red drag the
more seriously wounded. There are wounded soldiers, and mothers
carrying burned children in their arms. From the houses of the farmers
in the valley comes word: "Our houses are full of wounded and dying.
Can you help, at least by taking the worst cases?" The wounded come
from the sections at the edge of the city. They saw the bright light,
their houses collapsed and buried the inmates in their rooms. Those
that were in the open suffered instantaneous burns, particularly on the
lightly clothed or unclothed parts of the body. Numerous fires sprang
up which soon consumed the entire district. We now conclude that the
epicenter of the explosion was at the edge of the city near the
Jokogawa Station, three kilometers away from us. We are concerned
about Father Kopp who that same morning, went to hold Mass at the
Sisters of the Poor, who have a home for children at the edge of the
city. He had not returned as yet.

Toward noon, our large chapel and library are filled with the seriously
injured. The procession of refugees from the city continues. Finally,
about one o'clock, Father Kopp returns, together with the Sisters.
Their house and the entire district where they live has burned to the
ground. Father Kopp is bleeding about the head and neck, and he has a
large burn on the right palm. He was standing in front of the nunnery
ready to go home. All of a sudden, he became aware of the light, felt
the wave of heat and a large blister formed on his hand. The windows
were torn out by the blast. He thought that the bomb had fallen in his
immediate vicinity. The nunnery, also a wooden structure made by our
Brother Gropper, still remained but soon it is noted that the house is
as good as lost because the fire, which had begun at many points in the
neighborhood, sweeps closer and closer, and water is not available.
There is still time to rescue certain things from the house and to bury
them in an open spot. Then the house is swept by flame, and they fight
their way back to us along the shore of the river and through the
burning streets.

Soon comes news that the entire city has been destroyed by the
explosion and that it is on fire. What became of Father Superior and
the three other Fathers who were at the center of the city at the
Central Mission and Parish House? We had up to this time not given
them a thought because we did not believe that the effects of the bomb
encompassed the entire city. Also,