San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-25

Yokohama had a population well over
100000. Probably 100000 of these
were out Of the city, visiting or work
ing in nearby cities. at the fatal hour.
The number of refugees removed by
vessels did not exceed 100000. while
the struggling lines of survivors flee
ing from the scene ofAmisery the fol-
lowing morning did not exceed 100000.
When every means of accounting for
this half million population is ex-
halsted there remain 10000 unac-
counted for. Thus ut least 10000
in Yokohama must be designated as
remaining in the common grave which
quake and fire created.
Many Burns in Yokohama.
As to Tokyo, the loss of life in the
Quakes was almost negligible. Through
out my tour of the city after the two
major quakes | did not see q single
dead body ana saw only one injured
| japanese being carried on a stretcher.
This was in the business district where
the largest structures demolished by
the earth's movement were located.
That the bodies of many victims were
| buried beneath the masses of debris is
not to be doubted, but persons pinned
beneath wrcckage whom it was hui
manly possible TO save were rescued
before the flames claimed their terri
BILE toll.
But A CHASTITY toll was exacted when
the flames finally asserted themselves.
There is no doubt in my mind that
nine-tenths of the victims burned TO
death in Tokyo could have escaped.
However the people of Tokyo were
| accustomed to Quakes and, following
| the shocks, their first thoughts were
to remove what belongings they could
| to places of safety, squat down to
await the final shake and then start
to rebuild their homes. ~
But this course of procedure was
not safe this time. Instead of find
| ing their debris-scattered. narrow
streets n zone of safety several hours
later, the Japanese hordes, especially
in the crowded HOMO Stun districts
and other thickly populated sections.
| found themselves hemmed in by flames.
These narrow lanes were veritable
| death traps. Thus the doom d thou
sands can be pictured crowding to-
gether in their narrow streets, mute,
helpless. dumb, calmly awaiting their
terrible tate.
losses Heaviest i'm Slums.
When the flames had clai:;-ed their
toll the victims lay in iroves, some
still recognizable to mourning friends
and relatives come TO claim their dead.
but most of them merely distorted
heaps Of charred bones and burned
[ flesh. twisted in gruesome shapes of
| final Snnl M hot N
field ever presented.
Tokyo's population had passed q
100000. Certainly more than 1000
fateful Saturday. Immediately after
the quakcs as has been said. the ey.
odus of homeless refugees was slight
but as the fires gained Roadway rht
number rapidly increased. Doubt
less, however. more than 100000
remained within the city limits
throughout the disaster. Large num-
bers of these were afforded safety
from the flames in parks, wide streets
and other pen spaces. while big sec
tons of the city not burning proved
safety zones for their inhabitants
and others.
So-called "offic,al" figures report
the total dead at about $1,000 with
100000 missing after the number of
refugees Afleeing to other sections of
the country are accounted for. Still,
it does not seem possible to reduce
the number of victims in Tokyo to
less than 100000 when one considers
the teeming population of the slums
where the flames did their worst
and when one considers that children
swarmed in these districts burned.
Try to Minimize Losses.
As to Yokosuka it is impossible to
get specific details. but it is known
that the population was over 100000
and the total destruction of the city
by terrible quakes, followed at once
by equally terrible fires. made more
disastrous by flowing rivers of burn
ing oil from storage tanks in the hills
behind the city. certainly reaped n
harvest of at least 10000 charred
bodies. Then the mountain villages
which slid off into the valleys. carry
ing their entire populations. must also
be considered in counting in vast num-
Der of dead.
Certainly, when every allowance is
made fo- possible escape, the total loss
of life in this terrible tragedy must
have been Mt least 100000.
Foreigners here regret the obvious
efforts of the japanese authorities to
cover up the terrible loss of life. ThosG
who witnessed the disaster know full
well the terrible details. and doctor
ed" figures put ut to minimize the
sufferings of this stoical little people
merely inspire disgust. 1t is easy
| 60 rooI ,ba ,,ipIc of Ton, upSa officio Is
in their attempt TO minimize the feal
Of the world as to the future safety
Of Japan lest it react unfavorably upor
the country.
(The next article in this series will