1927-08-03 — Page 12

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TO SAN FRANCISCO VIA HONOLULU, SHANGHAI, KOBE AND YOKOHAMA,

"THE SUNSHINE BELT."

PRESIDENT JACKSON

PRESIDENT HCKINLEY'

PRESIDENT LINCOLN

PRESIDENT CLEVELAND

PRESIDENT PIERCE

Tuesday, Aug. 18th,

Tuesday, Aug. 30th Tuesday, Sept. 13th Tuesday, Sept. 27th 11th Tuesday, Oct

THEREAFTER FORTNIGHTLY SAILINGS ON TUESDAYS

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From

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Beattle

Mauretania

San Francisco Olympic

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Brattle Berengaria

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Seattle

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Arriving at

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

CATASTROPHE IN KANSU.

A GIGANTIC EARTHQUAKE.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST

the body of the Sister Constantia, their tender mother, and piteously mingled prayers and lamentations. They paid no attention to the con- tinued shaking of the earth and the crumblings of walls and build- ings, a most touching affection for Within a very few years a major their beloved foster mother and visited benefactress. She had safely catastrophe has again Kansu, where but a short while left the chapel with the children; ugo an enormous earthquake be- but realizing that some were mis- came known as the occasion whensing, she sped back to bring them "the mountains walked." Possibly out, ignoring the imminent dan- had some professional writer boenger. When pulled out from under in the Liangchow district, NW. the debris, her soul had fled to Kansu, on May 23 of this year heaven, but in death she protected when again perhaps 100,000 were

two of the children, one boing killed and hundreds of thousands found under each arm--alive, rendered homeless, a more detail- ed report might have been avail- able; but nothing could be more dramatic in its simplicity than the following account written by Mon- seigneur Theo. Buddenbrock, S. V. D., Vicar Apostolic of Lanchow, Kansu The story, with a min- imum of editing, appears in the N. C. D. News.

May 23, 1927 has been the most fateful day in the history of Liang- chow district in northwest Kansu. The destructive powers of nature have claimed a frightful holocaust of human beings and annihilated immeasurable material values. An earthquake so terrible that I felt the end of the world to be at hand. It is three weeks now since the isaster came upon us, but we still hear daily the subterranean thun- ders, and the ground under our feet is still shaking. We have stood on the brink of eternity, and our escape is nothing short of miraculous.

That Monday before Ascension Day of 1927 will never be forgot- ton; its terrors cannot be erased from our minds. Wo rose early that morning at the mission.com pound of Sisiang, just as usual, and nothing could lead us to sus- Pmth C Erg Sept. 12

brg-Shapin Sept. 23. pect the impending disaster. It trg Sampin Sept. 27 promised to be a beautiful day of

Oct. 7

the ever beautiful May, the sun Crimpin

Oct. 11 brg-Shiptu

11shedding his bright glory over the Oct. 15 Cbr hanin

Oct. 21 mountains and valleys. My morn- b. 22 brg-Shopin Oct. 28 ing nieditation was Last Dthau

suddenly Oct. 20 g Sumpin No. 4 rudely interrupted by a violent Now. 2 Cbr Shaipta Nov. Nov 12 C'org-S'taja Nuv, 15 shock, that made the window panes No, 16 Chrg Smpts Nov. 22 rattle and the house quiver. 1 Nov. 26 Cempts Dec. 2 mude a hasty exit, but everything was quiet again. Well, such ex- periences are not unusual here, so I paid no further attention to it, but went over to the chapel of the orphanage, where about 100 children, Some old folks and the Sisters were assembled for mass. Nothing out of the ordinary.

San Francisco Olympic

Seattle Bermagoria San Brunchen | Luviathan

Seattle Aquitama, San Francisco | Majestic

TO SEATTLE AND VICTORIA VIA SHANGHAI,

KOBE AND YOKOHAMA.

THE FAST SHORT ROUTE.”

PRESIDENT PIERCE...

PRESIDENT TAFT

PRESIDENT JEFFERSON.

PRESIDENT GRANT

PRESIDENT MADISON

Wednesday, August 10th

Wednesday, Aug. 24th Wednesday, Sept. 7th Wednesday, Sept. 21st Wednesday, Oct. 5th

THEREAFTER FORTNIGHTLY SAILINGS. ON WEDNESDAYS,

TO EUROPE AND NEW YORK.

VIA MANILA," STRAITS, COLOMBO, SUEZ- PORT SAID ALEXANDRIA-NAPLES

-GENOA-MARSEILLES,

Thence to BOSTON and NEW YORK.

PRESIDENT ADAMS

PRESIDENT GARFIELD

PRESIDENT HARRISON,

PRESIDENT MONROE

PRESIDENT WILSON

Ghastly Scene, During Mass,

A Martyr of Christian Charity.

How beautiful her death, a mar- tyr of Christian charity, Unmind- ful of almost certain doath she thinks but of the little ones, whose tiny feet could not carry them to safety. The good shepherdess lays down her life for her lamb- kins. Indeed, a heroic example.

Sister Constantia had laboured for 16 years in Shantung when she was appointed the leader of the first Sisters of the Holy Ghost coming to Kansu. And no better choice could have been made. Highly gifted and well educated as a graduate teacher, she, always was a model in her life and in her work. With extraordinary skill she handled the children, with inexhaustible love, and patience, and well did the children respond to her kindly devotion. Thus she wall deserves the love of the children and the everlasting grati tude of the mission.

The Work of Rescue.

The work of rescue was mean- while progressing, all missing accounted for. Nothing was left of the chupel, except the altar and tabernacle, that seemed to be un- touched. The sacred host had been blown from the altar, but was later found among the ruins. Thus I was enabled to complete the Holy Sacrifice.

Gradually only did we realize that we had not been the only sufferers. Wherever we turned, our eyes met with the sight of ruins, stark remnants of former buildings, the streets impassable, and from all sides came cries of anguish and despair. The catas- trophe occurred early in the mor ning, when the young people were still in bed. When the first shock came the grown.ups ran out, into the streets; but their love scon brought the mothers back to look for their children. Thus women and children made up the larger number of the victims.

Widespread Devastation.

I began mass, completed con- secration and just stopped at the memento for the dead. But what is that? Without the slightest warning the powers of hell seerned to be loosed. An indescribable nolse, terrible thundering from 'be- low, terrifying echoes from the air. And as if carried by a hurri- cane I was bodily pushed from the altar through the sacristy into the open. My server, preceded me, The Sisters with the children had not yet nioved; when they sawtre, or better we once had it, for And all me disappear they quickly made everything is gone.

Of our boys in another part of the buildings only one was killed. And while the whole village of Sistang was destroyed, not many lives were lost In this town of Sislang we have our largest cen-

for the door, and not one moment around us, several hundred of too early. The walls came tumbl-cities and villages met with the ing down, unfortunately falling in

same fate. The entire district of

Tues., Aug. 16th, 8.00 a.m.our direction. My thoughts went Llangchow is seriously affected.

Tuesday, Aug. 30th 8.00a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13th 5.00 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27th 8.00 am. Tuesday, Oct. 11th, 0.00 a.m.

THEREAFTER FORTNIGHTLY SAILINGS ON TUESDAYS.

TO MANILA.

PRESIDENT JACKSON

PRESIDENT ADAMS

PRESIDENT TAFT ...

PRESIDENT MCKINLEY

PRESIDENT GARFIELD

August 8th. 6.00 p.m.

Aug. 18th. 8.00 a.m. Aug. 10th, 6.00 p.m. Aug, 22nd, 6.00 p.m. Alg. 50th, 8.00 a.m.

For Passenger and Freight Rates apply to

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SAILINGS SUBJECT TO ALTERATION Destination.

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to the little tots, who came stumbl-The lower city walls of Liangchow ing over the falling bricks. How -a city of some 70,000 to 80,000 they got out, I do not know, but inhabitants-still remain; but the we thought of the good Guardian Angel.

upper parts have disappeared. The streets are covered with the debris of houses and arches; the yamen of the district mandarin is. utterly destroyed and he, his family among the and his officials are

two mighty city dead. The towers were bent like straw.

Heavy clouds of dust created, to increase the terror and confusion, an almost complete darkness. í hear the screams of the children, 35 we are tossed about, for it was impossible to stand on our feet. Instinctively we fell on our knees

It is impossible to give an to implore God's mercy, and I ex- horted all to make an act of con- adequate idea of the misery. trition. Such a roaring, thunder- Those who saved their bare lives ing noise, such a rolling and shak-are living in temporary huts and ing of the ground buildings col- barracks, made of Chinese mats. lapsing, walls crumbling terrible, Even where a house remains terrible! Some minutes passed in standing, no one dares enter, zince frightful agony, until the air the rumbling and shaking con- cleared sufficiently to overlook the tinued for several weeks. Within courtyard and gauge the devasta-a radius of 70 kilometres every- tion. We were absolutely dazed. thing is in tuins. The city of But there came rushing from the Kalang is no more. Mandarin mission compound our Brother and citizens rest forever under the Carpus, who at once started the walls. A later report states that rescue work. He passed under the in both cities, Liangchow and tottering arches, over piles of Kulang, at lens: 10,000 are killed. debris, dodging falling otones.

3, 1927.

00

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T. S. S. “SIANG WO"

Passenger & Cargo River Steamer, built and engined at Kowloon Dock, by the Hongkong and Whampoa Dook Co., Ltd., to the order of the Indo-China Steam Navigation Co., Ltd. fors ervice on the Middle Yangtze, Hankow-Ichang.

Please address enquiries to the Chief Manager :--

R. M. DYER, B. Sc., M.I.N.A., Kowloon Dock, Hongkong.

We sorely need medical supplies, money. We ourselves

have lost practically everything. We, too, are living in huts, and so do the Sister and orphans.

Now I could survey the situation. East and southeast of Liang- There knelt the children with only chow we had some splendid' mis- Churches two of the Sisters. Where issions. They are gone. Sister Constantla, the Superior? and buildings are levelled to the My God, I hope not buried. Some ground, numberless people killed. 20 children missing. All hands to The beautiful mission centre of the rescue.

Tamentse is completely wrecked. The mountains fell over it and Death of Sister Constantia.

huried some 80 people. In many Several of the Chinese labourers places the earth, opened, and started immediately, and at that occasionally a dirty green, baish, food and OSAKA viz Amoy, Moji, Kumsang Wod. 3rd Aug at 7 a.m. moment the Fathers Moritz, Muller black water bubbled forth. The

Yokohama & Koba TSINGTAU Swatow & S'hai. Yatshing Wed. 3rd Aug at 10 am. scene.

and Klein came rushing to the large village of Honanpa with Its Child after child was car pretty new church and residence CANTON

Waishing Thurs. 4th Aug at 9 a.m.ried out, three of them dead, dead is but a heap of stone and clay. Whatever lies within our power TSINGTAU Swatow & S'hai Kwongsang Thurs, 4th Aug at 10a.m. also good Sister Constantin, while

is being done right now to alleviate Great World Catastrophe. SHANGHAI via Swatow Yuensang Thurs 4th Aug at 5 p.m. six others soon died from their

sufferings. Fathers and HAIPHONG

.Minsang Fri,

constantly moving 5th Aug at 8 a.m. wounds. There they lay, the dead

The magnitude of the calamity Sisters ..Hinsang Fri. 5th Aug at 3 p.m. and wounded side by side. is still unknown, may never be from place to place to console the

...Hosang Satur,

quickly 6th Aug at 3 p.m. Sacraments to the dying, and some disorganized for some time. That the wounded, administering the 1 administered the last known. Post and telegraph were frenzied survivors, caring for Waishing Sun. 7th Aug at 10 s..of the catechumena were baptized. Is the reason no report reached holy aucraments, wherever pos- Chipshing Mon, 8th Aug at 5p. But what a sigh! How my heart the outside world. The loss of sibic Kobe via Amoy, S'hai, Kumsang

Wed. 10th Aug at 7am. was bleeding, viewing these in- Moji & Yokohama

nocent children in

human lives will mount into many, thair agony. TSINGTAU Swalow & Bhai Hopsang Wed. 10th Aug at 10 ain. One had an ugly, large wound many thousands, if not, more than TSINGTAU Swatow & S'haf Fooshing Wed. 17th Aug at 10a.m. under the chin-dead; others had 100,000. The misery of the sur- STRAITS & Caloutta .................Fooksang Fri. 18th Aug at 3 p.m. an arm or leg, even the back-bone viving is indescribable, since they bioken, in some cases the limbs lost everything, the little they had. For freight or passage apply to:-

marely hanging by the skin.

There is no food, no clothing, no JARDINE, MATHESON & CO., LTD.

animals. No doubt, here is one of I still wore the sacred vestments. the world's greatest catastrophes, Telephone 215. Central

General Managers The unhurt, children surrounded one requiring international help.

SANDAKAN

STRAITS & Calcutta TSINOTAU Swatow & S'hai TIENTSIN.......

+

the

are

Weeks have now passed since that judgment day of May 23, but daily still the earthquake is heard and felt, often causing renewal of the first terrors.

a mild

Theod. Buddenbrock,

S. V. D.

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