The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-01-23
LAVA KILLS MANY
THOUSANDS LOSE LIVES WHEN
JAPANESE CITY is BURIED
UNDER ASHES.
Neighboring Island Is Also Swept by
the Fiery Stream-ouake Destroys
Island and Tidal Wave Adds to
Horror-Warships to Scene.

Nagasaki, Japan, Jan. 15.-Earth
quakes and volcanic eruptions which
struck Kagoshima. in southern Japa j,
on Monday, were followed by tidal
wave, according to official advices.
IL 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.
Ashes TO the depth of six inches
have fallen in the seaport of Miya-
zaki, on the east coast of Kyushu.
A postal employe who fled from Ka-
goshima says the big post office 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 depart
ments are fastening succor and sup
plies to Kagoshima. Government au-
thorities declare that any official esti-
mate of the extent of the disaster will
be impossible for several days. The
population of the city of Kagoshima.
which is almost completely buried in
volcanic ashes and stones, was 10000
at the last census. The population cf
the adjoining island of Sagura, the
center of the disturbance, is given as
$4,000. On this island hundreds are
reported to have persisted beneath the
streams of molten lava of Sakura-
lima. Many more were undoubtedly
drowned while attempting to es-
cape.
The violence of the eruption of Sa-
kura-Jima is so great that showers Of
dust are falling here, although the
distance between Nagasaki and the
island of Sakura is about 80 miles.
A refugee who arrived here on Mon
day from Kagoshima gave the follow
ing account Of the disaster:
The eruption started suddenly with
columns of thick black smoke and
flame from the crater of Sakura-Jima.
Hundreds of the inhabitants Of the
small island in the Gulf of Kagoshima,
to the beach and leaped on board
junks and steamers, which carried
them across three miles of water to
kagOshima, ashes. stones and parti-
,cles of white hot lava falling all the
while on the decks.
The horror was increased by the
shaking caused by inoessant shocks
of earthquake, which rocked the
houses all day. More than $50 earth
quake shocks were recorded before
nightfall
THE people fed in disordered
.droves .along the highway leading
west and north of the city.
when | left Kagoshima the vol
cano resembled an enormous setpiece
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 Moji, on the
Kiushiu railway 100 persons were
killed. Several villages along the
foot of the volcano were buried in
streams of lava
Victoria, B. c., Jan. 15.-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. The steam
er France succeeded in saving 500 ma
tives.