Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-10-01
VOLCANOES OF ALASKA.
MOUNT ST. ELIAS THE GRAND
EST OF THEM ALL.
But There Are Several Others which
Deserve More Attention Than ~
Commonly Given Them
ny Travellers.


Deserve More Attention Than ~
Commonly Given Them
ny Travellers.
Much is heard OF the stately Mount
St. Elias, in southern Alaska. which
towers 10, 500 feet above the sea level.
because OF its being the highest moun-
tain in America but this mountain
with its smoking crater. though prob
ably the grandest, Is not the most in
teresting one Of the north by any
means. The volcanoes Umnak. Bog
osloff. Programme, Akootan, Shis-
haldin and Pavlof. all located in the
Aleutian islands. 1900 miles from
Sitka are probably the most interest
ing mountains In the world. All six
volcanoes are in active operation. and
located within q radius of 100 miles OF
Ounalaska. ~
From the Pacific Ocean all the
mountains. with the exception of Paw
loff, which Is hidden from view behind
another mount can be seen at once.
with the smoke and steam rolling up
ward from their craters. More is not
told the world of these splendid noun
tains because they are seldom visited.
Tourists do not 60 within l. 800 miles
of them. for there Is no regularly
established line OF steamers running
further north than Sitka-
'Ounalaska Island. which is about
eighty miles long. is the largest. The
other islands, of which there are num-
bers. vary in size from this down to q
mere reef or rock projecting out OF
the sea, said Lieut.. Jarvis, speaking
to q Seattle Post Intelligence reporter.
The lieutenant found Bogosloff an
especially fascinating study. One hum
dred years ago Bogosloff did not exist.
The island on which the volcano is
situated lay at the bottom Of the sea.
just about one hundred years ago
there were continuous Earrings in the
Aleutian group, and the several VOL
canoes smoked and belched forth lava,
showing that an internal war was in
progress in the bowels OF the earth.
One morning. during heavy disturb
ance, the natives of Ounalaska saw an
immense object rise up out Ut the sea,
about sixty miles to the northward.
Great volumes of smoke and showers
OF ashes and running lava came out oil
the object. After many days the dis
turbance subsidized, and the natives
could see that a new island had come
to join the group, and they called the
new arrival Bogosloff. The island was
about half q mile long, and was $50
feet high.
A peculiar feature of the mount wal
that it had no well-defined crater.
From many assures which cut across
the sides of the mountain and arounG
the top huge volumes Of smoke came
but at the top there was no hole
Still. Notwithstanding this deformity
Bogoslolf was very lively. and mad,
more fuss than all the rest OF tn,
larger volcanoes
About eighty years ago. during I
violent eruption, another island came VI
out Of the sea. and, joining Bogosloff
became one island. During the sum
mer of 1889. while in the government
service, Lieutenant Jarvis visited Bog
l0sloff for the first time. He walked al
over the mountain. whose entire side
were rent with huge assures out O
which came hot sitting smoke. odor
GUS with sulphur. So much sm0k
came out OF the assures that it wa
simply impossible to 60 close to them
much less look down into them. Their
, was no crater or tissure directly at tn
summit. as was found by examination
; Again the lieutenant went TO Alasks
this time in the revenue cutter Rush
When the cutter made landing g
Ounalaska the natives told the officer
of the steamer that few months b.
fore there we're eruptions among tn
; volcanoes, and that Bogosloff wa
especially angry; that the island CAV
out great showers of hot ashes an
steam and black smoke.
The Rush made the run Of sixt
9 miles to the island. and long befol
she hove to those on board could &c
that the whole top OF the volcano ha
fallen In. forming an immense crate
from out of which the smoke not onl
> rolled. but pulled like the exhaust .
an enormous engine. Those who WEI
on shore did not dare 60 near til
Q summit because OF the intense hea
. BY the top falling in the height OF Il
. mountain was reduced fully $50 fee
. leaving only 200 feet above the 81
. level.
Clear days are almost unknown
this land of ice and volcanoes. Whe
:, . 1t is not raining in summer it is fogg
\ and when it is not showing in whit
- the wind is fierce and bowling. On
- in while, in the early spring. ma
% liners are favored with few clear day
- The wind goes down. the sky Is FRI
- Of clouds and the deep azure Of spa
g looks down upon the trembling oce'
- with cold. unfeeling gaze.
u AL Explained.
:: Paterfamilias (solemnly)-Is tn