Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-05

Letter from MISS Harriet Louise
Perry of Hallowell. now q missionary
in Japan First mail to reach the
United States from the survivors of
the Japanese earthquake. Vivid pic
ture of conditions there. Miss Perry
is a graduate of Hallowell High, the
Deaconess School at Washington and
Boston University. She Is the
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. w. H.
Perry Of Hallowell.
Karuizawa, Sunday, Sept 2, 1922.
Dear Folks:
] certainly would like to know
what you are reading in the papers
there about Japan just about now,
and l would like even more to get
some autentic news of what Is go
ing on in Tokyo at this minute.
This has been the most exciting
twenty-four hours I ever lived. We
have had a big earthquake and we
hear that Tokyo and Yokohama have
had tidal wave and fire added, all
communication Is broken off between
here and Tokyo and we cannot get
word yet of just what has happened,
so do not know whether l have a
home to go back to there or not, or
whether all my worldly possessions
there are safe or otherwise, and what
is causing us more anxiety. we can
get no word yet of Miss Seeds and
the others who are there. The dam
age here in Karuizawa was very
slight comparatively, and so far as
| have heard. no one was hurt.
Saturday morning ! went to a lee
ture by Or. Sohpia Hart Of Welles-
ley. who is here just now. After the
lecture l started for the post office.
was almost there when heard the
most peculiar rushing sound and the
buildings began to shake and the
ground to heave, so that felt as
though l were standing up in a small
boat on a rough sea. The people
rushed out of the shops on all sides
saying "jishin" "jishin," (earth-
quake, earthquake. and I heard sew
eral say. "Asama Yama" that is the
volcano near us.
am sure I could not tell you how
long | stood there bracing myself
and watching the buildings around
me sway back and forth. but 1t last
ed quite a while. / Il, ard things fall
ing and breaking in the shops and a
bicycle leaned against a building fell
over Then it seemed to stop and I
started on and it came again for a
shorter time The street surely was a
sight, just full of people, for every
body rushes to the open. of course.
When I got back to the house l
found not much damage on the first
floor, except cracked plastering, but
upstairs about every piece of crock
cry was broken and the top of one
of the chimneyS was reposing in the
front yard. l was glad was not in
side when it came: some of the peo-
pie who were here were pretty we'll
upset, one girl who only landed here
from America three weeks ago, had
Mysteries. Two OF the men here have
started down to try to &c. through
to Tokyo.
Tuesday P NJ. Oh, folks, I do not
know how to try to write YOU the
rest of the story as we have been
getting it little by little, of Tokyo
and Yokohama. We have by no
means full reports Vet. The men
who went down SUNDAY, DR.. Iglehart
and DR.. Berry. (Cwho had just come
from America) get through to
Aoyama and sent two students,
Japanese boys. back with letters.
They arrived here about three A. NJ.
and Mrs. Welch called me about five
thirty. to tell me that there was a
letter for me in the bunch and that
tho HiShon wanted me to go out and
deliver some Cf ti'o others in differ
ent par-G Cf tho town NV letter
was write" 49, T'-thor ThurStOn for
! herself ANA Ms @cc3~. Esther was
in the Ueno station WHOM the big
quake came and r'0nH~cd to make
her way back to hoyarN" which is
the least hurt and the safes: Oart Of
Tokyo. Even there the most of the
buildings are so badly shaken that
they cannot he used without a good
many repairs one dormitorv of the
bows school is all right and they are