The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-10-01
MAUNA LOAA..

.. MAUNA, LOA.d iliU flg.
The Great Hawaiian Volcano Law
Floods still Pouring Out-BeIeagucr
ing Fires Around the Doomed Town
HiIO--Scenes Fit for D0re's Pencil an
Dante's Inferno y PerilOus Sightseeing
active Ia h f ths S i9es sEe rs
lowing vivid description of the scene
daily witnessed there:g ,-y..,g
The great eruption of Mauna Loa, O
the f'iLofty Mountain, u has been going
on for eight months. Visitors are flock
ing to the Hawaiian group from al
parts Of the world to see this gigantic
display of the hidden forces of nature
From the summit crater of Mokuaweo
weo the. mighty volcano is pouring out
molten food oyer, fifty miles long
and in many places, four miles wide
This Stream of lava threatens to DESTROY
Hilo, fill up the harbor and perhaps
make, a bold pfoniontory jutting far out
into ), the ocean,, oyer the spot where
pleasure boats and, ships now sail. In
1859 the eruption flowed for thirteen
months, and the present outbreak NAV
last as long, The head of the stream
is now within two miles of Hilo, is over
four. miles wide, and in places is banked
up to the height of one hundred feet.
IT this laya wall bursts, as it is likely to
do at any moment and without warn
ing, the lovely town and beautiful har
Dor will be overwhelmed in swift de-
struction, as were the silent cities which
lie deeply buried beneath the wrath of
Vesuvius. o. fot a'H"',' 'i"tH.. ~
For the past three weeks Hilo and its
environments have. been swarming with
tourists gathered to witness the wide
spread devastation wrought by the lava
flow from Mauna Loa Mountain during
the past. eight months, it being Just that
long to-day since the eruption of this
year vas, discovered. Mauna LOAF is
situated on Hawaii, the largest island
OF the group, and is virtually the hioh-
est volcano In the world. 1T rises from
the ocean's shore a vast snow-capped
DOME, 1900 feet, in height. Cotopaxi
volcano, in Ecuador, has a summit 49,,
600 feet high from the sea level, but
from its base upon the great table land
upon whiohiit stands it, is only about
1000 feet high; consequently it is much
less imposing in aspect than is Mauna.
Loa, whose Summit crater has been long
extinct; the recent outbreaks ALWAYS
occurring upon the weakest parts of
the mountains sides, and, at elevations
ranging from 5000 to II. 900 feet. ,s,..,
The flow is but short distance to
the southwestern Hilo, and is approach
ing it with alarming velocity, the three
streams into which the flow has been
divided, having; united with, an acceler-.
ated speed resulting from the union.
Last week a Squirt IF half mile was
made, and during the week an advance
OF over mile has been effected. That
the town and harbor are doomed APP
pears, to, be q foregone conclusion. The
melancholy duty Of recording their de-
struction is at hand, and may be ex-
pected any dayGyet, SO accustomed to
the situation have,l many become,
through familiarity with the awful phe-
nomenon, that they have ceased to re-
gard the danger of their position in its
truly appalling light, and they act and
Jest about it very, much as ,Noah's
nelghbors, did previous to another men,
orable' disaster." They propose estab-
fishing q telephone line TO facilitate
communication with the plantations
ana no, othertoWns upon the island. .gYu
Ihronggs visit the scene of the flow
daily and many persons run over tsr the
molten'mass the moment the Slightest
crust forms upon. it ,and while it is vet
not enough to burn wood or leather.
indeed, 1t takes days to cool, there be-
ing always a liquid fire flowing beneath.
July IA a party went up in the evening
to see iit,' thei aspect chen being most
awe-ipspiring. ..Tbeydintendedf tore
turn py moonlight, and walked ,up the
now about three-quarters, of a mile
an undertaking which narrowly es
capped proving most disastrous. For
hours the liyes0f,allrested upon most
precarlQpS tenure. sfIf bt,n ytdiunt IS,
At first the ladies' could not be in
duced to set foot upon the lava, FEARING
that it's hot, thin crust would break hn2
der and ,precipitate themn into the fierv
furnace they could view through cracks
and holes in what they were invited to
tread upon. Having started out over
the cooler portions, however, they
gained confidence, till at length theyy
were so carried away with the INSPIRING
excitement incident to their marvel,
Gus surroundings, that they had lost
much Of their timidity, and could be
persuaded sven to the brink Of a molten
stream on cataract of living fame
Hither and thither the party flew, rapid
motion being, necessary to prevent the
total and immediate destruction of their
shoes and clothing. 'ti'h HH i'Ih WI
Meanwhile the sun had set The twi-
light of the temperate zoneis here un-
known, and the titful light from lava
flames was all they had'to guide them.
To attempt an Ineligible description
OF these'lava rivers OF fire would be
futile. Theycannot even be Imagined.
One particularly, wide andrapid stream
so riveted the attention of all that, lost
in admiration and amazement, they
were for a long time oblivious to their
surroundings. Hh ca ',f.'
On viewihg'the situation, however II