Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-09-07
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FORTY THOUSAND DEAD.
Victims OF the Terrible Vorcanic
Eruption and Tidal Waves of the
Island of Java.

Victims OF the Terrible Vorcanic
Eruption and Tidal Waves of the
Island of Java.
The latest advices fro m Batavia the CAP
ital of Java, show that the volcanic erup-
tions in that island are much more serious
than at first indicated. The disturbances
began on the Island Of Krakatoa, In the
strait of sunda, about fifteen miles of the
coast of Java.
The hrst eruptlons were on Saturday
night. On Sunday morning the disturb
ances had extended beneath the waters Of
the strait, and these were soon boiling and
kissing violently, while great waves dashed
upon the Javaness shores, and the temper
ature of the sea went up nearly 20 deg,
even as far away from the original point of
disturbance rs Madura. The furious waves
were dashed into mountains OF foam as they
came rolling in. The threatening rumb-
lipgs GRADUALLY became more and more dis.
tinct, and soon the Malta Meru, the
largest OF the volcanoes of Java, was
eeich pg forth flames at q very alarming
rate. Men. women and children rushed ia
terror from their lettering dwelling places,
filling the air with their shrieks Of orrnr.
Hun dreds were unable to get out before the
houses fell and were buried beneath great
massas ofrocks and Maud which were piled
up where lew hours before all had been
peace, happiness and fancisd security.
With these terrible eruptions came sy1n-
pathetic demonstrations from the sea. The
overhanging clouds wera so sur
charged with electricity that at ore time
over fifteen huge watesspouts were seen. As
the eruptions Increased in frequency and
violence, tho disturbance Of the waters sur
rounding the barren coast beca 20 Id ore and
more violent. Here the waves rashed ia
with terrific torcs up the steep, rocky in
cline, breaking upon the overhanglne crag5.
and receding rapidly, leaving a lava Cow
cooled just at the moment when it was about
to fall over the precipice, aud there remain
ing quickly hardened by contact with the
waters. The European and American
Quarter was first overwhelmed by rocks
mud and lava fro II the craters, and then
the waters came up ana swallowed the
rulna. leaving nothing to mark the Site and
causing tue loss Of somewhere in the neigh
borhood Of 10000 inhabitants and those
who lad tried to find g refuge there. Ban
tam, once prosperous and dourishing ne
tive city, but practically abandoned many
years age, WAS entirely covered several
times by the waters, and there must have
been from 1900 to 800 people drowned.
At the last adyices the eruptions were still
continuing, although their violence had
aHated SOM ewhat and it is feared that the
end OF the disaster will show it to baye
been one Of the most frghtiul ever known
lii the history Of volcanic eruptions
java is an island in the Malayan archt-
pelago, the principal seat OF Dutch POWER n
the East, aud after Sumatra and Borneo, the
largest in the Sunda group. It is between
the Java sea and the Indian ocean, The
island is $50 miles long by 80 to Is miles
| broad, and has an area Of 973y square
miles. The island is tsaeersed through ,,t its
whole length by Two chains Of mo1u3alus,
thickly set with volcanoes. active and ax-
tlnct, varying from 5000 to 1900 test In
height.
MORE DISASTROUS TEAM Al gTnsr REPORTED
LONDON, Special Cableeram, Aug. 20 Fur
thor particulars Of the great voIcalic eruption
10 Java, winch have just reached London FROM
Batavia show he disaster to have been oven
| more widespread and move disastrous than re-
ported i'll yesterdays adyices. At moor sunday
! the eruptions aud shocks were supposed -
have reached their greatest height. Bat late
in the afternoon GDd evening the whence
If Che disturbances suddenly increased, and
! tho island seemed to be about to be crnlbietejy
buried in 3 mass OF Ire and sulphuruus ashes
dash with great force upon the shores, COM
ing in some places far up into the Interior and
CREST chasnls opened into the earth aud threat
ened to enaulf large portion OF the is'aHde,
people and buildings. About midnight the
most frigA .ful scene Of the whole dislul bance
| took place. Suddenly an enormoue lu1uinons
cloud, similar &c that which was seen Oh tha
Cunning NQnfur, but mrch greater 10 cXte t,
formed o. er the KandaDg range of mountains J..
| which skirt the southeast coast of the island
The cloud gradually increased in size
! until it formed canopy OF lurid red and
wbitisE gray over wide sxtcnt Of territory
Dnflng thiH time the eruptionn increased and
streams OF lava poured !ncassantly down the
s'22s OF the mountaina into tho valleys, sweep
ing every thing before them. Here and thgre
&stream Of lava WoulEs enter arm of tie
sea or come in contact VII. the waters OF q
river. then the nearest !ucandes1ent ava as it
pro:rudeo from the great stream would sad
denly produce
BOILING HEAT AND s1cEENINa vApoas.
Dot tbs superficial cnnsO ldattou that almost H.
stantiy eEsued Weuld prevent any Ia 7th=r con-
.act Tue assures tlsl opened in this t,n
| crust az it aoli:ied would emit torrents OIL
sap0S, extending high into the sir and making
| tremendous hsssiug and seethtng sound as If
8 thousand locomotives we're si1Nutane-
! pusly letting off steam. Here and
there in the lava streams were
inuumerable thin riate-Hke crystals c.
other in the direction OF the tiow Of the cur
! rent, and feldsEathio sphericles we're rapidly
| formed In The visTeogs matter, resembling
| those which feen in tbs Stag of glass
| furnace. One 81 the most singular freaks
! OF tbs eruption was the carrying IN the
midst OF the molten lava Of bed
| OF solid ice of enormous siRe, which
had been amittsd from one of tbs craters, car
Rcd along by the current, and landed on the
! extremity on Point 81. Nicholas on the north
east corner OF the island. This bed Of ;co was
surrounded by ,hlcA envelope OF sand and
| scoria, which are SUCH Observation-Disclosures Of heat
! tiA$ Ted-hot stream OF lava rulnsng over l.
Will not, E,alt snow. It is supposed this ice
! hHd formed the crust Of some vast subter-
ranean lake. About 2 o'clock Monday mor,l-
ing the great cloud suddenly broke into small
aections and quickly vanished. 1t the ssme
time the most frightfui ruu1olings were heard,
snd the columns Of Are and smoke on the
southeast corner Of the island ceased
! TO ascend, while the craters 10 the
ssher parts of Jaws seemed to open their fiery
tbroats still wider to let out the greatest guam
titles OF lava, rocks, punaice aud ashes yet
vonlited ont The hlssing Of these became 80
'ond as to be almost deafaning, aud the waves
washed up on the shores to an unprecedented
height When daylight came it was seen
that an
ENORMOUS TRACT or LAND HAD DISAPPEARED.
extending from Point Capreceir. on tho south,
| % Neeery Pafsoreang, on the North, and wssk
to 4 low point covering an extent OF territory
the villages Of Negery and Eegery Babawang
OF the people inhabiting these places and ths
natives scattered sparsely through ths forests
and on the plains nons Escaped frightful
eeath. This section Of the island was not so
denssly populated as the other portions, and
though it must have aggregated fully Is, 600
souls. The entire Candang range of mount.
aims, extending along the coast in a semi circle
Tor about sixty-fve miles. had gone out of
sight The wafers OF ueleoms bay, tne sunda
straits and Pepper bay on the east,