Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-09-06
ANOTHER CALAMITY.
A Fearful Volcanic Eruption OH
the Island of Java.
Thousands of Lives Lost.

From London comes a cablegram
as follows: The latest advices from
Batavia, the capital of Java, show that
the volcanic eruptions 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 off the
coast of Java. The deep rumblincs
were distinctly audible at Surakerta
and Batavia, abont forty-fve and
twenty-five miles off respectively.
Little alarm was felt at first. but with
In few hours showers of stones began
to fall at Jolljokerita, Surabaya and
Zerang. All through the night show
ers of red hot rocks and ashes fell
making complete darkness in all these
towns. In Batavia there was am oc-
casional fall, and it was difficult to
keep the street lights burning in the
European part. By the next morning
all communication with AMER was cut
of-all the brigades having been de
stroyed by the descending rocks and
ashes, and the road rendered impassi-
bic. The first eruptions We're on Sat
urday night. On Sunday morn
ing the disturbances had eX-
tended beneath the waters of the
strait, and these We're soon boiling
and kissing violently, while great
waves dashed upon the Javanese
shores, and the temperature of the sea
went up nearly 20 deg, even as far
away from the original point of dis
turbance as Madura. The furious
waves were dashed into mountains of
foam as they came rolling in. The
threatening rumblings gradually be-
came more and more distinct. and
soon the Malta Meru, the largest of
the volcanoes, was bleaching forth
flames at a very alarming rate This
eruption soon spread to the Cunning
Guntur, the crater of which is the
largest in the world, being nearly four
miles in diameter, and many other
minor mountains, until more than
third of the forty-tive craters of Java
were either III active eruption or seri-
Ously threatening it. Just before
dark a great luminous cloud formed
over the Cunning Guntur and the
crater of that volcano began to vomit
up enormous streams Of white acid
and sulphurous mud, besides small
quantities of lava. There were rapid
successive explosions, followed by ire
mendOus showers of cinders
and enormous fragments which were
hurled high into the air and scat
tered in all directions, to fall after the
force was spent, upon the valleys be-
low, carrying death and destruction.
With these terrible eruptions came
sympathetic demonstrations from the
sea. The overhanging clouds were
SO surcharged with electricity that at
one time over fifteen huge water
spOuts were seen. They have CON
tlnued at somewhat long intervals
ever since. Men, women and chill
dren rushed IN terror from their tot
tering dwelling places, filing the air
with their shrieks of horror. Hun
dreds were unable to get out before
the houses fell and were.
BURIED BENEATH GREAT MASSES OF
ROCKS
and mud which were piled up where
a few hours before all had been peace,
happiness and fancied security. AS
the eruptiOns increased in frequency
and violence, the disturbance
OF the water surrounded the
barren coast became more and more
violent. Here waves rushed in with
terrific force up the steep, rocky in
cline, breaking upon the 0verhanglng
crags, and receding rapidly, leaving a
lava flow cooled just at the moment
when it was about to fall over the pre-
cipice, and there remaining quickly
hardened bv contact with the waters.
and forming distinct strata of black,
and bright red, purple, and brown
lava, all thrown about in the most
eccentric masses, while hugh peaks of
basalt rose at frequent intervals
What few hours before were fertile
valleys, covered with fourishing
plantations of coffee, rice, sugar, in
digo or tobacco, the staples of the
island, were soon but mud, stone, and
lava-c covered fields of destruction and
ruin. Probably not single crop Of
Java will be saved.