Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-07-23
A FIERY RIVER.
Chicago Times.

IAN a lth4NNAoSVf ONsAJ - N'-~~ 1
papers, per the City Of New York,
containing alarming letters from Hilo,
which is threatened with destruction
from lava from the volcano OF Mauna
Loa. The population is preparing to
fly from the fiery food. Two streams
OF liquid lava are coming down in
rocky channels, which are some
times filed with roaring waters, but
are nearly dry at this time. These
two gulches are too small to hold the
seething mass, and the fiery food
overruns the banks and spreads out
on either side. The united width Of
the streams may vary from fifty to
two HUNDRED feet. Going down the
sleeper parts Of these rocky beds the
roar is like that Of the surf and often
like thunder. Under date June 30,
the correspondent says: About
Wednesday of last week the old
mountain was observed to be more
than usually active, the whole summit
of the crevasse pouring forth immense
volumes of smoke. By Friday noon
the three southern arms all joined
into one, rushing down the gulch in
rapid flow. Saturday noon it had
run mile. Monday morning it was
reported to have reached the fiat bank
of the Halai hills. The stream was
entirely confined to the gulch and
intensely active when about half a
mile from the flats.
| The flow on the average is seventy
five feet wide and from ten to thirty
in depth and filled the gulch up level
with the banks. The sight was grand.
The whole frontage was one mass OF
liquid lava carrying on its surface
huge cakes of partly cooled lava.
Soon after we reached it the flow
reached a hole some ten or fifteen feet
| in depth, with perpendicular sides
The sight as it poured over that fall
in two cascades was magnificent
The flow was then going at the rat'
of about seventy-five feet an hour
About midnight we noticed a dlmlnu
ton in the activity of the gulch flow
: and soon saw q bright glare above
the tree-tops, and presently wer'
startled by burning "gas-bursts,' ant
t the cracking and falling Of trees ev
erywhere above. The whole sky was
t lined with the light of the burnin!
f trees and shrubs. About 2 a. NJ, W,
made an attempt to reach the seen
7 of the great activity land succeeded
by going up the south side OF til
gulch a quarter of a mile. The on
4 coming overflow had swept over tn
banks of the narrow gulch, and wa
flowing like water into adense groy
of neneleau and guava trees. Their
! they stood in a seq of liquid Law
0 oyer space of more than an acre
\ while the fires were running up thel
1 trunks, and burning branches an
+ leaves overhead. The flow was S
e rapid that the trees were not CT
: down for more than two hundred fe'
|. from the first of the flow. In OF
e place we saw a huge dome of hal
d melted lava rise up fifteen or twent
IS feet high, and twice that in diamete
Is and apparently remain statlohal
d while the fiery flood went on, v
e watching this for about an hour, SCI
'e ing how rapidly it was advancin
if At early noon we started back II
d home. The reason of the quick az
vance of the flow the first two weel
le has been the increased activity at ii
y fountain head, the junction OF tt
streams mentioned, and the fact tn
G this narrow rock-b gulch has form
d ed flume to pass the liquid la,
r along in solid, narrow stream, wit
re out any chance for spreading o
g laterally. 1t is impossible to say no
80 when the flow will reach the sea, b
m the probability is that it will take Il
W Kaukwan gulch, now not over l3
is miles from the sea, 1t may spre'
" out on the flat above Hil0s, and ri
I'd down to the north of the hills, but t
tendency is toward Fishpondsi. The
is no hope now of it not reaching t
A sea, and in short time, probably b