The sun., 1880-12-05
A VOLCANO IN THE ROCKIES.
A Signal Service Observers Description OF
the Eruptions OF Pixies Peak.

From the Colorado Springs Gasette
The probability OF a volcano existing In
the Rocky Mountains has never entered the
thaf s +. ohf e1sss doss pd S
nished US BY Sergeant o'keefre Of the signal
US OF this peculiar and newly discovered phe-
nomenon was reported last Saturday afternoon.
the guidance f Of Sergeant ' o'Keeire. visited ft
the scene OF what proved to be one OF the
most wondrous discoveries eyer brought to
light in this mountain region. Nearly all Of tho
citizens OF Colorado Springs have seen or read
OF the crater, which s located near the summit
conceded by savants that this sef-same crater
had In times gone by been the scene of a ter
discovered in the SC creSices Of the rock ADJOINING
II. Those who have investigated more closely
the various formations which are peculiar to
volcanic mountain generally have affirmed
plainly that the Piko's Peak crater has in its
which lava has certainly been emitted.
4. II was on the night OF the 29th OF October that
activity serseaSt was SsnS aroused "a from
his slumbers by a dreary, doleful sound which
apparently emanated from beneath the signal
station. His first convictions were that IL was
earthquake, but this impression was soon dis
pelled by the fact that the sound still continued
Guided to INVESTIGATE the cause OF this myste-
rious sound and he and his assistant, MIR. +. l..
dressed and started out II
over the door sill when bright flash. at first
thought TO be- lightning. surmounted the sum
duration. and the Peak was again clothed In
darkness. From this time on the sound here.
tofore described seemed to decrease until
peak pes ' was again ds' restored. The foioWina % day
Sergeant O'Keefre visited the crater, feeling
confident that the sound heard the night pre-.
vious had emanated from that source. What
was his surprise on looking down into the era
tnr to discover vapor curling up from the cup;
enclosure. dl0COyafY
him to further continue his researches. and
after two hours laboriouB climbing he found
himself standing within about 400 yards OF the
crater chimney. The heat even at this distance
was very oppressive. and the ground about him
was covered with pulyerized ashes and lava
which had boen emitted from what he believed
tance OF half q mile from tho crater had entire
ly disap peared This was all the moro remark-
able as 1t had upon the day previous been
Since the Goth OF October but one eruption
has happened, and that was on the night OF No
vember Z, when another one similar to that
which took place on the 10th, only more violent,
occurred. Sergeant OKeefie happened to be on
the roof OF the signal station on this occasion.
grandest that he has ever Witnessed. not OK
cepting that OF Vesuyius seen by him in 1922,
when he was a lad. Tn. eruption began
hafas % rGaS nto tho ar s dsaso Gaads
ashes and lava. These explosions speceeded
each other with rapldty and increased violence
for about one hour. when the volcano seemed
to enter into Q profound sleep; During tho
eruption the clouds are strongly illumi mated
by The reflection OF tho glowing lava in the
crater, giving the scene tho appearance Of a
vast coniiagration, This will account for the
peculiar light which has been noticed by the
sheep horders on the plains east OF this city.
Savants give It us their opinion that the prosent
| upheayal will last about three months, after
comparative repose. only to burst With removed
VlGor In about SIX years.