The Helena independent., 1894-11-22
BECOMING VOLCANIC.
Mount Tacoma, Rainier They Call Tin Seat
tle, Shows Signs Of spouting Fire
and Lava.
CHANGES AS TO ITS APPEARANCE
II Has Had Like Symptoms In PreyIoul
Times, so Says the Oldest Rcd
Man Out There.

Seattle, Wash. Nov. 2i-Great ex-
element has been caused throughout
the Puget suond country by what IL
looked upon as an eruption OF Mount
Tacoma, or Rainier. 4.i44 feet high.
and one OF the loftlest peaks In the
United States The mountain has lately
been strangely transformed. The crest
OF the great monarch OF the Cascades
has changed. the cone having fallen
In and steam can be seen rising from
the crater, There Is no eruption. Il b.
believed by those most competent tC
Judge, but great masses of rock seen
10 have fallen. The snow-capped con,
has disappeared. and n sharp-pointeo
peak has risen in It's place 10 the east
ofthe crater. The changed appearance
Of the mountain IL evident from the
streets OF Seattle. sixty-fve miles dis
tant, and thousands of people hovs
watched the great peak all afternoon
But very few people have ever ascended
the mountain. and at this season asccn.
sion Is an absolute imposslbility, 50
there Is no way of making thorough
investigation OF the phenomenon.
Soon after sunrise this morning. tlis
sky and air being remarkably clear
clouds Of black smoke were curling
from the southwestern part OF ths
peak, where the crater is located com
ing at intervals of about fifteen sec,
onds. The dome-like top had disap.
peared and been replaced by fiat Tor
with large crevasse extending down
the side. while in the center of its sum-
NIT new peak had appeared on the
northern side. The snow was all gone
from the summit. as though melted OF
and some falling masses of rock
stripped of their white covering, could
be plainly discerned. Steam is also
seen mingling with smoke, which rose
100 feet above the summit
Mount Rainier is a cone-shaped peak
and stands slightly 10 the west of the
main Cascade range. sixty-five miles
southeast of Seattle. IL rises fully 5000
feet above the range. 1t has three era
ters, OF which the principal and most
perfect Is the scene of the present vol
canic disturbances. This crater is hall
mile across with walls of rock fifty
feet high and thousands OF Jets of hot
air and steam issue from this rim. The
inside OF the crater is filled with snow
and Ice, In which smoldering volcanic
steam and steam Jets have formed In
innumerable caves. one of which has
been penetrated by explorers to depth
OF 100 feet, while they have used steam
Jets for cooking.
1t is supposed that the walls OF the
crater having been gradually weakened
at the base have fallen. leaving the
peak. composed OF rock on which a
snowy cone named Columbus crest had
formed, and that the internal fires thus
free have burst forth In new vigor. The
eruption became hidden by clouds
soon after s a. m.
Tacoma. Wash. Nov. 2l.-The story
of Mount Tacoma's Tor Ranier's)
changed appearance is regarded here
as having little foundation. though Ia
coma looks at the mountain from a
different point of view than Seattle
No steam or fire have been observed
from here but the side nearest this
city, which is covered with the largest
glaciers I'm the world, seems to be COW
cred with snow to a greater depth
than usual. Most always In the sum.
mer time. on a clear day, some steam
can be seen arising from the noun.
tnln's crater, and IL Is thought here
That this phenomenon has given rise
to the story. Persons have slept In the
crater for n few hours at a time but
can not remain long on account of the
dense fumes OF the sulphuric gases
which are constantly arising and
which have led some travellers TO sus-
pect that the interior of the mountain
Was In close proximity to the place
know In literature as hades,
Tonight at $50 o'clock several slight
shocks OF earthquake Were felt here
Windows ratified Throughout the city
The first shock was most severe. being
accompanied by rumbling noises, as OF
distant explosion, and simultaneously a
sheet OF flame was observed I'm the east
ern heavens. Inquiry tonight develops
the fact that several persons here saw
the smoke arising from Mount Tacoma
this morning.
Prof Pummer. local scientist who
has made a special study OF earthquake
phenomena In the northwest, says;
"Old Naotian. the oldest Indian on the
Puyallup reservation. said through an
Interpreter before the Tacoma academy
of science In February 1898, that he had
many times seen fire and smoke COM
ing out OF Mount Tacoma. This was
when he was q, boy. Gen, John Fremont
reported. IN November lSiS, that Mount
Tacoma was In eruption. According To
Prof. Holden. OF Lick observatory. "A
violent eruption OF the mountain oc-
Cured Oct. 10, 1878, at four y, m. In
May, 1880. volumes OF smoke Were oh
served issuing from the crater. ON
June n, 1884. Jets OF steam were OBJ
served shooting upward from the noun
tain at intervals of one minute,
''It Is Interesting TO note" says Prot.
Plummer, "that several planets. in
Guiding the earth. are NJ present I'm line,
a fact which bears out the theory of
Prof. Alexis Perry and others that such
conditions are favorable 10 earthquakes
and volcanic phenomenon. There have
been 80 far twenty-five large earth
aunkes throughout the world during the
months OF October ana November OF
the present year
Tho Tuvf ConpFess.