The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-01
A TIDAL WAVE.

EFFECT OF THE SUBMARINE EARTHQUAKE AT
HAwAIt-IMMENsE RISE OF THE sEA-FlvR
LIVES LOST AND VALUABLE PROPERTY DE-
sTRoYED-DRILIIANr DISPLAY FROM VOL
cANo.
SAN FRANCISCO May 81, 1877.
BY the arrival Of the steamship City OF sydney
have an account from the Honolulu Advertiser OF the
great tidal wave Of May TO- IL appears to have oc
CURED simultaneously all the group. At
kahaul, on the island OF Maui at first an
unusual subsistence the was noticed
about quarter before FIVE O'Clock IN the
morning An observer in this town. who was near the
harbor and recis exposed places the occurrence
exactly the same time. J. J. Porter, OF Hlo Hawaii,
hxes the moment that the wave which overwhelmed
the village Of Waakca at precisely the time and
the statement Of Captain smithers OF the whaling bark
Pacific which was lying at the time at Hilo Bay, cor
roboratcs this.
CHANGES ~ MARKS
The difference between the highest and oxest water
MARKS at various localities ascertaned to be as
iollows:--
Al Hilo on the east side OF Hawaii SO feet ut Keala-
keakua Bay, the west side OF Hawaii 80 feet; ut
Kawahac, the west side Of Hawaii five
feat; at kahului tho north side oi Maui,
twenty-five feet; at Lahaa the south
side Of Maui, twenty-five feet; at Lahaina. on
the south side OF Mani, twelve feet; at Honolulu on
the south side Of Oahu Island, iect ten inches
and at NawwiI on the southeast side Kanai three
feet. In tue difference in the height OF the
wave may DO accounted for by the conhguraon OF the
coast and the outlying reefs.
ACCOUNT OF WITNESS
The following Is of the disaster at hilo
from an eyewitness:
HLo. May II, 1871
DEAR Strive have had a great disaster at Hilo
On THURSDAY morning. the 10th inst, about four
ana iali IN an unusual manner. and
i've O'Clock II swept IN mighty wave
washing up and into nearly all the stores the front
oil the stone wall OF the Maka wharf The perpendic.
usr height OF the wave has since been ascertaned by
aleveing tube TO have been II ec inches tho
ordinary low water mark At Waukea the damage
irghtui Every house within 100 yards OF the water
was swept away. The steamboat wharf aud store
house Spencor's storehousc, the bridge across the
stream and all the dwelling houses were swept away
IN an instant, and now lie mass oil ruins tar inland.
LOSS OF
Five lives were lost ana U number OF people were
bruised and had limbs broken. The body Of a woman
Gun whaieshp Pacific. Captain Smithers lying IN tho
haroor, picked up six people who we're swimming
fathoms OF water, but she grounded hen the sea
cedcd and then would BIO whired round ana round as
the sea came in again. All expected 10 SEQ her drag
ashore.
ALTERNATE RisE AND PAIL.
The sea continued rise and fall all day. timed
one Of tue tides IN the morning about seven O'Clock,
aud from its lowest e5b to It's food only about
four minutes IL about fourteen feet perpendicu-
lar height IN that timc. In the afternoon the space
VI one hour The and foil three times, with
q height above high tide level Of ten ana
hall feet each time. The wave at Waiakea must have
had perpendicular height OF sixteen feet 10 have
taken the bridge and wharf where they now lie The
water swept completely over Cocoanui Island and he
hospital there has disappeared Yours. In huste,
l., SEVERANCE.
VOLCANIC ACTION
The Volcano OF Kilouea has been unusually active Of
late. A steamer arriving at Hio oil Wednesday, May
2 reports that MS she passed down tho coast the
following night the light OF the crater unusually
brilliant On Friday, ut quarter to three O'Clock r.
NJ several pretty earthquake shocks were felt
followed lew minutes later by Jet OF lava
thrown up from tho door OF the crater near
the east bank through = crack which had
evidently been made by the earthquake Tho lava
continued spout at this place. gradually ascending
steep buG to its summit then moving along the 18th.
mus and connecting large crater with the smaller
OF Kiancak down into tho pit Of which the lava
This continued for six hours tho lava being
thrown up In numerous jets along tho limo at different
heights at times reaching 100 feet.
MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY.
Frequently there would be at least fifty OF these Jets
at once, making magnificent display. The locality Of
this eruption and its general aractcscs appear to
idcntcally the those OF 1882 lS4O and 1885,
simultaneously with the appearance OF these ores
those Of old South Lake suddenly cxtinguished
and for two days following arcs we're seen on
Kiloua