WV persons are reared TO
PC deao IN thS greatest solcahic ais
asteT SINCE the destruction or St Pierre
~ tne eruption 81 Mount Peiee.
While the TACT that millions OF peo-
PIE were snHering the asonies OF nun
ser ana thousands were dying OF star
faiion nan heen regarded mere with
.comp&rt1ve indinefence. the people
were galvanized into excitement by
tne disaster In the south. which. be-
cause OF It's spectacular charactef.
nNakeneo the lnlaslnalaon.
Erupts Without Warning.
rha wbt,,a r,o,,a, a,, ranve ~ kiusbui
hvrs, sn,n aarysras,s activity Win
- rtl.py s,,daennexs a rtar having heen
n,,fescrnt for naore than a century.
Enr,sh,,na ,syaa ohJtfaratea erarftv az
s 49,. $1,000, 49, a~v,,tfaa ~ RI.
- - !. 49, xr..a..
pssas .s.,s.,.a a;.oc,
/. Il .s,.,, -. ~ 90,
.,-.'. - - = ..,..,,,,>.,se
sss-. s,as.s.'a - ssxs,,s..s, M,
shAtsS "c10 urst' ssN"' 1saa 49,.
- es,
Asos ~ ssue"
According to dispatches received
"a re- rnfN Inv
loss OF Ire was apparently on the rs
land or Sakurashiuia. After haNlhg
been dormant for one hundred ana
Unity years fae yD5caAo, without WARN
AHEn hrfruonstntG ACTIVITY. anG poured
"A 1nctton on the sniaEes on lis
HlOrcB and base.
The eruption began IN she forenoon
last sunday. according TO the story OF
one OF the survivors. who managed to
escape from kagoshimat Many OF the
islanders FASTENED to the mainland,
couple Of miles away. abandoning
their homes in terror, but by far the
greater number had no time TO es-
cane
The whole mountain seemed to
split New craters opened up in
score of places and lava and blazing
ashes came down the slopes iSniung
everything in their path until the Ell
tire island was a mass Of flame.
The inhabltants ~ the western slope
of the mountain were most affected by
the first explosion. The survivors ran
10 the beach as thu flames swept
down the inountatnside. The people
Aocked TO the beach opposite haSo~
shiina. There were no boats TO take
them to the mainland. The police OF
kagoshima appropriated all tns avail
able craft In the harhoF there ana
hastened 10 lend aid to the stricken
Islanders.
Heat II lafense.
w the boats sistss - the island Lac
heat was intense and ,he haraes Al
ss1need to the beach so rapidly that
hundreds Of persons were doomed be-
fare tae rtseuers could reach The Is
hand and the burning lava overlook
fstrrn before the eyes of the men 'sfs'4~
teni.g TO give them aid Many were
saved. however and taken 10 NAG,
china.
IT was not until three quarters OF
En hour after the first ernptior that
the summit OF the volcano began TO
hari forth lava and rocks. The Vary
matter leaped TO AIN Immense hsisht
.t.fengh dense volumes of smoke.
Then the people Of kagoshina. who
had been watching the terrific spec
tncle with awestruck interest, became
Alarmed for their own safety. rs the
teries Of earthquakes increased IN
number and intensity the people BEGAN
~ Nee. The authorities ordered the
Inhabitants to abandon tnc city.
Tho order had scarcely been given
When the city was IN darkness AS \
rain Ut ashes from the volcanoes sur,
INIT Hooded the place. This continued
AL through the night
Tbs Kaxoshima refugee who TOD