The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-09-12
By EDWARD w. PIcKARp

21 EGWAh0 " FlNNAnO
HISTORY does not record a disas-
H ter equaling that which has over
taken Japan, unless present reports
and estimates are greatly exaggerated.
Shaken to pieces by violent earth
Guakes and set ablaze by resulting con-
fagratiOns, Tokyo, the capital, is
three-fOurths destroyed; Yokohama,
the chief seaport, is wiped out; nu-
merOus smaller cities and towns are
in ruins, and the entire eastern half
of HOndO, Japan's main Island, is
devastated.
Latest estimates Of the casualties,
received by the japanese legation in
Picking, put the dead at 100000 or
more, of whom 100000 persisted in
Yokohama. More than a million per-
sons are homeless, and the hunger and
suffering in the afflicted region are
intense. 1t is not yet possible to esti-
mate the monetary losses, but those in
Tokyo alone are put at about
$1O,OOO,OO0,OOO
Many Americans and other foreign
erS-Oficials. business men and tour
ists-were caught in the disaster, and
of course some of them were killed.
However, the number Of American IA
talities was rather small. Among
them were Consul Max D. KirjassOff
and Mrs. Kirjassoff, Vice Consul Paul
L. jerks at Yokohama, and Commits.
siOner and Mrs. William Eadie in com
mand of the Salvation Army forces
in Tokyo. The Japanese emperor ant
the prince regent escaped death but
several members of the royal family
and of the nobility were killed.
United States Ambassador Cyrus E
Woods notified Washington Tuesda!
that he, Mrs. Woods and the entire per
sonnet Of the embassy we're uninjured
but that the embassy buildings wer
destroyed.
1t will be many days before com
plete details Of the disaster are re
ceived, for one feeble radio station
has been the sole means Of cOmmun
cation between Tokyo, and the Outsid
world. 1t Is known that the ten
bIors. which continued several hour
Oh OtDtcIuDCI H., hOL OAg 0hOO6 WV
snnumerable buildings, but also brOk
all the water and gas mains, and this
fires started simultaneously all owe
the cities and ragged for days. Bridge
upon which thousands of refugees hs
gathered collapsed, and other thousand
were trapped by flames in the park
and there persisted. Tremendous It'd
waves followed the earthquakes ar
SVEN over the water fronts, and mar
vessels went down. It is reported TIL
a considerable part Of the Japane'
navy was thus destroyed. The bett'
residence section of Tokyo probab
was saved, but Yokohama simply ]
longer exists. The entire city W
burned to the ground, and the corps
Law piled in the streets. Kobe has b
become Japan's chief seaport, and W
remain such for a long tile. Alol
the eastern edge Of the island t
coast line is altered and the bottc
of the sea has risen.
TO SOONER had the first reports
~ the catastrophe been received tn
steps for the quick relief Of the striC
en- Japanese were taken In all civiliz
lands. Out Of its great abundan
the United States took the lead
this work Of mercy, inspired by t
prompt proclamation Of Preside
Coolidge and the equally prom
measures Of u navy, army and st'
officials. Within a few houaS fotiI
of transports and destroyers lad
with food and medical supplies, d
tors and nurses, were steamfng
ward Japan from Manila and Chine
waters; all shipping board vessels