Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-12
BIRTH OF A VOLCANO.
The Process Has Been Observed at
n Yzhlco, In San Salvador

Yzalco, In the little republic OF San
Salvador, is in many respects the most
remarkable volcano on earth, first, be-
cause its discharges have continued so
long and with such great regularity;
again, because the tumult in the earth's 8
bowels is always to be heard, as the
rumblings and explosions are constant,
being audible for n hundred miles, and
sounding like the noise which Rip Van
Wrinkle heard when he awakened from
his sleep in the Catskills; and finally, it
is the only volcano that has originated
on this continent since the discovery by
Columbus, says the author of ',The Cap
itals of Spanish America" II arose
suddenly from the plain in the spring
OF 1770. in midst Of what had been for
uearly hundred years the profitable
estate of Senior Don Balthazar Erazo,
who was absent from the country at the
time, and was greatly amazed upon his
return to discover that his magnificent
coffee and indigo plantation had, with
out his knowledge or consent, been ex-
changed for first-class volcano.
In December, 1863, the poems on the
hacienda were alarmed by terrific rum
blings under the ground, constant trom-
blings of the earth and frequent earth
quaies, which did not extend over the
earth as usual, but seemed to be con-
fined to that particular locality. They
left the place in terror when the trem-
blings and noises continued, and re-
turning u week or two after, found that
all the building had been shaken down,
trees uprootcd and large craters opened
in the fields, which had been level
earth before. From these craters smoke
and steam issued, and occasionally
flames were seen to come out of the
ground. Some brave vauueros or herds
men renamed near by to watch devel-
opments, and February "a, ITO, they
were entertained by spectacle that
no other men have been permitted to
witness; for about 10 O'Clock on the
morning of that day the grand up
heaval took place, and it seemed to
them, as they fed in terror, that the
whole universe was being turned up
side down. First there was series Of
terrible explosions, which lifted the
crust of the earth several hundred feet,
and out Of the cracks issued flames OF
lava and immense volumes Of
smoke, An hour or two after
wards there was another and grander
the country for a hundred miles around.
Rocks weighing thousands of tons were
hurled into the air, and fell several
leagues distant. The surface of the
earth was elevated about three thous-
and feet, and the internal recesses were
purged of'masses of lava and blistered
stone, which fell in a heap around the
hole from which they issued.
These discharges continued for sew
eral days at irregular intervals, accom-
panied by loud explosions and earth
quakes, which did much damage
throughout tho entire republic; the dis
turbance was perceptible in Nicaragua
and Honduras. In this manner was a
volcano born, and it has proved to be o
healthful and vigorous child. In less
than two months from level field rose
a mountain more than four thousand
feet high, and the constant discharges
from the cratar which opened then
have accumulated round its edges until
its elevation has increased 1000 feet
more. Unfortunately the growth of
the monster has not been scientifically
observed or accurately measured, but
the cone of lava and ashes, which is
now $500 feet from the foundation of
the earth upon which it rests, is con-
stantly growing by the incessant dis
charges of volcanic matter. sTa f*