Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-07-22
Most Destructive Volcanic EruptionS
and Earthquakes in the Worlds
History.
Extinct Volcanoes For the First Time
in Tradition are Awakened Into
Activity.
Villages Disappear From the Face of
the Earth and Man and Beast
Perish.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1.-THE steamer
Almeda, which arrived to-day from Aus
tralia, brings particulars of the fearful
volcanic eruptions in New Zealand last
month, which are among the most de-
structiye in the worlds history. The first
reports of volcanic eruptiOns came from
Tatranga, in Auckland Lake district. The
natives of the village were sharply awak-
ened from their sleep at o'clock in the
morning by repeated vivid flashes of
lightning which continued at rapid inter
walls up to a. M, when a tremendous
earthquake occurred followd by others.
The shocks were so violent that people
jumped from their beds, and,
PARALYzED WITH TERROR,
making no effort to save or take anything
with them except their children. The
earthquakes continued to follow one an
other in quick succession up to a. M,
when leaden colored cloud was observed
advancing from the south, spreading out
until it covered the sky. While still NOV
ing it burst with a sound of thunder, and
shortly after showers of fire dust began
falling.
Accounts from other points state that
Mount Tareivera was the first volcano to
break forth, and hardly were flames seen
issuing from its crater than the entire
Paeroa range of mountains belched
forth IN sympathy, hurting flames of
BURNING LAVA
and stones over the surrounding country.
For the first time in tradition the extinct
volcano of Ruapeha was awakened into
activity. The entire country over an ex-
tent of 100 miles long by 20 in breadth
was nothing but mass of flame and hot,
crumbling soil, which in places rose to a
height of four thousand feet, capped at
the highest point by the TIE Kopha gey-
ser, said to have been the grandest in the
world.
During all this time showers of dust
continued to fall until it became so dense
as to make the day as dark as night, and
not until the second day did the dust stop
falling. 1t was noticed that the dust
emitted strong sulphurous smell. Mum
erous small native villages were.
TOTALLY DESTROYED.
WairOa was covered to the depth of ten
feet with dust and ashes. Rahtomahan
was completely engulfed, as were also
some other small villages. One hundred
and twenty persons are known to have
lost their lives, among whom were several
English residents.
The loss of cattle starved to death
from destruction of pasture by dust, is
very great, and great distress exists
throughout all Auckland Lake district.
One old Maroi Chief at Ratorna was dug
out alive, after having been buried in
ashes 1O4 hours. Every effort was made
to save the lives Of others, but in most
cases, where the bodies were found, they
were dead. At the date of the departure
of the steamer Alemeda from Auckland
the volcanoes we're still active, and the
temperature of hot lakes was increasing.
IN THE SEA
the sensation experienced is said to be
fearful and almost beyond description.
Immediately after the first earthquake
the inhabitants rushed about frantic in all
directions.
When the second one was felt the entire
country for miles around was lit up by
the glare from the volcano which had sud-
denly burst forth.
The scene was as grand as it was awful.
Huge volumes of smoke illuminated with
flames simultaneously burst from over a
range of mountains over sixty miles in
length, and above the flames could be dis
tinctly seen the balance of the fire, pre-
senting the appearance of meteors chas-
ing one another along the expanse of the
sky.