The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-07
By DUKE N. PARRY,
International News Service Manager
in the Far East.

(CopyriGht, 1923. by International
News Service.)
KOBE, Sept. 4.-(Delayed in
transmission. "A slight tremor
seemed to shake the room in which
I was conversing with the COM
| mercial attache Of the German
Embassy in Tokyo at 1853 o'clock
Saturday morning. DR.. Kolb, the
German trade commissioner, broke
off his discussion with me con-
corning rumors of the German
Japanese Russian alliance.
"An earthquake!" he exclaimed.
He arose from his chair and
dashed through the verandas onto
the lawn Of the German Embassy.
Earth Shakes; Walls Fall.
The earth continued to vibrate
violently. Sounds of falling build.
ings were heard in all directions.
Groups of Japanese and Germans
Joined US on the lawn.
The earth continued to rock like
q cradle. It was the hardest shake
Of the most severe earthquake
which has struck Japan since 1855
AS it continued undated, DR..
Kolb and 1 believed each moment
the earth would open up and we
would be engulfed.
At the first lull in the quake, /
boarded a taxicab and started for
the Japan Advertiser office. There
I hoped to find facilities for send
ing the news to America.
Imperial Buildings Damaged.
AS I passed the ministry of war
I noticed that the walls of the
building were badly cracked. The
crumbling as we drove by.
The great navy wireless towers
were still standing. The navy build.
ing beneath them plainly showed
signs Of disaster.
Driving through Hibiya Park
first noticed the conflagration and
saw the great crowds of hystericai
Japanese who thronged the open
spaces seeking places OF safety.
I returned to the Advertiser Of
flee. There l found representatives
of the leading British and Ameri-
can newspapers gathered in front
OF the building, fearing to enter
the place. A second quake, which
had opened three-inch assures in
the street, threatened to topple over
the building.
Flames Famed by Wind.
Fire had broken out around the
Advertiser office. The wind, which
had been blowing furiously all
n1nrninO g. S.~
| creased fury and caused the blaze
to spread in every direction.
So anxious were people to Sc
cure means Of transportation to
other parts of the city, that at
least fifty persons offered my
chauffeur SIS for the use of his
taxi.
But he drove me to the Imperial
Hotel, in the far northern section
OF the city, through the streets
packed with small carts, crowded
| with refugees, each moving his
belongings he knew not where,
hoping against hope to find a ref.
uge from blazing buildings and
| trembling earth.
The full effect of the catastrophc
| was just beginning to dawn upon
me. Here a dead man was being
covered up by his friends. There,
also, mother covered her boy
she had dragged from the wreck
age Of match-box-like home,
when they were forced from the
place by the approaching flames.
At this point / was forced to
abandon my taxicab, owing to the
dense crowds that were blockading
the streets. I made my way on
foot.
University Buildings Afire.
Eventually. when 1 reached the
Imperial University. the library
and administration buildings were
in flames. I rushed to the OBJ.
servatory, hoping to find a wire.
less in operation. The superin-
tendent of the observatory informed
me that this was the greatest
| earthquake shock ever recorded
in Japan.
The observatory was a mass Of
broken scientific Instruments and
flames were threatening the struc.
ture. Assistants were busily en-.
gagged endeaVoring to save the of.
ficial archives.
OShima Quake Center.
DR.. Amurai, superintendent Of the
wireless plant at Yamemioka, told
me that the earthquake had origi-
mated 103 kilometers south Of
Tokyo, the island of Oshima being
the center Of the disturbance.
At it's maximum the earthquake
showed a horizontal movement of
twelve centimeters and the verti-
cal movement was also severe. The
last great earthquake IN Tokyo,
several months ago. had q horizon
tai movement Of five centineters.
Two recording Instruments at the
observatory were demolished when
the big shake was at it's maximum.
Two other seismographs were un-
damaged and continued to record
minor tremors.
After leaving the observatory WE
passed the Imperial Library, where
employees were endeavoring to save
some OF the books of that institu-