Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-30
Java's Fiery Mouusatus


TIE NUMBER OF LIVES LIST EsrINA rxp Ar Mo-
Lsss THAN 5000.
Advlces from Batavia. the capital az Java ctvs
details OF o series or volcanic eruptions wtthous
parallel Tor their extent and the number OF lives
destroyed Java, IL should be promised supporta
a population as dense as that OF the most popu.
ious European countries, containing upon tn
As,i'o square miles OF tcrrftoFyas many as 1905 $50
souls The island has twenty-five volcanoes con.
stantly In Q state OF activity, ana as many moro
that are occasionally active In i6a Mount
1000 lives. and eruptions DESTROYING each as msny
as l,U0 lives have not been uncommon In recent
y yea the 10 present erupons were INTRODUCED
katoa, In the strait or Sunda, about fifteen mi,as
on the coast or Java.
SHOWERS OF STONES AND ASHES
Deep rumolinSs were heard at points forty-fve
miles distant, and were followed within a few
hours oy showers or stones at JogJskerta Soura-
baya, and Samarang. All through the night red
hot stones and ashes fell In Batavia the same
.hlng happened to less extent. but by morning
tne GUYS communications were Interrupted by
the showers OF stones and ashes which destroved
bridges ana rendered the roads impassabe nv
rapidly beneath the boiling and kissing waters ~
The strait toward the Island OF Java Great waves
were dashed ashore, their temperature raised
twenty degrees higher than usual One after
another the various craters began 10 belch forth
Stem, acid vapors, mud, and stones until some
nIteen were In play.
VINO had escaped from the furious waves that from
time TO time rolled inland Fissurcs opened I'm the
sides or the mountains and extended I'm wide
chasms throu n the valleys. Much OF the NORTH
ern portion OF the island, where IL was clothed
with forests, soon ablaze from the falling cin
ders adding the terrors OF fire 10 those of Garth.
quake showers or stones and Sitting atmosnhare
North Bantam was desolated. The towns OF Tjir-
luslhe and Tclokoelong were destroyed Anter
was overwhel led by an immense tidal wave. The
asntnouses IN the Sunda straits have disappeared,
formerly stood The whole ASPECT OF the region ,s
30 much changed that navigation is dangerous
THE SEA SWALLOWS Up THE LAND AND IT'S INuABr.
TANTS
Monday morning the craters IN ava seemed to
open their fiery throats still wider 10 let out the
greatest quantity OF lava. rocks pumice and ashes
yet vomited forth. The kissing OF the SEA became
80 loud as TO be almost deafening The waves
r h up on the shore TO an unprecedented
helghG when daylight came ia IL was seen tn
an enormous tract OF land had disappeared, ex-
tending from Point Capucin on the south to
Negery Pafsoerang on the north. and west 10 Low
Point, covering an extent OF territory about ffty
miles square In this were situated the villages OF
NegeIy and Negery Babawang. None OF the peo-
PIE innaOltlng these places or o. the natives scat
tered sparsely through the forests ana on the
plains, escaped death. The loss or life here must
nave aggregated fully $1,000 souls. The entire
kandang range OF mountains extending along the
coast In semi-circle for about Is miles had gone
OUT on sight me waters OF Welcome bay, the
Sunaa straits and Pepper bay on the east and OF
the Indian ocean on the south had rushed in and
FORMED sea or turbulent waters. The debrts OF
the submerged and destroyed buildings was tossed
miner ana thlther on the water. the only sign
lett tnat the - had once been Inhabited la nd there
SWEPT BY FIRE AND WATER
The town OF Tanerang, within twenty-iv miles
OF the city OF Batavia, was swept away by the lava
stream, and fully half the population, mostly Jaw.
aneSe, numbering about 1900 persisted. At Speel.
Wyk, near Point Salcs, the red hot rocks SET ire
10 tne houses and swept away all the thick ly set
tled portion or the town. Figelenknig was almost
totally destroyed, and a large number OF Inv g
We're lost there The island or onus, flve miles on
the mouth OF the Targerang river and twenty
miles east OF Batavia, was completely Inundated,
and the noatfng dock there Was totally DESTROYED
Caataye, Chaps and Tronwers islands, OF the por-
ton OF Java which disappeared, are out OF sight
ana not vesttge or them is left Baby and Cher
lido Islands, on the north coast lost the Few houses
and Inhabitants upon them. In Batavia the loss
mas been largely Increased since the former re.
ports The roof OF the governors house was
crushed In by mass OF mud, and three OF the re-
tainers were killed Fagga was severely shaken
and few buildings were left standing The aggre-
gaze loss OF life must be fully IS 5000 but the num-
Der OF those who persisted can never OF course 10
accurately known.