The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-23

The molten mass flows do wn the sides o
the mountain, and with the ashes and Gin
ders carries desolation and death to thu
country below. Some of the matte,
thrown out lodges around the mouth o
the crater, raising it still higher; or thu
struggling mass, unable to lift the accu
mulated material from the chimney, or t.
force a hole through the floor of the crater
may tear off a part of the rim of the cratel
or rend a fissure from top to bottom.
Volcanoes are pretty widely scattered
over the face of the earth, but in general
it may be said that they lie along noun
tain ranges bordering on the ocean and
in the ocean itself, either on islands or be-
meath the water. They are located in
lines or groups, and are always at weak
points in the earth's surface.
Volcanoes have been in existence dur
ing every principal geologic age, at least
as far back as the lowest s~ilurian, the
rocks of which age are very nearly the
Oldest in existence. New volcanoes in
late years have appeared above the sur
face of the sea.
4ACIC diC OLlSC CldSSCS vi FOiCctIOCS, Iut
active, dormant and extinct, but these
classes are likely to overlap. With one or
two possible, but somewhat doubtful, ex
captions, the eruptions of volcanoes oc-
cur at no regular periods. Prior to the
memorable outbreak of Vesuvius in the
year 70 even tradition had not handed
down an account Of an eruption. Since
the above date Vesuvius has been inter
mittently active, but from the year 1900
to 1851 the crater was SO quiet that it be-
came choked with a woody growth. In
1851 an eruption occurred, exceeded in
violence only by that of the year 1879.
First and last in a volcanoes life history
gases and vapors are prominent. Of the
vast clouds which sometimes hang over
active volcanoes, it is calculated that
999-1, 000ths is steam. The amount of
vapor emitted by Etna during 100 days
has been estimated as, If condensed, equal
TO some 800. 900, 900 gallons of water.
Some idea of this amount of water can be
conveyed by stating that the amount Of
water from one days vapor would equal
the water supply for a family of ten for
II 900 days or thirty years, allowing, 90
gallons per day to each person.
These vapors condense and give rise TO
large volumes Of water, part Of which
falls as rain in the vicinity and part of
which u n down the sides of the Volcano.
This water from vapor is increased in
some cases by meltiug snow from high
points on the volcanoes and from vast
reservoirs of water in the bowels Of the
earth, or from lakes in the craters Of
such volcanoes as for some time
have been at rest. In the lat
ter case hundreds upon hundreds
OF dead fish are sometimes swept down the
mountain SIDE. anf vhere-er. the water
joins with the volcanic dust it forms q
mud, more or less thick, which rushes
downward, emitting steam and gases as
it goes. This mud finally becomes solid,
and is known as tuT, or tuffa, Of which
there are many kinds, all formed from
volcanic matter which has n some way
been broken Up and afterwards solidifed
The red hot molten rock which = dis
charged from volcanoes is known as lava
This varies II character, when cool, from
masses OF crystals. whole and broken and
woven together, TO veritAbie h~oneycombs,
the latter being caused by cavities II the
hot lava filed with steam Some Lava has
been 50 completely burned as 20 becone
CLASSY and Is known as volcanic glass or
obsidiaa.
Ashes and Sand. fragments from the
size Of a Pea 10 thA VI s walnut, known
SIS lapiili. and oozrser materials ranging
70 huge blocks % many tons weight. are
hur.ei from tAese immense oA1Aneys Of
the earth
Most volcanoes hAFe periods q rsS A
very tev are continually active A. Strou
boli IN tie Mediterranean, watch frou shs