The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-08-18

Topography of Great sang,r Island
Wholly Changed.
NEW YORK, Aug. 4.-Dsputchcs
from Victoria, Is. e.. 70 the world, says
the steamer Empress, OF Ind:s. just ar
rived from Japan, brings additional de-
tails o. the disastrous volcanic eruption
on Great Sapgic IslanL. Without any
warning signal, lthout any sign what
ever of impending disturbance, the Gu
nOng Aroo volcano blaZed forth on June
7, and within twenty -four hours the
whole OF the prosperous surrounding
country was devastated. The location
of the crater Is latitude 3 dcT SO min
north, long 1875 deg 80 min cast. The
Western coast Of Great Sanyjr IBlaAd
Is washed by the CclcD Des Sea, with the
Molucca passage on the southeast.
The island is one OF chain Of islands
near the Philippines.
The first report OF the eruption was
heard about 6 O'Clock in tie morning
and Tor four hours there was urv cUntln.
val stream OF lire ANA ashes belchug
lolth. After Slight relaxation tl)rd
OF ure again u2gan, continuing Two day y,
heavy rumblngs being heard i'll the
mountains. The town of TOyOana, OH
the southern side OF the island suffered
then. Dwellings and other structures
crumbled uuder their heavy load Of dust
and ashes, the iuhubltants fleeing for
safety, while many per shcdln lie ruins.
Tho Cocoauut pl tutations, which COW
cred The whole mountain side, were
completely destroyed The county
west OF TOrOana was covered v ilh thick
mud and ashes. Terrific thunder storms
had followed each earthquake. Hot
streams Of mud and iura running down
the mountain side rendered travelling
unsafe, and those who were uvertaken
in their flight perishcd. Reports from
all over the island Indicate the most dis
astrous consequences. Whole villages
are submerged and cocoa ana hutmcg
plantations every where are ned. In
the northern pact ot The island lava
streams were luuulig with terrific force.
Among other villages completely oblit-
Grated was thai OF Tckekam. amt Il Tor
its beauty and wealth.
The loss OF life is sotI eLhiI = .rightiul,
but no accurate estimate o: il can Yet
be made. Some place it as high as TO-
600. The captain oi a ship which took
assistance to the sufferers says that l0,-
900 is not too high Il figure as an csti-
mate Of the number of dead. n thous-
shore and many were found floating in
the sea. The reports of tho vvrious eX-
Dlosions, were SO violent that they were
heard at Tcrnatc, Gorcntalo and Men
danao. The alarm reached Tcrnate,
and the Netherlands war ship Zcemtruw
WAS Immediately DISPATCHED. " hiIc from
Mendnnao the British ste;.nlcr IIccuba
was also sent TO render assis ance and
carry supplies.
The whole island is complet, ly dcVas-
tated, and although tic violent eruption
has ceased volumes CT smoke are rising,
accompanied by steam and ashes. The
lower lands and valleys arc covered
with lava, which y still pouring down,
while cracks i'll the mountain have
opened, cmptying v0ileys Oi steam,
stone and mud. Further outbreaks
were feared, and as fast rs steamers and
vessels could be obtained the inhabi-
tants still alive were fleeing.
Property worth millions upon MIL
lions Ia destroyed forever. For many
years the inhabitants of San!n Island
living within the shadows OF dormant
crater had titled the soil and prOspered,
their chief industry being the growing Of
nutmegs, COCOanuts and grapes, the
product being regularly shipped abroad.
Their life was q romantic one, favored
by Providence with climate ,qualling,
ii not surprising, that Oi Italy, and a
soil needing little cultivation IT, make it
profitable. With no political national
y disturbances the sCmi-savaHc natives
were gradually becoming civilized. The
villages and towns were we'll built, and
had schools and churches.
The awful dcvastntion began at 8
o'clock on the morning of June 7. There
was a terrible rumble, column otluddy
flame SHOT up from the crater as high in
the havens as the eye could reach, and
Immediately aitcl Ids hot ashes were
falling like snowtlakcs over Lhe whole
, country. Dust was dying il all direc.
tions, and from the time of tirG irst cX-
ploson until Q O'Clock that evening
fierce volumes Of flame and smoke and
showers Of large stones we've bclchcd
forth, followed by rain, which iell in tor.
rents, bringing down with il lhc clouds
of ashes that were flying through the
air. This continued all ugh! and the
whole OF the next day.
Earthquakes began June 9. Village
alter village was enGulfed, hundreds o
people dropping into the great cracks in
the earth. The whole country is under
layer OF mud, ashes and stones. AL
vegetation IS either burned up by the
awful heat OF the volcanic fires Or has
been destroyed by dense showers oI
ashes and dust. The county around
' Gunong Aroo and the sides o! The hills
were still stcaming and smoking on June
25, numerous volcanic jcSs throwing ~
columns of mud and stones which fell III
showers over the district, forming inLC
hot streams which, in their downward
course, carried everything before thehi
g. The district on the Rorth SIDE Of the
island is utterly destroyed, nutmeg an(
cocoa plantations being laid in ruins, ant
IN many cases completely buried under
the ashes, mud and lava from the crater
Among others who saw the island aitel
the outbreak was Capt. j. Gray, OF tha
: steamship Norway, which had been sen
with cargo OF rice from Mendanao tt
relieve the sufferers. He SAYS the Who'll,
island, viewed from the westward, pre-
q