The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-07-31
BEICHING FLAMES.
Mt. Etna and It's Four-ScOre
Eruptions.
VesuyIus and Its Terr6rs-PompeIi and Her
culaneuni--Aasure's Terrific
Object Lessons.

tE'or TIE SUNDAY HERALD-Copyrighte I
About eighty eraptions Of Mount Etna
are known to have occurred prior to the
one which is now attracting the attention
Of the world The first outbreak in his
toric times is said to have taken place in the
seventh century .. G.. In February, 1869,
the most terrible eruption Of the mountain
occurred which has ever been recorded. An
earthquake, felt for long distance, de-
stroyed Catania and buried 1900 people.
The cathedral OF the city at the time was
crowded with people celebrating the feast
Of St. Agatha The cathedral was ruined
ard the worshipers buried, together with
bishops and forty-fouF Benedlctine monks.
One side Of the crater fell in.
In 1887 part OF the village OF Nicolosi
was destroyed. At this time stream Of
lava ran for fifteen miles down the noun
tain.
A terrible eruption occurred in 1868
which has been very fully described by
several writers, notably by Alfonso Bo-
relh, a professor Of mathematics at the
famed city Of Catania. During this erup-
tion Nicolosi, Belpasso and part of Ca
tania were destroyed. A assure nearly
twelve miles long, about six feet wide
and Of unknown depth appeared in
the side OF the mountain and extended
TO within q mile Of the top. A bright
light issued from the tissure and six
mouths along the line emitted smoke, ac-
companied by q believing sound which
could be heard forty miles away. Balpasso,
village of 5000 people, was destroyed by
the Outbur6t from a new crater which
opened about q mile below the others and
threw out flood Of lava two miles wide.
Stopped for time by TIE city walls of
Catania. the lava rose gradually TO a height
OF sixty feet and finally rushed over the
walls and destroyed q part of the city.
Altogether some fifteen towns were de-
ntroyed BY the eruption, the lava thrown
out covering an area Of at least forty
square miles.
The latest eruption prior to the present
one was in 1856. This lasted about three
weeks, and was preceded by an earthquake.
Cinders fell as far distant as Messina,
about eighty mic siren Mount Etna Nj
col0si was for many days threatened with
destruction, the stream of lava finally
stopping within short distance Of it.
Many of the classical writers mention
Mount Etna, including Pindsr, Aristotle
and Cicero. 1t is reported that Plato
visited the summit Of the mountain 10 his
day, and that in 1888 MIR. Gladstone made
the ascent. Then the volcano was far from
being quiet
CHARACTERISTICS OF MOUNT ETEA.
Mount Etna is one Of the most noted and
marvellous volcanoes in the world. 1t is
located on the eastern coast Of Sicily, is
10,S6S feet, or more than two miles high,
and its base has a circumference of about
ninety miles. Some OF the lava from its
eruptions form headlands several hundred
feet nigh along the classic Ionian sea.
The area Of the mountain is about $50
square miles, and includes two cities, Ca
tania and Acl Reale, and sixty -thres towns
and villages. Ii is estimated that IS many
as 100000 people live on the sides OF the
mountain.
The mountain has a regular conical form,
broken by the Val del Bue, an oval shaped
valley, on the eastern side. The cultivated
region of the mountain is very fertile and
extends to a height of about 2,0OO feet
above the sea. Above the cultivated
region comes q wooded area, extending to
x height Of about 6.300 feet. Here are
found trees OF oak, beech, pine, poplar.
cork lex and chestnut Above the wooded
area is desert region. covered with lava,
ashes and sand, which, during large part
Of the year, are hidden by snow.
The mountain may be assembled, pre-
ferably between June and December. a
party which assembled in August found it
SO cold near the top that extra coats were
necessary. The abyss of the crater was
found ia 1877 10 be about 1000 feet deep
and some TWO three miles around.
OTHER VOLCANOES.
More celebrated than Etna is the volcano
Of Nesuvius, although it is only 1900 feet
in height against the nearly II 600 feet Of
Etna Probably Vesuvins has been
nearly or quite twice its present height.
The well-known eruption OF Vesuvius
which occurred in the year 79 and buried
Pompeii and Herculaneum was the first
that has occurred within the limits of
history or tradition, though others had
taken place before that. Since this great
eruption, warnings of which were given
for fifteen wears by earthquakes and
rumblings, Nesnvius has never been quiet,
frequently emitting lava but more often
dust scoriR and steam. From 1766 10
1928 the volcano was especially active.
Iceland, as is well known. has geologic
formation, and its hot volcanic eruptions
form strong contrast TO its climate. Most
Of the mountains of the island have been
Volcanoes. Hecla. the most famous, is be-
tween 600 aud 6, 700 feet in height II haa
eighteen recorded eruptions, the latest be-
ing 1856 The earliest known eruption
was in 1104 which gave the name "sand-
rain winter" to the season in which it oc-
Cured. Vast quantities OF dust are dis
charged from the Icelandic volcanoes, a
column of ashes said to be 5000 feet high
having arisen from Hecla in 1766.