Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-07-21
vesuvius IN 1919.

Vesuvius In 1919.
Seen from Naples during the winter
Of 1912, Vesuvius wore IN aspect more
festal than formidable. At intervals, a
bright-red riband Of fire depended, like
= decoration, from its summit; while
the volcanic character, already betrayed
in the graceful inward curves of central
subsistence, was accumulated by a vapor-
GUS crown occasionally flushed with the
nocturnal glow Of internal incan-
d~escence. The mountain was, however,
considered to have entered on a phase
of serious agitation; and y minor cone,
thrown up just outside the northern
edge of the great crater, served at once
as the main channel and the visible
sign of its renewed activity. High up
among the lava fields ominous sounds
began to be heard by the end of Janu-
airy, resembling the distant below of an
infuriated animal; hot, sulphurous steam
issued from cracks and crevices, and
the great crater threw some preliminary
bombs. On March rs (with the full
moon, Signor PALMER. bids us observe)
the volcano tried its powers in a formal
eruption, but, as if finding them still
inadequate, suspended it's action, and
relapsed into comparative tranquility
on the 29th. The lava stream issuing
from the small cone was, on the follow
ing night, crossed close to its source by
the present writer without the slightest
inconvenience. 1t was already ''dead,"
that is, had ceased to receive reinforce
ments, and betrayed its recent ignition
only through glowing assures and the
instant blazing of any infammable
substance thrust into them. A thick
column of vapor rose, however, from
the %orifce, blood-red with the reflection
from the fiery a within, and every
twenty OF thirty seconds the central
crater discharged, with a growl and a
crash. a volley of red-hot stones, some
a foot or more in diameter, which pow
dered with fire the black ashes Of the
surrounding plateau, and menaced in
quisitive spectators with the utmost
penalty of rashness. But the most
memorable feature of that nights
spectacle was the sudden and
unexpected apparition of a lurid cloud
suspended above the Atrio del Cavallo
(the valley dividing the cone of Vesu-
vius from the precipices of Somma),
showing that the mountain had opened
in that direction. Such was the fact,
though little noted at the time. 1t con-
stituted, however, a threat which was
terribly and fatally executed. A few
days later predictions Of a great erup-
ton, to come off before April was ended,
were circulated in Naples; but they
-~,.1l- L. %r,.ol 10 No Authoritative
source, and served only to lend a
piquant flavor of coming excitement to
the dolce far niemte of the Chiaja. Pune
tually, however, with the next full
moon-April 23-the agitation recon-
menced, and several rivulets of molten
| rock trickled down to the base of the
cone. Then the Imountain paused, as if
to draw breath; and at nine o'clock in
the evening of the 25th only the open
mouths of the two craters were visible,
like watch-fires on a hill, their flames
alternately rising and falling in rhyth-
mical pulsations of repose. Before
dawn on the 26th the full fury Of the
long-threatened eruption had broken
loose; the large cone was cleft from sur
NIT to base, along the line of weakness
previously laid bare; the small cone
was blown into the air; and three great
lava streams were already we'll on Their
way-one making for Tore del Greco,
another for Resina, and the third direct
ing its lis towards Naples itself!
The explosion. which occurred at $3.50
a. M, unhappily involved in destruction
a party of about sixty excursionists-
university students and others-who,
disregarding the warnings received at
the observatory, had rashly ventured
into the Atrio del Cavallo. But awe and
regret were alike absorbed in amaze.
ment at the s%tupendous spectacle pre-
sented by the volcano. Into a sky,
which on the side of Naples was as blue
as April could make it, huge volumes Of
steam discharged themselves, and, as
cending with extraordinary velocity to 8
height Of at least 5000 feet (such is the
unimpeachable assertion of the photo
graphic lens), hung poised beneath the
zenith in solid-looking, 1occulent masses
of dazzling wilderness. A torrent o.
p~roiectiles, furrowing the column o.
issuing vapors with livid and fiery
CLEANS, outdid even the fierce haste O
their up-rush, while the entire back
ground was rendered of an inky black
ness by dense clouds of falling ashes
and lapilli. ''We have an obligation tt
the wind" a soldier remarked in pass
ing; '.if it blew the other way, Addi,
Napoli! This, however, was igura
tive; the danger to Naples was at NJ
time extreme.-Ihe Edinburgh Revtew
Convalascinu
When Mr.. Boliver Bascom came in t,
Kansas City from a trip down in tn
ArLanSas hottnmS he looked like Deat]