The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-10-21
GREATEST OF VOLCANOES
THIS IS MAUNA LOA IN THE
SANDWICH ISLANDS.

It Is the Most Important of Modern
Voloahoes-A Great River of
Lava 100 Feet Deep.
On a recent map of Hawaii, the largest
island of the Hawaiian group,are NUM-
Der of black marks, some narrow and
some very wide, extending from a COM
mon center in the interior to many
points of the compass, some of them
reaching the sea, forty to sixty miles
away. These marks represent the areas
that during this century have been COW
cred by lava, flowing from the greatest
volcano in the world. In 1887 Mauna
Loa gave two terrific displays of the most
intense volcanic activity. The average
interval between the eruptive periods of
the volcano is about eight years. Mauna
Loa, which means "Tho Great Noun
tain," is by far the most important of
modern volcanoes. Several years ago
Captain @. E. Dutton, of the Ordnance
Corps in our army, made careful study
of the Hawaiian volcanoes. He says
that a moderate eruption Of Mauna Loa
represents more material than Vesuvius
Pompeii. The great lava flow of 1855,
which extended torty-fve miles toward
the sea, with an average breadth of Al
miles and an average depth of 100 feet,
would nearly have built Vesuvius. The
flows of 1859 and 1881 were little less.
The first eruption in 1887 lasted two
weeks, and the molten lava flowed for
TO Ice Il f1,a al sc
the mountain, its lower edge entering
the sea. In this way Hawaii is grad
ually growing, the great lava floods en-
croaching upon the sea and enlarging
the coast line.
Although all the twelve islands that
form the Hawaiian group are of volcanic
origin, it is only in that island which
gives its name to the group, aud which
is larger than all the rest put together,
that volcanic energy is now displayed.
The greatest number of Mauna Loa's lava
flows have been toward the northeast or
northwest coast of the island, bat the
stream of 1887 reached the southwest
coast. Unlike most other volcanoes, the
streams of melted matter which roll down
summit, but from great assures in the
side of the mountain, sometimes thou
sands of feot below its top. The main
axis of this stupendous mountain mass is
about seventy-five miles long, aud the
mountain slopes very gradually toward
the sea on all sides. Instead of being a
cone, which is the usual form of VOL
II 10 Il aIys
elevation. The reason is that the out
pourings from the bowels of the earth
which have formed it have been in their
molten state so completely liquiied that
they could spread over large surface,
while the more solid matter issuing from
Vesuvius and many other volcanoes re-
mained near the place of vent, and con-
sequently built up the mountains in the
form of peaks.
Mauna Loa is nearly Ia, 900 feet high,
aud the ascent along the most accessible
route to the summit can easily be made
on mules. The slope of the mountain is
so gradual, that it takes, along the usual
route up the mountain, twenty miles OF
travel to gain an altitude of $500 feet.
1t has been observed that the great erup-
tions of Mauna Loa have generally been
preceded by intense activity at the sum-
NIT oritice-the emissions there, how
ever, never overilowing the great lava
walled basin in which they are confined.
After the main eruptons there is perfect
quiescence in all parts of the mountain.
Captain Dutton's theory is that within
m N nj at nF
tive energy aud material is constantly in
progress, which sat first seeks an outlet
through the summit oritice; but ut the
accumulation goes on the mountain itself
is ruptured." The lava is discharged,
and the volcanic energy is for the time
being depleted.
Eleven years ago great stream of lava
for some months poured down the volca-
nos northeast slope and advanced stead
lily over the plains, some of them almost
level, to the coast, some forty miles
away. 1t was making straight for the
pretty village of Hilo, and the inhabi-
tants concluded at last that there was no
hope of saving their town. In the last
days of its flow its progress was much
less rapid, but still it kept pushing on at
a rate of 300 yards day. All the port
able property in the town was packed up
and the people prepared TO move at
notice. The stream of lava
split in two long arms and appeared to
be about to encircle the town. The two
branches had reached the outskirts of
the town, when suddenly, without any
premonition, the flow stopped and the
movement was not renewed. Gold
,hWaite's Ge9QraphicaL MlaaziAe.