The Holly chieftain., 1923-09-13
Japanese Disaster Probably Is
Unequaled in Loss Of Life
and Property.
TOKYO, YOKOHAMA, IN RUINS
America Leads In Relief for the striek-
On Nation-BrltIsh Fisst Ready to
Back League Of Nations Against
itaiy-Ruhr Passive Resist
anee coIfapses.
By EDWARD W. PicKARp


HISTORY does not record disas-
- ter equaling that which has over
taken Japan, unless present reports
and estimates are greatly exaggerated.
Shaken to pieces by violent earth
Quakes and set ablaze by resulting con-
flagrations, 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 lsand. Is
devastated.
Latest estimAtes OF the casualties.
received by the Japanese legation In
Peking, put the dead at 100000 or
more, Of whom 100000 perished In
Yokohama More than a million per-
sons are homeless. and the hunger and
suffering In the afflicted region are
intense. It Is not yet possible to esti-
mate the monetary losses. but those In
Tokyo alone are put at about
$4,000. .OOOOOO
Many Americans and other foreign
ers officials. 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
e. jerks at Yokohama, and Commits
sioher and Mrs. William Eadle In COM
mand Of the Salvation Army forces
In Tokyo. The Japanese emperor and
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 Tuesday
that he, Mrs. Woods and the entire per-
sonnel Of the embassy were uninjured,
but that the embassy buildings were
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 communi-
cation between Tokyo and the outside
world. It Is known that the tenn
blors, which continued several hours
on September /, not only shook down
innumerable buildings, but also broke
ALE the water and gas mains, and that
Tres started simultaneously all over
the cities and ragged for days. Bridges
upon which thousands Of refugees had
gathered collapsed and other thousands
were trapped by flames In the parks,
and there perished. Tremendous tidal
waves followed the earthquakes and
swept over the water fronts, and many
vessels went down. 1t is reported that
considerable part Of the Japanese
navy was thus destroyed. The better
residence section of Tokyo probably
was saved, but Yokohama simply no
longer exists. The entire city was
burned to the ground. and the corpses
lay piled in the streets. Kobe has be-
become Japan's chief seaport, and will
remain such for long time. sAlong
the eastern edge of the island the
coast line Is altered and the bottom
of the sen has risen.
MO SOONER had the first reports OF
the catastrophe been received than
steps for the quick relief Of the strick-
en- Japanese were taken in all civilized
lands. Out Of its greht abundance
the United States took the lead in
this work of mercy, inspired by the
prompt proclamation of President
Coolidge and the equally prompt
measures of our navy. army and state
officials. Within few hours flotillas
Of transports and destroyers laden
with food and medical supplies. doc
tors and nurses. were steaming to-
ward Japan from Manila and Chinese
waters: all shipping board vessels in