Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-11
.,.K,>G MOUNTAIN PEAKS.
chat Have Reared Great
-ummits on the iIcvcl PAN.

the say nts at the Smithsonian
.,,,,tio1. THAT there is great deal OF
EXPRESSED over the report that
,.,...,., ne recent earthquake shocks in
,noan Islands mountain rose sud-
INV rom the surface OF the earth and
-iure been an active volcano. Inc
'.o~,, ,oes That this mountain came up In
-i'..,Ia nigat to the height of 800 feet,
"a has since been growing larger by the
'.,ond rocks that come out from its
.or and are accommodating on its sides.
wa mis- is a remarkable phenomenon,
nat the first time such thing has
n,'ennd. There are two active volca-
u"P Pi an this hemisphere that have arisen
nv Of the ground within the memory OF
Uu one of them is JOrullo, volcano
~ rho State of Michaocan, 1850 miles
!l ~ of the City OF Mexico, and
D,,ar the town of Acapulco.
.,Yrom the discovery OF America down
- the middle of the eighteenth century,
w volcanic disturbances or earthquakes
n'o,,rrnd in this region. The present site
" me Volcano JOruliO was the centre of
VI o1arIe cultivated area filed with coffee
"",aniations and indigo fields. In June,
20 however. strange sounds were heard
49, tho neoDle to come from underneath
.so oarfh. These grew louder and more
tnnnestuous and were followed by ter
sidl! EXPLOSIONS. Then came long sue
cession OF earthquakes, extending over
ttran or four weeks, which caused the in
behltants to fee from the country IN ter
rnr During these commissions large
crack opened in the earth near the centre
NJ an indigo plantation, and flames,
smoke and lava were seen to issue from
Tho nofINpa
3ad at the time of the earthquakes began
n return to the place few months later,
and found that q cone had formed around
he crack in the ground, continually in
creasipg in size by reason OF the dis
charges OF earth and showers of basaltic
lava. The earth around was so hot that
they could not stand upon it with bare
feet. and. having made a general survey
Of the surroundings, they lett the place
and returned to where they had taken
refuge when the earthquake began.
This newly formed crater continued
frs eruptions for 70 or S0years until 1927,
when it ceased, and has since discharged
nothing but smoke and occasionally fe W
showers of ashes. The mountain, how
ever, has grown TO the height of 1,600 feet
from the plain around 1t, and about 4, 400
feet from the level of the sea.
But even a more remarkable case has
occurred in the little republic OF San Sal
vadOr. where is the most wonderful vol
canoon this hemisphere. 1t stands about
nine miles from the sea, is in plain signt
of every passing vessel on the Pacific, and
its constant and regular eruptiOns have
caused it to be called 'El Faro del Saliva
dOr'-the lighthouse salvador.
Its eruptions occur with great regu-
laritv at intervals of exactly seven min
VIII nnisp like the niSnharOp n
artillery, accompanied with dense smoke,
large volumes of flame, and showers of
lava. which fall upon every side and
which are continually adding TO the
height of the mountain, now nearly 1000
feet above the surrounding country.
This volcano is one of the most re-
markable in the world, not only because
of its regular eruptions, which nave con-
tinued now for more than 100 years, but
because of its singular origin. The name ;,
rs it appears on the map, ID Izalco, and
the mountain is in the shape OF a trun-
Gated cone. 1t is difficult to conceive OF
grander natural object. it's base is
snTOuded in the densest green from the
grass that grows in the fields below it,
while above is belt OF forest, and beyond
that large accumulation of lava and
ec0rl8, where the various c0lOrs are melt
ed mpercepuoly into each other, and in
the sunshine or by the light of the flames
constantly being emitted from the crater
they appear to have the grandest hues.
First comes the rich lumber, then the sill.
yer tint of ashes that fall In showers
from the crater, and around the crest the
living gold of the hot lava, which is eject
ed with The greatest regularity and flows
down the sides of the mountain in great
torrents. One discharge no sooner cools
than another one is upon it. Then above
all are the heavy flames and plume OF
smoke that rises up eer1ally to heaven.
This volcano arose from the plain in
lilO, IN what was then cattle ranch, or
naclenda. Inc owner was absent at the
Time IN Europe, and upon his return a
lew months later was astonished to dis
cover that be had suddenly and unexpect-
euIy traded fine ranch tor an active vol
caD0. In December, 1869, the ranch
men upon THIS estate We're alarmed by
suolefranean explosions and earthquake
SHOCKS, which continued from daY to Qav,
growing more severe. until the houses
upon the ranch were shaken down and
thelr occupants fled from the plains. The
Herdsmen, however, remained about
watching developments, and discovered
doouI tne middle OF January that the
eHltn mad opened half mile from where
Tue buildings stood, and that smoke and
IRE were coming out OF the cavity, A
lew days after they observed great in
crease IN the volume of smoke and flame
ana discovered that vast quantities OF
cInders and stones were being thrown out
from the young crater.
FINALLY, on Feb. 30 1870, there was one
sl~uu upneaVal, when the whole of the
IepuDilc was shaken from one end to the
oyueT, ana the surface of the earth rose
1nu Tell ike the pillows OF the sea.
lIouses We're shaken down, towns were
destroyed, and the country was in ruins.
nv the END II was found that young
im ~ mad been born, and they called
A. lHdico' IL was then about 1000 feet
nlen, out has since been growing with the
CONSTANT eruptions Of lava at the rate of
over 100 feet year.
=, The only volcano on the Pacific coast
mat VIII compare with Izalco is Momo-
.omoO, Nicaragua, or 'Old Tombo., as il
20 called In 1880 there was an eruption
from its crater which was the most se-
On 'e va record. 1t commenced on Jan.
yr,.t mat year, and continued four days
"avuouI cessation. during which time the
th ,oAe ana aehes We're so dense in the air
ra ndo me sun could not be seen tor
foT , Vi lOO miles around. The ashes
,V,d IN Tue Island of Jamaica, 1000 miles
10y III bO2Ota, in the United States of
loia, 1000 miles away in straight
s a"e ana lO'OOO feet above the level OF the
ITVa, hlgner even than the volcano itself,
,a eAploslOns were heard 800 miles dis
sS., "hlie there was a continuous
INV 9no"sr OF ashes all over Central America,
tbau t ,neAlco TO Panama. In some places