Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-08
BEER AND WINES
ARE USED TO PUT
OUT FIRE IN TOKYO
Water Supply Cut Off by
sse Earthquake, Beverage
Is Substituted.
100000 FORCED TO
co WITHOUT BATHS
Not for 300 Years Has SINH.
lar Disaster Visited Jap
ancsc Capital.

TOKYO. Jan. 7.-Becr. wine and
sake flowed yesterday in n Tokyo gut
Ter even as II might in dry" America
following Il visit Of heartlcss prohibi-
ton officers. But the liquor tina,
trieklcd across the sidewalk here and
sccpcd into the dusty pavement OF the
8 Gina, was not contraband. nor can il
be said it was entirely wasted. Pa
irons of Gina cafe. one OF the
countless Japanese eating houses on
3 the thorouGhfarc best known to for
eigners, were using the stun 10 eN-
tinSuish II fire that had broken out in
3 the building. totally Insufficient
water supply was available for such
: purposes, and besides water was much
too dear to use for putting out fires.
y Fortunately Cor unfortunately from
the viewpoint Of the liquor dcalcrs).
this is not a condition which exists
normally in Tokyo. But the recent
earthquake, the worst suffered in al
: most thirty years. although no lives
were lost. seriously damaged tho city
water system and reduced the supply
Tor Tokyo's 100000 Inhabitants TO
virtually nothing.
Not Wntcrless ncfore for 800 Years.
= Not in 300 years has disaster in this
SbuPt inc Japanese capital,
subjected though il is TO frcuucnt
earthquakes of more or less serious
proportions. Whole sections of the
city have been demolished in n min
ute's time and fires following earth
: quake shocks have time and again
taken heavy toll OF lives and property
Due to the volcanic nature of all the
islands OF Japan. and TO the peculiar
seismic conditions at this point Of the
a. a ri Ut f..tt- In, l{,,,
world are re often visited by Quakcs
Oftcniimcs as many ms half dozen
shocks are felt In the course OF a
week, and during one yenr recently
almost 1000 distinct earthquakes
(somc of them barely perccptiblc
however, were recorded by an OBJ
.Scrvatory here. Never, however, un
Ill the present was Tokyo left water
less
without bath OF Shaving Facilities.
,sJToday the 100000 ,rc ba,hlcss-
Ind largely Unshavcn--whilc biiru
Nlihc Japanese derivation OF once
familiar word beer is the principal
liable drink of the city.
y II isn't known Just how much Of
the LIQUID was Used 1y the Ginza cafe
diners. when they put out the fire. but
certainly ii was more tkan would
fhIyn been put to such purposes in
,sAlherica. \ thirsty tourist from the
SIXTIES was deeply affected by the
spectacle until nc remembered that
;Iere, II not where he lives, there
plenty more where that ca me from.
- For short periods each day. while
s{hc reservoirs are being repaired
ESoInc sections OF the city enjoy lin
BED supply uf water, but by no means
gre all so favored aud real Guffcring
~ felt in some wnrds. An inter
ward rot was barely avcricd a day or
Two ago. when the residents OF the
@"drEcr" section felt favori;ism was
being shown to their disadvantage
~ Unab!. 20 obtain water for boiling
rice. nany have turned for food to
tho bread Of the Western world, and
the price OF that staple consequently
has been more hsn-tioubled.
Copyright, 1929 fpbiic Ledger Coz