Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-01-31
THOUSANDS DEAD AS RESULT OF
VOLCANO ERuPTIoNs IN
SOUTHERN ISLANDS.
SEVERAL CITIES DESTROYED
Reports Say That Fleeing People
Were Buried in Streams of Hot
Lava-TidaI Wave Adds
to Horror.

Toxic, Jar an-At least five thol-
sand persons, possibly twice that num-
Der are dead as the result of the erup-
ion of the volcano of Sakura-Jima on
the island of Sakura, and the tidal
wave which swept yer the stricken
district The eruption of the volcano
began Saturday morning, and while
the island of Sakura and the main
land were being shaken almost con-
tinuously by the deafening detonations,
glowing lava poured down its sides,
burning Goals showered kissing into
the water and ashes covered the
island and the surrounding mainland
Of the bay.
Advices are that several other vol
canoes in other parts of the empire
were showing signs of eruption There
are several hundred volcanoes scat
tered through Japan, and an exten-
sive series of eruptions probably
would shock the world by the loss of
life which would be inevitable.
Japan is heorically meeting a double
affliction-famine in the north and
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in
the south.
Ten million people are in need of
food in Northern Honde and Hokkaido
and there have been many deaths
from starvation.
In the south the islands of Kiushiu
and Shikoka are in the grip of seismic
disturbances. Craters had suddenly
discharged great volume of flaming
rocks and ashes, carrying destruction
and terrifying the southern empire.
Ashes are falling as far north as
Osaka.
Although the fate of the inhabitants
of Sakura Island is not certain, it is
believed that the great majority of
them have escaped in boats to the
mainland.
A steamer which succeeded on Mon
day in touching the eastern coast of
Sakura reports that it rescued three
hundred persons, but was unable to
take more. The police and soldiers
of Kagushima made many heroic res
cues. The men and women accus-
toned to participate in the festivals
to commemorate the eruption of 1879
did not realize the extent of the dis
aster and it is feared many were
killed before reaching the seashore.
The heat is described as Internal.
Junks report that stones fall Kissing
into the bay.
The refugees from Kagoshima fled
across the heaving land caused by the
rapid succession of the quakes. The
whole southern half of Kiushiu is en-
veloped in ashes and smoke. Sakura
Jima, however, appears to be the only
volcano dangerously active at pres
emit,
Advices from Negano, capital of Ne
gano Prefecture and Asama-Yama, in
the island of Hondo, report great erup-
tions. Asama is a lofty volcano about
ninety miles northeast of Toxic, with
a crater one thousand feet in diam
eter. The scene is described as sub
lime, smoke and flames soaring thou
sands of feet into the sky. In the
Utsunomiya district the sky is over
cast and every roof is covered with
white ashes.
Many crevasses formed at Kago-
shima and owing to the snakelike
movement of the surface of the earth
the fugitives were forced to advance
on all tours. Thousands took refuge
on top of the famous Mount Shiroo-
yama, fearing a tidal wave. Many of
the houses at Kagoshia collapsed and
there are three feet of ashes in the
street