New Britain herald., 1923-09-10
HOTEL DESTROYED
IN few MINUTES
Other Stories OIL Terrible Calamity
Coming 10 Ear

Kebs, Sept, ia,-I.auis JsdeFkin, an
agent for Swiss watch manufacturers
one Of the refugees from Yokohama
rave a graphic description Of his es'
cape. The Grand Hotel, he said did
not completely collapse as a result Of
the shock hut he saw Il consumed
by hre In less than ten minutes, jed
srkin thought FIRST of his wife, and in
his search found numerous other ior'
eiFners likewise engaged,
"As the heat from the fFe mount
ed" he said. great crowds rushed
into the sea, Thousands were soon IN
the water. some swimming 10 various
boats some lying at the edge and
some In up 10 their neeks with their
hands over their faces as protection
from the heat of the burning city,
Covering my face with my coat
finally came out of the water and
continued 20 search for my wife,
II met George Komer OF Kuhn &
Komer Ltd. standing opposite the
ruins OF his house near what had
been the Grand hotel. standing waist
deep In debris and dust and pointing
toward q woman's head which APP
peared high up In the pile OF tim
bsrs shouting:
II offer 10000 yen to whoever
rescues my wife"
Wife Dies In Fire.
Her body was pinned by the tim
bers SO that she could not move and
her husband was unable to get near
her. The fire was coming on fast
from both sides. Soon the pile OF
timber caught fire and the poor wom-
an was consumed before our eyes.
We could distinctly hear her cries for
help to the last.
Then ! resumed my search for
my wife. The dead and dying were |
everywhere In all sorts of positions. |
The pail OF smoke that hung over the |
city was very dense. Numbered into |
q friend and learned from him that
he had seen my wife in the park. |
rushed to the place and found thous-
ands Of people there. The park was
surrounded on all sides by burning
buildings and looked as though 1t
might become an awful trap. Then
Providence interviewed; the water
mains burst and the park was soon
flooded almost waist high.
I'VE remained there for hours.
Everybody had torn pieces off their
clothing to cover their faces from the
intense heat. When night came
heard the voice of an Englishman
shouting: I am here to save you
We discovered that he was from the
steamship Empress of Russia and en-
gagged In rescue work.
ITO my question whether he had
rescued any foreign women he re-
piled that he had Just sent a boat
load to the Empress Of Russia. l
went directly to the vessel but my
wife was not there.
Aboard the Empress of Russia
husbands were looking for wives:
mothers were seeking children; they
we're hardly interested in me.
Finds Wife at Last.
Then ! saw another boatload of
rescued persons approaching the
ships gangway. l did not recognize
any of them until one came slowly
toward me. 1t was my wife, but SO :
gray with dust and swollen from the
neat as to make her unacceptable. r
The earthquake had struck while she S
vas shopping. Escaping from the a
collapsed building she sought safety Il
n the park with thousands of others v
Ind spent the night there in the mud v
Ind water until rescued" |;
T. G.. Nee, manager of the Horne
70. Ltd, Of Toxic, machinery i'm
,orters reported that all the COM
,any's employees were safe. s.