The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-01-15
THOUSANDS PERISH
AS LAVA bUR|ES
JAPANESE ISLE
City With Sixty thousand People
Under Ashes.
TIDAL WAVE ADDS TO HORROR
Inhabitants Of Kagoshima on kiushiu
Lose Lives When Fiery Stream
Sweeps Down From Volcano
Refugees Tell Of Disaster.

Nagasaki, Japan, Jan, 14.-A tidal
Quakes and volcanic eruptions which
struck Kagoshima, in southern Japan,
Monday, according to official advices.
1t is believed the Kagoshima disas.
ter will prove to be one of the most
serious in the history of Japan. The
loss of life and property increases as
fuller details are received, and indi-
cations are that the death list will
run into the thousands.
The fuh extent of the disaster
could not be ascertained, as all COM
munication was cut off from the
stricken district south of Kumamoto,
so or 80 miles north of Kagoshima.
The navy department was unable to
obtain a wireless report from the war
ships sent to the scene, although many
messages were dispatches to them.
Six Inches Of Ashes In Mlyazaki.
Ashes to the depth of six inches
have fallen in the seaport of Miya-
zaki, on the east coast of Kyushu.
A postal employee who fed from Ka-
goshima says the big postoffice build
ing there collapsed during the earth
quake and tidal wave and that many
residences were ruined, while many
people and animals were killed or
injured.
The navy and army departments are
Fastening succor and supplies to Ka-
goshima.
Government authorities declare that
any official estimate of the extent
of the disaster will be impossible for
several days.
The population of the city of Kago.
shima, which is almost completely bur.
led in volcanic ashes and stones. was
10000 at the last census. The popu-
lation of the adjoining island OF Sa-
gura, the center of the disturbance, is
given as $1,000.
On this island hundreds are re-
ported to have persisted beneath the
streams of molten lava OF Sakura-
lima. Many more were undoubtedly
drowned while attempting to es-
cape.
Doctors and hospital attendants
have been sent to the scene, but IT
is difficult to reach the spot, as rail-
road communication is impeded by
the heaps of ashes, and the tracks
have been dislocated by the earth
quake.
Ashes Carried 30 Miles.
The violence of the eruption Of Sa-
kura-Jima is SO great that showers of
dust are falling here today, although
the distance between Nagasaki and
the island of Sakurs is about 80
niles.
A refugee who arrived here from
Kagoshima gave the following &C
count of the disaster:
The eruption started suddenly with
columns of thick black smoke and
fame from the crater of Sakura.Jima
Hundreds Of the inhabitants Of the
small island in the Gulf of Kagoshima,
where Sakura-Jima is situated, rush
ed TO the beach and leaped on board
junks and steamers, which carried
them across three miles of water to
kagoshima. ashes, stones asd parti.
Giles of white hot lava falling all the
while on the decks.
AT Kagoshima the heat was in
tense. The constantly increasing hail
Of glowing cinders made it impossible
for he "a %
Earthquakes Add to Terror.
The horror was increased by the
shaking caused by incessant shocks
of earthquakes, which rocked the
houses all day. More than $50 earth
quake shocks were recorded before
nightfall.
The people fed in disordered
droyes along the highway leading
west and north OF the city. They had
abandoned everything In their fight,
and soon they were suffering from
lack of food and drink
When | left Kagoshima the vol
cano resembled an enormous setplece
Of fireworks glowing from the foot
Of the mountain to the summit. Dur.
ing the night the glowing lava illumin-
ated the entire district. The volcano
constantly emitted thunderous ex.
plosions"
The burning rock and ashes set fire
to several villages. At Mol, on the
Kiushiu railway. 100 persons were
killed. Several villages along the foot
Of the volcano were buried in streams
Of lava
Earthquake Wipes Out island.
Victoria. B. c.. Jan. 1.-THE entire
western part Of the island Of Am
brym, New Hebrides. has been de-
vastated by volcanic eruption, accord
ing TO news brought by the Canadian.
Australian liner Makura.
Word was received at Sidney prior
TO the departure OF the Makura that
on December 8 six new craters were
observed In active eruption.
The steamer France succeeded In
saving 500 natives. Most of these
were old men. women and children LEFT
behind By young. able-bodied men,
who st the first sign OF danger took
night In CANOES.