Kobe, Dec. 24.
A fire broke out in the Oriental Hotel shortly after midnight and destroyed half the building. There was great excitement, but practically no casualties.
Later.
The cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained. The damage is estimated at Y.300,000. The part destroyed includes the ballroom and ten other. rooms. All the guests whose rooms were destroyed can be accommodated in other parts of the hotel. There were altogether 89 guests at_ the hate], but none were hurt.—Reut-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.