The biggest fire experienced in Nagasaki of recent years occurred on January 9, says the "Nagasaki Press," in what is probably the oldest part_of the city. Toukimachi and Shita-machi, which are situated at the Kencho_ end of Hamano-chi, were chiefly involved. The total number of buildings des-troved is given as 104, which. is the registered number of owners or lessees, while 15 more were partly destroyed; about 35 of those totally. consumed were only market shops or stalls, 4 The alarm was given at four-thirty and for four hours the situation was serious, Fortunately there was practically no wind, but this advantage was offset by the total lack of water at the beginning of the conflagration owing to the restriction of the supply from the municipal waterworks.
Four oil engines belonging to the city and one from the Nagasaki Spinning Factory were of great, assistance in checking the spread the flames when water was obtainable.
The devastated area extends from the Nishiwaki drug-store at the corner of Tsuki-machi back to the high stone wall below the law courts and for 200 yd. along the market street. It is believed that the fire broke out in one of tha market stalls which were unoccupied at night. Nishiwaki's store was practically destroyed and several of the other large shops along Tsukimachi suffered to. the same extent -Among the shops of which practically not a vestige remains is that of Moriya, jeweller, and optician, which was patronized by most foreign residents of Nagasaki who needed spectacles or repairs to glasses. Provision dealers are the principal sufferers by the fire.
Very little was saved by the occupants of the destroyed—buildings.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.