The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-03
YOKOHAMA RUINED ] BY FLAMES LITER GREAT TIDAL WAVE
Tens Of Thousands Dead ES- innate Of Casualties Fol-
 lowing Earthquake
By RAY G. MARSHALL (Lensed Wire to The Age-HeraIdl


 sands of dead" Is the appalling esti- mate of casualties in the catastrophe of earthquake, tidal wave and fire that has swept Japan, according to an intercepted wireless message sent out by the Japanese steamship Korea Maru. now in the harbor of stricken Yokohama, which declares that the city has been "destroyed.'
 k Fire followed swiftly after the earthquake shocks, according to other messages reaching China. Twenty square miles of Tokio have been burned. The country between Osaka and Tokio is in ruins. Yoko hama. shattered by the quake, was swept by a gigantic tidal wave, talk ing it's toll of dead. Wrecked houses bi1st into a conflagration that later swept districts of the seaport.
 4 Typhoon preceded tho first shock, Twenty-Five minutes after shock sock the broken houses. The tidal wave followed, spreading havoc Hlong the coast.
 City Without Provision.
 Yokohama, in ruins. is without provisions, and inhabitants are be- seeching ships in the harbor for food. As many as possibly can be accom- modated are being brought on board the ships and fed, the message states.
 The Korea Maru, operated by the Japanese Toyo Risen kaisha, was Francisco. It is understood that she carried many American passengers.
 No word has been received here of the fate of the 1000 Americans who are residents In Japan. Large and increasing death tolls In the native population are indicated, however.
 As the skyscrapper buildings, pride of Japan's new western civilization, toppled into the crowded streets with the first earthquake shocks, flames burst forth from the debris and were quickly famed to mighty conflagra- tions which swept whole districts.
 In Yokohama a tidal wave swept in from the sea, spreading havoc among anchored vessels, engulfing the water front naval station, and poured inland in an angry, roaring cascade.
 Fire After Tidal Wave.
 As It's waters began to recede from the waste of wrecked houses, fire broke out along the bund. Burning fiercely, it swept the shopping dis trict, destroying all houses in the Benton Dori section and along Main and Water streets in swift success sion.
 Simultaneously, the earthquake e spread ruin through Tokio, a city of aJ cities of Hondo. Fires followed the quake burning the Maroununchi building at Tokio, the largest struc- ture in the Orient and the detached imperial palace at Nhinigawa. Burn ing of bridges across the Tokio ca ynal prevented thousands from escap- ing from the flaming areas. Panic and confusion swept the city as new districts burst into flame.
 Troops and police battled the con- flagration, but could not overcome 1t. Sweeping through the city. it de- stroyed several wards, including the great business section known as the Nihombashi district, and also the Kanda business section. The Shiba or embassy district was later de- stroyed, and the fate of embassy Of ficials is unknown.
 thus far been unable to communicate with the American embassy officials in Tokio, or consuls at Japanese ports. Henry Fairchild Osborn, New York scientist, was among Americans in Japan at the time of the disaster. Due to arrive here two days ago, he has not been heard from.
 AS the flames ragged, martial law was proclaimed in Tokio. Military, firemen and police joined in the fight against the fire. Latest reports from Tokio indicate that they had gained SOHtiOA Ol lle COuIldBTdLlOn.
 O O O
 20 Square Miles In Ruins.
 It is reported that 20 square miles of the city have been burned. All newspaper offices except the "Nichi- Nichi" have been destroyed. The de- struction of government buildings caused the loss of documents of great value.
 Meanwhile Tokio is without food. while hundreds of the refugees are in need of clothing. Appeals for sup plies are being sent broadcast throughout Japan, and the city of Osaka. itself suffering from the earthquake, has dispatched shipload of supplies to the stricken capital.
 Messages from Osaka report that the earthquake extends throughout the entire main island of Japan, cen tering in the city of Magoya.
 No word has yet been received from Clarence Dubose, in charge of the United Press and United News of fices in Tokio, since the earthquake shock. Dispatches received by the New York correspondent of the Tokio Asahi," reports that the offices of the newspaper have been destroyed. TOkiO