Milford chronicle., 1914-01-16
THOUSANDS Die
IN JAPAN QUAKES
City Of KagOShima Buried Under
Ashes From Volcano
TIDAL WAVE ADDS TO HORROR

Hundreds Drown While Trying to Es-
cape Burning Hail From Roaring
crater-several Villages Burned.
A tidal wave added its terriers to
the earthquakes and volcanic eruption
which struck Kagoshima in southern
Japan, according to official adyices.
II is believed in Toxic that the Ka-
goshima disaster will prove to be one
Of the most serious in the history Of
Japan. The loss of life and property in.
: creases with fuller news from the
scene.
The full extent of the disaster could
not be ascertained, as all communica-
tion was cut off from the stricken dis.
trict south of Kumamoto. eighty or
ninety miles north of Kagoshima.
Ashes 10 the depth OF six inches
have fallen in the seaport Of Miya-
zaki, on the east coast of Kiushiu
a postal employe. who fed from
. Kagoshima, states that the big post
Office building there collapsed during
/ the earthquakes and tidal wave. and
I that a great number of residences
We're ruined, while many people and
animals were killed or injured.
The navy and army departments are
fastening succor and supplies to Ka-
goshima.
Indications are that the death list
from the earthquakes and volcanic
disturbances around Kagoshima will
fr,H,
thorities declare that any official es-
innate of the extent Of the disaster
will be impossible for several days.
The population of the city OF Kago-
shima, which is almost completely
buried in volcanic ashes and stones,
was $4,000. The population of the ad-
joining island of Sakura, the center Of .
the disturbance, is given at $4,000. /
On this island hundreds are reported T.
TO have perished beneath the streams |
of molten lava from the volcano of [
Sakura-Jima. Many more were un- Z
doubtedly drowned while attempting
to escape.
The violence of the eruption at Sa-
kura-Jima is so great that showers Of /
dust are falling in NagasaH, although
the distance between Nakasad and
the island of Sakura is about ninety
miles. A refugee from Kagoshima
gave the following account Of the dis
aster:
'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.
where Sakura-Jima is situated, rushed
to the beach and leaped on board
iunks and steamers, which carried
them across three miles of water to
ashes, stones and parti-
cles 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
,or the citizens to remain. The horror
vas increased by the incessant shocks
If earthquake, Which rocked the
louses all day. More than 25O earth
luake shocks were recorded before d;
lightfall.
THE people fed in disordered :
IrOyes along the highways leading
vest and north of the city They had a
bandoned everything in their flight |
nd soon they we're suffering also from
ack of food and drink.
when left Kagoshima the vol
ano resembled an enormous set-piece T
( fire works. glowing from the foot h
the mountain to the summit. Dur f
lg the night the glowing lava illumi- o
ated the entire district. The volcano Il
emitted thunderous explo. il
ons." Il
The burning rock and ashes set fire
several villages. At Moji, on the h
iushiu railway, 100 persons were kill Il
I. Several villages along the foot of W
Ie volcano were buried in streams al
lava. iu
One loaded railway train which left
agoshima with refugees was wreck
by an earthquake shock, which
pped out the rails. At least 100 per te
ms were killed in this disaster. It is tn
timated that nearly 100000 persons, ye
and around Kagoshima, were made m
,meless. in
The force of the eruptions was ter. 81
Die. Stones we're thrown hundreds VIZ
feet in the air, some falling twenty WI
lies distant from the volcano NJ
The eruption began with thunderous
plosions and the volcano became a
airing furnace. a.,