The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-09-05
VOLCANIC HORRORS.
Seventy.Fiye Thousand Persons Perish
in Roaring Waves, Seething Fire,
or SulpburOus Ashes.
Several Malay Islands Sent Into the Seas
The Havoc I'm Java Widespread
and Appalling.

NEW YORK, Aug. 80 A London cable
gram says: Further particulars OF the great
volcanic eruption in Java, which have Just
reached London from Batavia, show that the
disaster was even more widespread and more
disastrous than reported in yesterdays aa-
vices. At noon Sunday the eruption, and
shocks were supposed 10 have reached their
height, but late in the afternoon and evening
the violence of the disturbances suddenly
increased, and the island seemed to be about
to be completely buried in fire and sulphur
Gus ashes. At the same time the enormous
waves began to dash with greater force upon
The shores, coming in some places far up into
the Interior, and great chasms opened in the
earth and threatened to engulf q large pro-
portion of the people and buildings.
About midnight the most frightful scene
of all took place. Suddenly an enormous
luminous cloud, similar TO that which was
seen over the Cunning Guntur, but much
greater in extent, formed over the Kandang
range of mountains, which skirt the south
east coast of the island. This cloud gradual
ly increased in size until it formed canopy
Of lurid red and whitish gray over wide ex-
tent of territory. During this time the erup-
tions increased and streams of lava poured
necessarily down the sides of the mountains,
sweeping everything before them. Here and
there stream of lava would enter an arm
of the sea or come in contact with the water
of a river. Then the lava would suddenly
produce boiling heat and rapid vaporization,
but the superficial Consolidation that almost
instantly ensued would prevent any further
contact with the water. The hssures that
/ opened in this crust as IL solidihed on the
stream of lava emitted torrents of vspor, ex
tending high in the air and making a tre-
mendous seething sound, as 1T q thousand
/ locomotives were simultaneously letting or
; steam. Here and there the lava streams were
/ like crystals Of feidspar arranged in trains
! one behind the ether in the direction OF the
flow OF the current, and feldspathic sphere
/ liies were rapidly formed in the vitreous
matter, resembling those which form in the
/ Stag of glass furnaces.
! None of the people inhabiting these places
or Ct the natives scattered sparsely through
The forest and on the plains escaped death.
This section OF the island was not so denSely
populated as the other portions and the loss
wss comparatively small, although it must
have aggregated 1000 souls.
The entire Kandang range of mountains
extending along the coast in a semi-circle for
/ shout sixty-five miles, had gone out Of sight.
The waters of Welcome Bay the Sundra
Straits and Pepper Bay on the east and of
the Indian Ocean on the south had rushed in
and formed sea of turbulent waters. Here
and there the peak of crater was exposed
for a moment by the recediDg of great wave
and occasionally puff OF brownish gray
smoke or a slight shower of rocks showed
that the volcanoes still continued in active
subaQueous eruption. The debris of the sub
hither and thither on the water, the sign left
that there had once been Inhabited land there.
The town of TanoaDg, within twenty
five miles OF the city OF Batavia, was swept
away by the lava stream, and fully half the
population, mostly Japanese, numbering
Point Salcls, the erd-hot rocks set fire to the
houses and swept away. all the thickly-set-
: tied portion Of the town. About ten baz .ars
belonging to Europeans were destroy ed.
The loss of property Is very large, but no
lives are known 10 have been lost. The
River Jacatra, on the banks OF which
Batavia is situated, was 30 completely
damaged by the lava and debris that its
course was changed, and from Franien
bastion it flowed down through Tigers street
and joined the waters of the River Emerades,
+ swelling that stream to.such an extent that il
rose high on the Castor batteries. Figeienknig
: was slmost totally destroyed, and a large
number of lives were lost there.
The Island OF Onius, five miles OFF the
mouth of the Targerang River. and twenty
east of Batavia was completely inundated,
ard the floating dock there was totally de
stroyed.
Coatoye Clops, and Tronwers Islands, of
the portion OF Java, wich disappeared, are
still out Of sight, and not yesuge OF them IS
left. Baby and Cheribo Islands of the north
cost, lost the few houses and inhabitants
upon them.
r. a. o1yc NJ ba
eruption was the carrying in the midst OF the
molten mess ri bed OF solid ice OF enor-
nous size, which had been emitted from one
OF the craters. it was carried along by the
current and landed on The extremity OF Point
st. NiCho as, AT the northeast corner OF the
island. Tie bed Of ice IVES surrounded b.
thick env6 iole Of sand and scori;e. which are
noE-condu cioTs OF heat. lis supposed. this
ice la Il formed the crust or some su5.erra-
lean lake
About O'Clock on. Monday morning the
great cloud suddenly broke INTO small sec
iions ard quickly vanished. ~ the same
time frightful rum blipgs were heard, aud the
columns OF fire and smoke over the southeast
corner of the island ceased to ascend. while
the craters in the other parts OF Java seemed
to open their fiery Ihroais stlil wider to let
out the greatest quantity OF lava, rocks, pun
ice and ashes yet yOmited forth. The Kissing
Of the became so loud as to be almost
desfening. The waves advanced on the shore
10 an unprecedented height When daylight
came it was seen that en- enormous tract of
: ls nd bad disaI pssred, extending from Point
Cspucin on the south 10 Negery PsfDrang
ON the north, ard west TO Loco Point, cOyer-
il an extent Of territory about fifty miles
square. In this were situated the villages OF
NegeIy and Negery Labawang.
In Batavia the loss has been largely in
creased since the former reports. The roof
OF the Governors house vas crushed in by a
mass of mud. and three of the retainers were
killed. Tile town bridge was destroyed, the
Diamond and Pearl baslions badly damaged,
and The Burran Iedoubt destroyed. In Cay
mand, Malabar and Lion streets the prin-
cipal avenues of the city, the damage is very
geaI. Fort Aaiyol is entirely destroyed.
The town OF Fasgal was severely shaken, and.
few buildings left standing
The aggregate loss of life must be fully
75,0o0 but The number of those who perished
can never, OF course. be accurately known.
THAT TERRIBLE VOLCANO.