The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-12

here was a clean circle cut as accurately
as circus ring is cut, and with no mani
festations of disturbance outside the ring
There must then have been some unusual
and terrific subterranean force manifested
in this spot as it had been manifested no
where else upon the surface of the globe
so far as scientists know.
After making some very careful and del
icate experiments, Mr.. Gilbert reached
this conclusion: He decided that far be-
meath the surface of the earth at this
point, perhaps 1000 feet, there was body
OF water resting upon primitive rock.
This water from some cause became greatly
heated in a prehistoric age The amout Of
heat must have been enormous, for at
that depth and under that pressure water
does not change to steam until far
higher degree Of heat is reached than
2l2 degrees, which is the Temperature
that converts water to steam upon the
surface. Whatever the degree of heat il
was sufficient to convert this body Of
water into steam of enormous extensive
power. This force was sufficient ct last
to cause an explosion, to speak without
technical accuracy, or in other words the
power of the steam was so great that the
earth's crust, even LOCO feet in thickness,
was not able to resist it. The pressure
blew that hole in the earth's surface, car
force of this explosion was so directed
that it made a veritabIe hole almost e..
actly circular. Exactly the same thing
happened that occurs when steam
boiler Is bursted by the power OF steam.
We can realize the enormous force Of
steam when We understand that it was
great enough to force q hole through
rock and earth several hundred feet
in thickness and to cut CIR
Gle in the crust of the earth
almost as clean as though it had been cus
blown to a great distance. A represents
ton of some of them appears in the accom-
panying photograph, and the country ioi
many yards beyond the rim Is Uttered
with rock blown from the bowels OF the
earth at the time of this explosion.
Having satisfied himself as TO the cause.
Mr.. Gilbert next undertook to decide,.u
possible, upon the time when this remark.
able and probably unequalled explosion
occurred. His investigation led himto
believe that IL probably occurred during
the ice age, when the whole northern pais
of the North American continent was
covered with glaciers.
The great hole, or koon butte, IS apne-
nomenon distinct and individual. Ihels
Is nothing in this country like it. WereH
located III the vicinity of the volcano IT.
glon of Arizona IL would be no great cur,
osity, for It would be. of course, ascripea
to the same causes which produced yos-
canoes, but it is isolated, q natural pne-
nomenon in the great plain Of Ar1onA
and with the extraordinary coincidehes
that practically by its side are consider
able deposits of meteoric iron, revealing
that there occurred in that exact vicini.J
violent explosion of a heavenly ocuI
which left its debris beside this unusuA
explosion from the bowels of the earth.
There are in Europe great holes some
thing similar and yet entirely differsns
from this one. For instance, in the Einel
district of the Rhine country there are
number of lakes called Mare. They an
swamps or meadows which have tiled "
holes similar in contour and appearsnss
to this American Maar, and vet WIS
these are curiosities and are visited 2
tourists, they differ from the Amenes..
Maar in this very important respec., tnss
their volcanic origin is evident. Voicsh~
rock Is found and lava as well. 30 az
In Central France there are one or ~
and one in India. But these are ~. ~
volcanic. There is difference. ~
between the volcanic Maar or nols !"
craters and this one because in the
OF volcanoes there are first O sefes
emissions of lava followed or aceo
panied by explosions, bCt IN the cas- IN.
the Maar of Arizona there was only
gle explosion, terrific and maJestic ="
vuision, over in an instant prooaDy,
actly as a local explosion caused py 49,
would be, and no flow or indicatr,u,n -
lava or volcanic rock whatever. lnssa
fore the American Maar must be reeAI
as peculiar. individual. distinct ana ~ asI
the most remarkable evidences OF in.essss
CONFUSION and force 10 be found any
on the face of the globe, ~
The writer asked Mr.. Gilbert nov .;nn
came to the conclusion that the exp .hst
occurred during the ice age. lie say IA
it was only matter of inference. az &
not care TO assert that 1t vas posius e
that period, but that certain weather 20
fects wei! known and understood Y 80
logists justified the inference tnat snA'
plosion occurred during the ice age. t,..s
Explosions Of more or less reseine .;,rsa
to this one have occurred in recens .-;rin.
but they have been of volcanic u !as Il
For instance the remarkable e1pusa,u.
1SSS in Japan, when one side OF inc i.rss
tain Vandoi was blown out ana .susr.
hole created suggests, except as 10 ~ No.
the explosion which created Arizons