Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-06-20
A GROWING MOUNTAIN.


Down on the coast of Central Americi
in the little republic of Salvador, So
near the ocean that it may be seen from
the decks of passing ships, is noun
tain that grows. There is another re
markable fact about Izalco, as the noun
tain is called, for it is not only increas
ing in height all the time, but it is thu
most violent and constant Of all vol
canoes. Every little while, from ont
years end to the other, it spouts vas
quantities of fire, lava and ashes, which
fall in shower and wrap its sides for
thousand feet below the summit with
blanket of living Goals.
1t is impossible to conceive grande,
spectacle than is presented at night tt
the passengers upon ships that go tina
way. No one goes to bed on the steamei
till the mountain is out of sight. Tray
elers go a long distance to SEQ it anc
are always willing to admit that thu
Journey repaid them. The mountain
rises nearly 1000 feet, and as its base il
almost in the sea it looks much higher
An immense plume of smoke ascend'
frcm the crater. The incessant BURST
of flame, mounting 800 feet every little
while, can be seen for more than 10
miles in clear weather. The mountain
has been called "the Light House o
Salvador and the shipping on the
coast needs no other beacon SO far al
the mountain can be seen.
Around the base of the volcano are
productive sugar plantations, with 6
railroad running through them. Their
uriIn tpiY # tir11h N al
impenetrable forest, whose foliage is
perpetual and of the darkest green BE
yond tho forest and between the timber
line and the summit, is belt Of ashes
and lava, which is constantly receiving
accessions from the crater, and every
few minutes changes from a lipid yell
low, when the ashes are hot, to a silver
gray, as they begin to cool. AT nigh
the effect is very fine. At each eruption
there is violent explosion, like the
discharge of thousand cannons, and
afterward terrible rumbling is heard
beneath the surface of the earth.
Izalco arose suddenly from plain il
the spring of 1770 in the midst of wha'
had been for nearly hundred years {
profitable sugar plantation. The owner
Don Balthazar Erazo, was absent on {
visit to Spain at the time, and was
greatly amazed on his return to discove
that his farm had been exchanged, with
out his knowledge or consent, for a first
class volcano. 1t was in December 1869
that the poems on the plantation frs
noticed that something was wrong un
! derneath Although they were accus
/ toned to "tremblers,' as slight earth
quakes are called they became fright
ened at the unusual rumbings an(
| gvowlings in the bowels of the earth
They decided To leave the place and go
away not moment too soon. A fey
days later when some of the NEST ven
turesome went back to see how the ami
mails were getting on, they discovere
| that all the buildings had been dc
stroyed, that great trees had been NJ
rooted, and large craters had opened i
the fields, from which came smoke an
flames, but apparently Aere had bee
no great eruption as yet.
A party of shepherds, drawer than tn
rest, decided to remain in the neighboi
hood and await developments, and o
the 23d of February, 1770, they were CT
other men we're ever permitted to wi
ness-the birth of a mountain. 1t wa
about ten o'clock in the morning. {
they afterward said, when the gran
upheaval took place First came
series of terrific explosions which lifte
the crust of the earth in pile sever;
hundred feet high, and from the opel
ing issued flames and lava. with masss
OF smoke. An hsur or two after theI
was another and grander convulsioi
which shook the country for hundred
Of miles and did great damage to h
neighboring towns, Rocks weiahir
thousands of tons were lifted high
the air and fell several miles distan
The surface Of the earth bulged l
nearly 5000 feet, and vast masses
rocks were piled up around the craft
from which they issued.
J These terrible earthquakes continue
FOR several days, and great damage WI
done in the neighboring provinces
Nicaragua and Honduras, as we'll as
San Salvador. The volcano was
healthy and vigorous child. In lie
than two months from a level field arc
mountain moro than 1000 feet hig
The discharges from the crater fro
that time to this have accumulat,
around the edges until the pile h
. reached nearly 1000 feet and it is ST
growing, Unfortunately tl>H growth
the monster has not been scientitical
observed or accurately measured,
would be difficult to measure it, for Il
surface of the cone, down to 1000 fe
from the summit, is always covered wi
hot lava, over which no man cou
climb, and the fumes of the sulph
would suifocate one If the heat could
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