FRESH TERROR AT TOKIO

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 11 September 1923, Page 5

FRESH TERROR AT TOKIO

HEAVY QUAKES ON FR7DA Y VO LC A N ORE API »E ARS (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). ■STEW YORK, Sept] 9. The New York Times’ Tokio correspondent says that new and heavy earthquake shocks occurred in Tokio on Friday night. i’he island volcano Osliima. which sank into the sea off Kamakura last, week has reappeared in the form of a new volcano, whence lava and brimstone are constantly erupting and belching, while severe shocks shake the mainland, thus adding fresh terror to the hapless survivors. ,

The ruins in Tokio are a mass of hot liles. masonry, and cinders, emitting clouds of gritty, choking dust. Business houses are recognisable simply by rows of safes standing intact, surrounded by heaps of charred debris. Nearly all of Tokio’s buildings wore wooden," hence the amazingly rapid spread of the fires. Some ot' the concrete buildings stood the shocks well, hut most succumbed afterwards to the fire in the course of which relatively few could rescue more than a single change of clothing, of which they are now desperately in need. Meanwhile, vague fears persists. Many Japanese, Europeans, and Americans are now sleeping in houses, hut the majority mistrust roofs lest they should collapse. Hence they still prefer to spend their nights in the open.

CREMATION OF DEAD

OSAKA, Sept. 9.

Reuter’s special correspondent states that the death roll at Yokohama among foreigners would have been greater hut for hundreds who crowded the Empress of Australia, while she was standing at the quay ready to depart. At, 12 (noon), just when she was due to leave, the first shock occurred. There was a rush for her by the big crowds, most of whom were fortunately able to board her. The nuav subsequently sank and was partially submerged, and in places collapsed. Soundings yesterday show that the sea. bottom of the Harbour is several feet lower.

j At a meeting of American, British, • and Japanese officials aboard an Ameri- ! can war shin, permission was granted to | bury the foreign dead, but only after I cremation. All tho Japanese dead have j been cremated on wood piles in the streets of Tokio and Yokohama. The foreign dead are being .similarly burned. The inmates of the ■Marunonchi buildings, one of the highest itr Tokio. had lucky escanes. The huge structure swayed, hut. did not come down. It is believed now to be leaning somewhat. COLLECTING THE CORPSES TOKIO. Sept. 9. The police, to noon on Thursday, report picking up in the streets 32.600 bodies, not including the mutilated porjtions of many others. Twenty-five hundred bodies of girls trapped in the walls of the restricted quarter of the Yosliiwara were found. Thirteen thousand corpses are piled beside the emergency crematorium, which is burning a thousand an hour. The authorities ask the nobility and wealthy to open their homes and estates as refuges. FINANCIAL HELP OSAKA, Sept, 9. Reuter's special correspondent understands that the .Bank of Japan will offer financial help to bankers all over the country. The, Bank of Japan at Tokio holds unissued notes to the’"value of 200 million yen, and recovered notes of 100, million, a total of 300 millions, which the bank is ready to place at,.the disposal of bankers to enable them to help sufferers. The enforcement of the moratorium at Tokio is bound to dislocate financial operations at Osaka and elsewhere, therefore the Osaka branch of the Bank of; Japan has decided to render all possible assistance to private banker’s, and thus help commercial and industrial activities. It is believed that this decision has not> only inspired confidence, but will materially help the work of reconstruction. It is reported that the Government has already appropriated 9,600,000 yen for, relief. The Government is prepared to pay relief funds, as required, up to 530 j millions, representing the available sur- j plus, and, if necessary, a further 120 millions, representing mint profit from recoinage, will also be used. In the course of an interview, the Minister of Finance is reported to have said: “It is possible Japan may find it necessary to seek a loan abroad for reconstruction.’’ NEW ZEALANDERS’ ACCOUNT EVERYTHING LEVELLED IN THIRTY SECONDS (Reuter’s Telegrams). OSAKA, Sept, 10. Mrs and Miss Austin, of New Zealand, were seeing a friend off on the Empress of Australia when tho disaster occurred. “We were tossed about like ninepins,” they said. “The pier ends disappeared under the water and the earth came up in the harbour. We were stranded on an island and had to wade ashore where we saw terrible devastation. In 30 seconds everything was levelled as flat as a pancake. We managed to strugglo through the blocked streets where people were pinned under the wreckage and flames were jumping up from every side, to the Hibiva Park. Columns of smoke ascended ’ into the sky like volcanoes. The harbour soon became a blazing mass with the oil pouring down from the bursted tanks.” Finally they went aboard the Emprqss of Australia and were taken to Kobe. Mrs Wright, of London, said that fissures opened in Yokohama streets large enough to swallow motor cars. For five miles no buildings were standing. “The dead and dying were everywhere. The screams of the people trapped under the debris I shall never forget. Flames • were creeping up the streets and live wires were trailing everywhere. Many ■ people were electrocuted.

DISASTER LEVELS ALL HANKS PALACE THROWN OPEN TO REFUGEES OSAKA, Sept. 10.. The Argentine Minister in Tokio is amongst the dead. Simple funerals have been arranged for the-members of the Imperial family who were killed. The disaster has levelled all ranks. I lie Emperor is throwing open the heretofore

absolutely sacred precincts of the Imperial Palace to refugees. The northern train service has been re-established between Tokio and the suburbs. Other sex-vices are being slowly restored.

ORIGIN OF THE EARTHQUAKE

VARIOUS THEORIES SHANGHAI, Sept. 9. Osaka reports that the observatory at Tokio stated that the earthquake originated in a landslip under the sea between Osliima Island and the mainland. On the other- hand the, chief of the Osaka Observatory believes that it originated in the centre of the Tokio district, at the same place as the 1856 earthquake. Other theories are that the whole series of quakes were due to volcanic, activity in a, range of mountains including the Fuji, Hakone, fdzu, and Peninsula group. In the area, of Tokio swept- by fire over 300,000 houses and public buildings were destroyed. The, Tumour Kavai’non Temple and the Imperial Villa ' still stand among the ruins.

Foreign refugees arriving from Tokio and Yokohama tell of terrible experiences, and some of the most remarkable escapes. The report that the American Ambassador and his wife are dead is incorrect. It is officially announced that they are safe. The only casualty in the American Embassy staff was Miss Babbit.