Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-06
Dir, Newton Recently Came
to Atlanta After 80 Years
in Nation Where Great Dis
aster Occurred

aster Occurred
The city of Toxic, almost wiped
out by earthquake and tidal wave,
was the most dangerously situated
city in Japan and its 100000 citi-
zens lived in constant fear of a dis
aster that would mean complete de-
struction, according to DR.. j. e. Z.
Newton, of 81 Avery drive, who re-
turned with his wife to Atlanta in
June after having served 35 years
as a Methodist missionary in Japan.
DR.. Newton was president of an
educational institution at Kobe, 300
miles southwest of Toxic, but he
spent much time in the capital city
and knew the city well.
DR.. and Mrs. Newton will not re-
turn to Japan, but will make their
future home here with their daugh-
ter and son-in-law, Mr.. and Mrs. E.
Marvin Underwood, in Ansley Park.
IL am distressed over the bad
news" said DR.. Newton, "but not
surprised. Just like the Toxic citi-
zens, [ had feeling that such a
disaster was coming some day. The
Toxic people never ceased to believe
in the old myth, which was that a
giant fish under the city some day
would bring about it's destruction"
| Yokohama, the other city in
which the quake is reported to have
caused terrible destruction, was less
than 20 miles from Toxic and was
located in the dread danger zone"
according to DR.. Newton.
River Bisects City
"Tokio," said DR.. Newton, lis at
| the head Of Toxic bay, and its streets
run right down to the water front.
1t is about at the middle of the Pa
cific coast of Japan, which extends
from the far north to the tropic
south. The city is situated where
the wide plain meets the sea, and
is very flat.
"When we left Japan three months
| ago, Toxic, led by Mayor Goto and
| his cabinet, was preparing to float
| bonds and launch millions of dollars
worth Of municipal improvements.
| An engineering expert from Wash
| ington was cooperating with the
city authorities, and better streets,
a better water supply, improved
sanitation, and plans to obtain pro-
| lection from inundation, were going
| forward.
ga river runs through the center
Of the city, making the situation all
| the more dangerous. Toxic covers
an immense area. The congestion
| is terrible, and the traffic question
gave the authorities worlds of trou
| BILE
Of 1T ~
| government headquarters were 10.
| Gated was strictly modern, with wide
| paved streets and handsome build
| ings. Outside this zone, the streets,
as a rule, were unpaved, the trolley
service was poor and living condi
tions We're far from satisfactory.
yet, Toxic was one of the first
places visited by tourists and they
| found hundreds of picturesque, inter.
esting things to see in the city and
| it's environs.''
Toxic Never Safe
Periodical fires, which came near
sweeping the city, occurred during
| DR.. Newton's stay in Japan, he SAID.
| MANY times" he continued, 81
| have been in bed in Toxic when a
fire broke out that almost took the
city. Again, have been in the city
| many times when severe earth.
| qIakes occurred that did great dam.
age.
Kobe, 800 miles away, is gener-
| ally regarded as the safest part of
Japan, as far as danger from quakes
and tidal waves is concerned. I al
ways felt safe there, but not in To
kio."
DR.. Newton mentioned the dis
patches which said the Toxic sky
scrapers 'toppled over during the
| disaster.
"a skycraper in Japan,'' he re
marked, means a building four OF
five stories high. And that is to0
high. In a country that is in con.
slant danger of earthquake, the
people tempt Providence when they
erect high buildings
| According to DR.. Newton, Toxic
was the chief railroad center of ia.
pan. The government-owned rail-
roads are modern, and some Of the
fastest express trains in the world
run out of Toxic. he said. The
equipment is up-to-date. and the
Japanese railroads are making the
most rapid progress Of all industries
he said.
Was Being MOdernized
Toxic was rapidly becoming a
modern city, DR.. Newton said. Amer
lean ideas and methods were coming
more and more into use, and the
English language was being learned
by the business men generally, he
said.
"Theatergoers," he went on
could see either American movies
or native drama, as they liked. Amer
lean machinery, mechanical devices
and automobiles were to be found
side by side with hand labor anG
rickishas, each serving its particu
lar purpose. Almost any crowd o.
Japanese would be found half-Ameri
can. half-Japanese, as far as dres;
was concerned.
''The japanese government. located
in Toxic, was giving every encour
agement to education. and mission
aries from the United States were
no longer subjected to dangers II
carrying on their work. The labor