We who reside in the "Model Settlement," possessing as it does such an effici¢nt volunteer fire brigade, well provided with steam and manual fire-engines, and other appliance for extinguishing and cutting off fires, can scarcely. realise the amount of destruction to property that frequently happens when a fire ocotirs in a Japanese town, During last winter it will be remembered that a fire broke out in Hakodate, and that in about nine hours three-fourths of the town were destroyed and 20,000 persons rendered houseless. The town is now being rapidly rebuilt. In doing so, advantage has been taken by the authorities to increase the width of the streets, which in several cases have been made 120 English feet wide. Stone and brick-built godowns are taking the place of the late wooden ones, but the majority of the new buildings are of wood with shingle roofs.
On the 7th of August last, the town of Niigata was nearly all burnt down, Here the fire spread with fearful rapidity, although it might easily have been ent off in its first stage, as the town is intersected by canals, so that had a few buildings been pulled down on the lee side of one of the canals, the proj 3 of the fire would have been arrest Instead of that the native fire brigade and officials were panic-stricken, and allowed it to pursue its course, when the following property was destroyed:—The Kencho, or Government office; the Municipal offices; the Telegraph and Post offices; the Police Station and two Police offices; the Gaol, during the burning of which 98 prisoners escaped; 2 Colleges; 18 Government official house G94 dwelling houses; 7 temples Churches and branch Churches; 1 Bank and one office of the Council Board. No fewer than 93 ets were demolished, and unfortunately six natives lost their lives.
As in Hakodate, the work of reoonstruction is proceeding vigorously; the shop-Keepers are carrying on their business in mat-sheds, and the inhabitants generally appear as full of fun and good-nature as though no such dire disaster had befallen them.
South of Niigata the town of Sugawa was partially burnt down on the same dai as the former, the 7th Aug In this case the main stred and its vicinity, comprising an area of about 400 yards in length, by 75 yards in width, were destroyed.
Proceeding still further south, indications of recent fires are to be found in many of the towns and villages, and with all this fearful loss of life and property the Japanese continue to build their dwellings of wood, and to be utterly regardless of the danger they run by the careless way they carry lights, charcoal fires, &c., about their premises.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.