HAKODATE
441
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of Hokkaido may be worked with fair profit. Magnetic iron is also obtained. The kerosene wealth of this district is said to be considerable, but none of the borings has so far given a high yield. At Nukimi-Mura on Soya Strait-in the extreme north-oil wells were discovered long ago, and have been worked by hand for some years. The oil, in fact, overflows into the sea, and in stormy weather boats take refuge at Nukimi- Mura, as the sea is rendered smooth by the oil. Oil also exists at Nigori-Kawa, near Hakodate; at Kayamagori, near Shiribeshi; at Itaibetsu, on a tributary of the Urin River (output 800 gallons per day); at Kotamimura and Tsukisama Mura (Imperial property), near Sapporo; and near Abashiri, where the wells are considered rich.
Hakodate is reached in 24 hours from Tokyo, via Aomori, between which place and Hakodate there is a very good steamship service, maintained by the Government Railways. From Hakodate all the principal points in Yezo can now be reached by rail, and there is also a Government Railway steamship service to Odomari, in Karafuto (Japanese Saghalien). The Hakodate Harbour Improvement Works were completed in 1900, and a patent slip capable of taking vessels up to 1,500 tons was also finished. There is a dry dock to accommodate ships up to 10,000 tons at ordinary spring tides, and at highest spring tides the dock is capable of receiving the largest battleships in the Japanese Navy. At Otaru a massive breakwater, about
3,500 feet long, has been constructed.
In August, 1907, half the city of Hakodate was destroyed by a fire. The number of houses destroyed in the conflagration was ascertained to be 8,977, rendering about 60,000 persons homeless. All the foreign residents with the exception of the American Consular Agent were burnt out, saving nothing, and the total loss was estimated at not less than 50,000,000 yen. Another severe conflagration occurred in April, 1921, when some 2,000 houses were destroyed. A scheme is now in force by which a municipal subsidy is granted to encourage building with fireproof materials.
DIRECTORY
ALL-RUSSIAN CENTRAL UNION OF CON- SUMERS' SOCIETIES 22, Funaba-cho; Tel. Ad: Centrosoyus
A. P. Sviridoff, manager
AMERICAN TRADING CO., INC.-1, Nishi-
kawa-cho
BRITISH CONSULAR AGENCY-Room 7 (3rd floor), Takushoku Building, Otaru; Teleph. 499; Tel. Ad: Sahoda
S. H. Dawes, British Consular agent
CONSULATE, GREAT BRITAIN-68, Kaisho- machi (Office of H.B.M. Consulate General, Yokohama); Teleph. 968
Shipping Clerk-S. Hatanaka
CONSULATE, U.S.S.R.-125, Funami-cho;
Teleph. 664
CUSTOMS, IMPERIAL-9, Nakahama-cho;
Telephs. 80, 120, 175, 391 and 1644
DENBIGH & Co., Import and Export Mer- chants, Packers of Canned Crab and Canned Salmon, Importers and Ex- porters of Furs, Whalebone and Ivory --7, Higashi Hama-machi; Telephs. 111 and 772; P.O. Box 11; Tel. Ád: Dencooper
A. G. Denbigh
Jolin Denbigh (London and Paris)
T. Nakashima T. Ikegami V. Safailoff
T. Tachibana
FAR EASTERN TRADING CO.-8, Suihiro-
cho
Mark L. Grinsten, manager
GEBRUDER GARTNER, Exporters of Logs and Sawn Lumber-32, Sakai-machi, Otaru; P.O. Box 6
B. Gartner, partner (Hamburg)
J. Baasch (Otaru)
J. Kinna do.
J. Kranz do. J. Willibald
Otaru;
GILL & Co., Merchants-Room 7 (3rd
floor), Takushoku Building, Teleph. 499; Tel. Ad: Sahoda
S. H. Dawes, manager
HAKODATE BRICK AND TILE WORKS-155,
Horai-cho
HAKODATE Dock Co., LTD.-Benten-cho
HAKODATE ELECTRIC LIGHT Co. - Suye-
hiro-cho