The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-05-10
Mo- 49,
MOUNT vESUvIUs AND ITS
ERUPTIONS.

| NANS NSSSANSN VI RhAOtl Va
Mount Vesuvius occurred A. d. 70,
at which time Pompeii and Hercu-
laneum were destroyed. The dis
charge from the mountain on this
occasion was scorie and ashes alone,
and during the occasional eruptions
that succeeded these were the only
volcanic products until 1866, when
the first flow of lava occurred. Be-
tween the years 1906 and 1911
with the exception of slight one in
1500-no eruption took place, Mount
Etna being throughout this period
unusually active, thus giving vent to
the vapors and lava that would 9TH
erwise have found exit through the
crater of Vesuvius. The eruption
of 1851 was accompanied with seeth-
ing waves of lava, which surged
over the villages at the base of the
mount, and at the same time torrents
of boiling water were sent forth,
carrying death on every side. The
next extensive eruption occurred in
1879. 1t is described as being one
of the grandest and most awfnlly
magnificent on record Great clouds
of dead white sal phurous smoke rose
high in the air, and floated over the
mountain like a gloomy pail, while
at night vivid flashes of light shot
frecelv up for thousands of feet
above the mountain, Illuminating the
country by their horrid glare for
miles around. In June, 1874, an
eruption occurred that totally, de-
stroyed the town Of Tore del Greco
(the same that is now, after having
been rebuilt on its site, threatened
with similar fate), great torrents of
lava rushing down the mountain
side, completely submerging the
houses, and dealing death to the
fleeing inhabitants. For more than
a quarter of a century Vesuvius re-
NAMED quiescent, bursting out again
in 1922, when an eruption occurred,
the force of which broke up the
whole top of the mountain, where an
elliptical chasm was formed three
miles in circumference and (suppos-
ed to be, at least) 1000 feet in depth.
All was quiet again until May, 1855,
when the floods of lava totally de"
stroyed the village of Cercolo, and
eleven cones were produced, from all
of which the fiery food burst forth
and rushed forward over the doomed
town with resiatless fury. AS in
1894, when Tore del Greco was
destroyed, the loss of life was very
large. An eruption occurred in
June, 1853. another in August,
1859, and one of great violence in
December, 1861. In the last the
disturbance began on Sunday morn
ing, the 8th, with trembling and
heaving of the ground, which was
more apparent at Tore del Greco
and Resina, and in the afternoon a
great gulf opened in the ground
above Tore del Greco, about a
quarter way up the mountain, which
was soon followed by others, from all
of which proceeded terrific explos-
ions and Jets of fame. Streams of
lava poured forth, and on the morn
ing of the 9th lava was flowing in a
current half mile broad and TWEEN
ty-fve feet deep, by which and by
the trembIings of the ground, that
caused them to crack and fall, very
nearly all of tho houses in Tore del
Greco were destroyed, and the
town was almost deserted by its In
habitants. The commissions contin-
ued for several days, and even up
to the 1st of January, 1862, the
tremblings of the earth had not ceas'
ed, and exhalations of gas in the
streets of the ruined town and near
the sea were so strong as to be near
ly insufferable Since 1862 the vol
cano has been inactive, and deluded
by its deceitful calm, the inhabitants
| of Tore del Greco have returned to
their old home only again to be driv-
en- forth by the rushing tide of the
fiery sea.
~ L 70