Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1881-08-30
VOLCANIC ERUPTION BETWEEN
ELK CITY AND FLORENCE.
Lewiston Teller.

and That the shock was distinctly felt
on Camas Prairie. on Salmon riverI
ani other points, but no one seemed
to know exactly where. On Tuesday
evening Mr. Johns and Mr.. Peasley.
who, at the time, we're stopping OH
the south fork of tie Clearwater about
twenty miles east Of Mount Idaho ar
rived In town, and from them we
learned the following facts: On the
morning Of the 10th at about $50 as
Mr.. Johns was proceeding from his
place along the side of the ridge on
the north side Of the south fork and
mp to where Peasfey and others were
mining in the canyon Of the river, he
was suddenly nearly Frustrated BY
shock, as well as his horse. As soon
as he recovered so as to conprehend
the situation he looked across the
stream to the southeast, and as he es-
Inmates, about twelve miles distant.
aud discovered column of fire and
what looked like steam ascending in
the air to a great height, and heard
what he supposed to be the falling of
rocks between him and the column of
fire. He watched this for nearly an
hour. when the whole atmosphere be-
came so enveloped in smoke that the
sun was obscured. He proceeded to
Peasleys camp and the men at the
camp had heard the noise bat being
in the canyon they could not account
for It, but supposed that it might have
been the bursting of meteuric rock.
Johns remained there during tie
might. At about A NJ. Of Wednes-
day another explosion and shock took
place and Peasiey and others went
out of the canyon upon the bill north.
where they could see the place Johns
lad described, and there beheld the
column Of white steam enveloping a
column Of red blaze extending to a
great height, as Johns had described
and became satisfied that it was a vol
csuic eruption on the northwest side
Of ridge a short distance west Of
6uitaIo Hump aud near the fork OF
what is called Big creek, and from
f 800 to 1900 feet above the South
fork o. the Clearwater aud nearly in q
line between Elk City aud Florence.
Pes>try and others went back TO camp
and determined that they would aban
don camp if tie eruption continued
till the next day. But on Thursday
If had disappeared and nothing coald
be seen but the smoke Of the burning
, timber that had been ignlted by this
| eruption. The margin of the river
VAS lined for some distance with frag-
! iASii'N' VI ohtHt HUNS Stii dtUTlS tfi6i
had teen thrown of and drifted in the
air to the river. Mr.. Peasley informed
u. that on Wednesday MOI ming Sc
great was the heat rzdiatiny from this
column OF fire, that although the,
we've twelve or fifteen miles distant
they could distinctly feel these ray.
by turning their faces in the direction
ot the column. These men both sa,
that no fires had been discovered il
the mountains till after the first erup.
ton ON the 10Th. The shock vas fell
by parties coming from kamia Il
Lewiston and by mo.t persons Ok
Camas Prairie and 10y parties near
the mouth Of Salmon river, and the
column of smoke was also distinctl,
seen from the prairie and the Kama
road. Mr.. Johns says that he has
formerly visited the section where the
eruption took place, and that the sur.
; face of the earth was covered witt
what appeared to be volcanic ashe.